A 79-year-old siding manufacturer in Hopkins is making progress toward relocating its headquarters, manufacturing and warehouse operations to Chaska.

EDCO, the nation’s largest manufacturer of prefinished metal siding products, has been operating in Hopkins since its beginning in 1946. EDCO offers a full line of exterior building materials — including siding, roofing, soffit, fascia and gutter systems.

The company currently operates at two sites within Hopkins but is planning to build a new 235,000-square-foot complex in the Southwest Chaska Business Park, near the intersection of Engler Boulevard and Creek Road, to house much of its business.

At Chaska City Council’s July 21 meeting, Economic Development Coordinator Julie Grove reported that the project developer has requested tax increment financing (TIF) assistance to make the new building financially feasible.

She noted that the project was eligible for $1.644 million over eight years from a TIF package. The financing mechanism uses the expected increased tax base from a project to pay for eligible costs associated with the development.

“It’s kind of a tool in our tool belt that can benefit the community at large,” Mayor Taylor Hubbard said of the TIF assistance program. “Having these opportunities allows our community to grow and build a better job base. It’s exciting.”

The proposed two-story building will sit on 28 acres and employ about 155 production, office and distribution staff members, according to preliminary figures.

At its meeting, the City Council approved a letter of intent to help initiate the establishment of the TIF package.

“It kind of gets the ball rolling and the process started,” Grove explained.

In May, the council approved the preliminary site and building plans for the EDCO project. If all goes according to schedule, final approvals for the development will occur in August.

Grove said the company hopes to begin construction in the spring of 2026. “They are excited about the project and are working out the final pieces … looking forward to working with the city on this excellent project,” she said.

In its first years, EDCO produced and distributed asphalt siding. Eventually the company shifted from asphalt to aluminum, and then eventually steel.