Deimco Welcomes Senator Grassley

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had a hands-on look at Tama manufacturer of powder coating finishing equipment Deimco and spent time briefing employees on current Washington issues on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 1.

Kirk Shirar, Deimco president, gave the senator a department-by-department look at the plant on East 5th Street, demonstrating several pieces of equipment.

Shirar told Grassley Deimco believes it can custom build “anything needed” for finishing and material handling equipment.

He explained the company’s international as well as U.S. customer base. Shirar demonstrated how some of the equipment the company has invented performs and invited Grassely to try a couple of processes.

Following the tour, Grassley met with employees, fielding questions ranging from trade to local issues. He said he was not aboard the train with fellow Republicans bound for a retreat on Wednesday which crashed because he believes the retreats “are a waste of time.” Instead, he was spending Wednesday and Thursday in Iowa with constituents.

Asked about re-purposing the closed Iowa Juvenile Home / State Training School for girls campus in Toledo for a veterans outpatient clinic Grassley said such a move might be a possibility. He said this use would be a determination of Veterans Affairs officials and the State of Iowa.

He said “the just passed tax bill” lowering export rates charged manufacturers makes the U.S. tax more equitable in comparison to world competitors.

In response to a News-Herald question, Grassley said his efforts to convince Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to drop his block on the appointment of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey as U.S. Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation has not been successful.

Cruz is reported to have blocked the nomination in response to a Grassley and Senator Jon Ernst (R-Iowa) led effort to keep the biofuels level mandate in fuel supplies at the current level. Cruz, “an oil state” senator wants the levels decreased to support the oil industry.