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History

 

Mission

Secure sustainable manufacturing opportunities while continuing to generate revenue for growth and providing careers for our culturally diverse community.

Sioux Manufacturing Corporation (SMC) is a small business wholly owned and managed by the Dakotah people of the Spirit Lake Nation, a federally recognized Native American Indian tribe.  Located in the community of Fort Totten in Benson County of northeast North Dakota, the Company was originally incorporated in 1973 under the name, Devils Lake Sioux Manufacturing Corporation (DLSMC).

DLSMC was created by the leaders of the Tribe in cooperation with many dedicated public servants, legislators at the state and Federal levels and private large business industry partners. True to the mission and goals collectively set forth by these interested parties, over five thousand individuals would ultimately work at DLSMC/SMC because of their vision and efforts.

The first products manufactured at the Fort Totten plant were camouflage screen systems. The first units were delivered to the Army in the spring of 1974, less than three months after the Company activated the assembly line.  In the years since, many different types of complex and high quality products have been manufactured and delivered to the Government earning the Company numerous awards and a reputation as one of the most successful Native American owned and operated manufacturing businesses in the United States to grow out of the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Program. 

SMC is proud of its status as member of the Defense Industrial Base and its owners and staff are keenly aware of the importance of the role the Company plays as key contributor in an industrial supply chain that provides critical Military supplies to the warfighters that serve and defend the Nation.  SMC’s employees recognize the importance of their personal obligations as members of the essential workforce designated by the Department of Defense and proud of their contributions toward the enhancement of the quality of life for their families and community at large.

Vision

Honor the culture of our company

  • Respect and protect the corporate history
  • Be a sustainable, profitable business
  • Create, acquire, and develop innovative opportunities for future growth

Provide exceptional Customer Service

  • Be a leading manufacturer of top-quality products
  • Equip our military with leading-edge materials
  • Support our existing and potential customers
  • Be the premier employer in the region

Be the Premier Employer in the Region

  • Hire and Develop Skilled Workers
  • Inspire a sense of pride in our employees
  • Provide opportunities to develop the next generation of leaders
  • Create a cohesive team that utilizes all employee skills & talents
Lightning

A symbol of the most powerful force in the universe,
 the lightning bolt represents the pride SMC places in the quality of the products it produces and the pride of the people of the Spirit Lake Nation.

Horse

A symbol of transportation to a better life,
the horse represents mobility, stamina, strength, and power.  It also represents hard work as it is through hard work that a better life will be realized and serve as inspiration for future generations.

Circle

A universal symbol of unity, peace, and perpetuation,
the circle represents bringing people together from different cultures and having them work in unison toward common goals and objectives, SMC helps to foster unity and peace within the community.

About Our Logo:  When the Tribe assumed full ownership of the business in 1989, the company name was changed to Sioux Manufacturing Corporation, The original logo remained in use after the transition.  The distinctive logo was inspired by the desire for self-determination and vision of elders of the Spirit Lake Tribe and realized in the artwork of a young Dakotah man.  Over the past five decades, the logo has been applied to numerous products including camouflage nets, helmets, ballistic panels, ablative liners and numerous other composite parts and structures that were ultimately incorporated into Military equipment and deployed with U.S. and friendly foreign land forces in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and in Naval vessels at sea.  Consistent with the quality culture cultivated over the years, SMC takes pride in the fact that logo doesn’t go on until it has been demonstrated through rigid inspection and testing, that the product meets the exacting form, fit and functional requirements specified by the customer.

SMC’s logo embodies three elements that have strong traditional meanings and cultural significance for indigenous and non-native peoples alike:

Our story is one of success borne out the hard work, determination, vision, and our Company stands as an example of what is possible when the energies of many individuals from diverse backgrounds are focused on common goals for the betterment of all.  SMC is a well-established, versatile, minority-owned company offering a full range of defense disciplines – quality assurance, manufacturing, engineering, and configuration management.  SMC has the production and testing capabilities, experience, and technical knowledge to deliver competitively priced composite products to meet your specifications.