The St. Cloud area’s unique combination of city and country is evident in the historic industries that still prosper here today. Since 1898, the region has supported one of the world’s largest granite producers, Cold Spring Granite. Helping to give St. Cloud the surname “Granite City”, this family-owned company employs about 900 people locally, including third and fourth generation craftspeople.

Thanks to another natural resource, sand deposits, optics are an important legacy of this region, represented today by more than a dozen optical firms with manufacturing or laboratory facilities based here.

One can’t forget the influence of the Mississippi River winding its way through St. Cloud proper, historically important for trade and transportation, now supporting a successful paper and printing industry. International Paper’s vast paper mill along the riverbank of Sartell, a publication mill for magazine, catalog, newspaper, inserts and supplement papers, employs about 580 people.

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

St. Cloud Hospital Health Care 3,367
State of Minnesota Government 2,062
Electrolux Home Products Appliances 1,800
Coborns Inc. Grocery & Convenience Stores 1,733
St. Cloud State University Higher Education 1,450
Goldn Plump Poultry Processing 1,200
St. Cloud Public School Dist. 742 Education 973
Cold Spring Granite Granite Products 900
VA Medical Center Health Care 900
Bankers Systems Products for Financial Industry 830
CompuCredit Corp. Credit Card Services 768
Bauerly Brothers Highway & Street Construction 721
Woodcraft Industries Cabinetry 661
New Flyer USA Bus Manufacturing 650
DeZurik Inc. Industrial Valves 650
International Paper Paper Products 580