

Matt Ertman is pictured at still left in entrance of the new facility which properties Ertman Truck Fix. It is located in the Golden Spike Business enterprise Park.

Adhering to in the footsteps of numerous of the county’s up-and-coming business owners, Matt Ertman is striving to turn into a accurate Renaissance gentleman.
Ertman entered the globe of small business ownership with the purchase of a solitary semi truck. Now, nearly 20 a long time later on, his fledgling trucking enterprise has expanded to a total fleet.
Ertman did not cease there. Around the previous several years, he has applied his small business acumen to new ventures, which contain a truck repair organization, and, extra unexpectedly, a comprehensive bar in Mankato which Ertman dubs ‘an grownup child entertaining household.’
How has he completed it?
According to Ertman, the response is straightforward.
“I started doing the job, and created myself up from there,” he states.
Ertman recognized his initially business, Ertman Trucking, in 2004. The business enterprise supplies livestock hauling expert services.
“We’re proper close to 100,000 pigs a 7 days,” Ertman estimates. “We have 24 vehicles managing day-to-day on the road.”
In the meantime, Ertman’s 2nd business, Ertman Truck Restore, came about as a pure extension of Ertman Trucking.
By now a veteran in the trucking neighborhood, Ertman quickly noticed there was a apparent want for truck restore expert services in the space.
“Every time you took a semi someplace, it seemed like shoddy do the job,” Ertman recollects. “In 2015, I started employing mechanics to function on my own things. In 2019, I opened up to the community.”
“I know it’s harder in this spot to get a excellent excellent of assistance,” he adds.
Ertman Truck Maintenance was originally positioned on 450th Avenue, around Freeway 109. Ertman was not significantly contented with the location, which was six miles outside the house of Blue Earth and a sizeable detour off of the Interstate.
As such, Ertman made the decision to relocate. Now, Ertman Truck Mend will formally open at its new place at 108 Faribault Travel, in the Golden Spike Company Park, on Monday, Aug. 22.
Ertman is energized about the alternatives the new spot – just a quick jaunt off of I-90 - will bring for the company.
“Currently, together the I-90 corridor, there is no provider center,” Ertman notes. “We want a comprehensive shop to rebuild transmissions, differentials, and various stuff like that.”
Ertman Truck Mend specializes in Cummins Diesel Engines, featuring full rebuilds of any engine, as very well as transmission alternative, clutches and driveline replacements.
“Anything that a semi tractor or trailer requirements, we can do it,” Ertman summarizes. “Fabricating brackets, welding aluminum – It’s sort of a one particular-stop shop.”
He provides that even though not every single repair shop can accomplish a Department of Transportation (DOT)-qualified inspection, all Ertman Truck Repair’s staff are DOT-qualified.
Subsequent Ertman Truck Repair’s relocation, Ertman strategies to extend the business’s expert services to the sale of sections, as nicely.
Having said that, Ertman admits that, between the numerous problems the pandemic has brought for truckers, it has created pieces more durable to uncover.
“Some of the sections are out a week to 10 days,” Ertman states. “There are also cost will increase.”
The pandemic has also left quite a few businesses brief on labor. Nonetheless, Ertman is content to report he at this time has four full-time mechanics, and is capable to hold his shop open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. He may extend his several hours at a later date to accommodate a lot more customers.
Ertman suggests trucks be serviced every 5,000 miles.
“You’d imagine which is a ton of miles, but when you’re driving each and every day, it’s not,” he states. “It appears to be like there is constantly a thing damaged.”
Ertman himself will be reserving lots of miles on his private vehicle around the months to appear. His latest business, JD’s Hideaway, has recently opened in Mankato.
Immediately after years in the trucking company, a single could possibly speculate why Ertman made a decision to open a bar. On the other hand, Ertman maintains, “Everybody’s bought to have a little something distinctive to get into in lifetime. You really do not want to keep all your eggs in a person basket.”
A brand name-new business enterprise, JD’s Hideaway opened in Mankato’s downtown place on Aug. 4.
The ‘adult child enjoyable house’ provides pool tables, darts and axe throwing, together with meals and drink.
“There is absolutely nothing like it in Mankato, and I needed to be the first,” Ertman says. “I just like that space. It is received a superior populace, and it is a university town.”
While Ertman will definitely be scheduling some business hours in Mankato around the coming weeks, the Faribault County indigenous keeps his heart at household.
“I’ve lived all over here my complete lifetime,” he suggests, adding he grew up in Winnebago. “I like the local community, and I like the place.”
His loved ones has in fact established down roots in the county. Ertman’s wife, Lisa, has recently accomplished her education to be a nurse practitioner.
Meanwhile, Ertman suggests his sons, Drake, age nine, and Gage, age six, have by now expressed curiosity in using above his company sometime, to his delight.
“My in general target is to make some thing for my young children down the line,” Ertman points out, concluding, “I came from nothing and labored my way up to what I am now. I’m incredibly fortunate.”


