Labor and leadership are two of the qualities a new Albert Lea employer will require. Thus far, Chris Person likes what he sees.

Person is the distribution manager for Rainbow Play Systems Inc., a Brookings, S. D., manufacturer of swing sets and other playground equipment and accessories.

Person has been impressed by the talent, work ethic and skills of the area people he has hired recently for Rainbow’s new freight distribution and light assembly facility here.

“We like the quality of the people we have hired so far,” Person said. “We understand that people make us what we are.”

Rainbow Play Systems will occupy the warehouse formerly used by Larson Manufacturing in Albert Lea’s Jobs Industrial Park. In January, 2009, Rainbow will also move into the building next door now used by Universal Tire Warehouse, bringing it’s workspace to 466,000 square feet. Plans call for a workforce of 100 people to eventually be employed.

The first 30 to 35 workers will staff the freight distribution facility, which hopes to begin shipping next week, Person said. 70-75 workers will be needed to staff the light assembly, kitting and boxing operation.

Founded in a garage in Prior Lake, in 1984, Rainbow had sales of over $100 million in 2007. The company has more than 300 showrooms where families can come to check out a variety of swing sets based on a modular method. This allows customers to add more accessories as their children grow and tastes change. Rainbow offers more than 100 swing-set accessories.

“Our systems are meant grow into, not out of,” Person said.

The swing sets are primarily built out of cedar, redwood and cunninghamia. These are naturally decay-resistant materials, similar to those used for building decks and siding. Rainbow also uses Plastic Encapsulated Lumber in building swing sets. PEL is produced by coating spruce, pine and fir lumber with a lead-free ployethylene to eliminate color fading and deterioration.

Jennifer Reitan has worked for Rainbow for eight years in Brookings. She will be logistics manager at the Albert Lea facility and looks forward to the new challenge she faces.

“I like to think of myself as a casual professional,” Reitan said. “I have enjoyed learning my new job.”

Reitan said Rainbow tries to develop team-oriented work crews who can have input into their work.

“Most of our workers like the way we do our business,” Reitan said.

Rainbow will hire most of it’s workers on a full-time basis. “We want to choose our leadership from among our early hires,” Person said.

Four other Rainbow employees have transferred to Albert Lea to work in the freight distribution center. Five more Rainbow personnel will move here next winter from Brookings to work in the assembly, kitting and boxing operation. Jobs are being advertised through the Minnesota Works program, available at the Albert Lea Workforce Center at Skyline Mall. All interviews are conducted at the Rainbow warehouse at the junction of 14th Street and Myers Road.

The Rainbow facility will primarily ship to it’s independently owned dealerships. The dealerships install the play sytems on site for the customers.

“Most of our customers are residential,” Person said. “Some swing sets are installed at day-care centers and public playgrounds.”

Rainbow also ships to mass merchandisers such as Home Depot and Costco. The freight distribution center will have 15 incoming trucks each week. While assembly and shipping will continue year around, Person said over 50 percent of outgoing shipments will be done in spring and early summer.

Eight to 10 office workers will be hired eventually.

“A second shift started working this week,” Person said, “and a third shift is planned down the road.”