AriensCo has always had education at its core, and the new Ariens Academy and Francis Ariens Service School are bringing the company's efforts to a new apex. With a significant investment, the company has just completed construction on a new academic and training center, right down the road from its corporate headquarters in Brillion, Wisconsin.
The goal is to produce a crop of service technicians for Ariens and Gravely products who are more highly trained and knowledgeable than ever before.
"We've created the Ariens Academy and the Francis Ariens Service School because we think they will be the next phase in education," said Dan Ariens, chairman and CEO of AriensCo. "Education has always been a priority for our company, whether it be training technicians or supporting youth with scholarships and hands-on training. Building a school of our own was a logical next step."
The new academy and service school were created to meet two key objectives: to educate and train AriensCo employees and to help dealers and their technicians learn about new products and technologies and how best to support them. As an added benefit, the academy and service school will primarily be used to bolster the training of RapidCare employees as they seek to improve product support and service for AriensCo dealers and customers.
The Ariens Academy's new digs feature a state-of-the-art classroom center, complete with multimedia tools and online connectivity. The Francis Ariens Service School, located in the same building, has a full host of technical tools and dedicated work spaces that blend the characteristics of a scientific lab and mechanical garage.
Classes offered for AriensCo employees will also focus on business management and manufacturing operations, along with leadership training, project management and more. This extends the school's mission beyond technical expertise and into subjects that will also advance individual careers, keeping with the company's core value of encouraging intellectual curiosity.
"As the academy and training center develop over time, we will continue to integrate the latest training techniques and most cutting-edge technologies," said Barbara Neumann, director of field service and training. "We plan to become a real center of technical know-how that adapts with the changing times. We see it as a win-win, a win for our company and a win for the community."