#Minneapolis manufacturer leaving city after factory burned in riots

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7-Sigma, a Minneapolis manufacturing firm, said it would leave the city after its factory, upper right, was burned during a riot in May.
Brian Peterson/Star Tribune via AP

A Minneapolis manufacturing firm reportedly plans to leave the city after its factory burned in riots sparked by the police custody death of George Floyd.

The owner of 7-Sigma Inc. blames local officials for the heavy damage to the plant where it has operated since 1987, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Tuesday. The company’s departure will reportedly cost the city about 50 jobs.

“They don’t care about my business,” 7-Sigma president and owner Kris Wyrobek told the Star-Tribune. “They didn’t protect our people. We were all on our own.”

The 7-Sigma factory shut down about four hours early on the first night of rioting sparked by Floyd’s death, according to the Star-Tribune. A fire started in an apartment complex being built nearby, which alarmed workers who lived in the neighborhood, the paper reported.

“The fire engine was just sitting there, but they wouldn’t do anything,” Wyrobek told the paper.

It’s uncertain where 7-Sigma, which manufactures printing rollers, medical devices and other products, will rebuild. When the Star-Tribune asked Wyrobek if he had considered moving before the riots, he said, “not in my wildest nightmare.”

7-Sigma did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday morning.

Floyd’s death sparked protests against police brutality and racism that have led to rioting, looting and police violence against demonstrators. The riots damaged almost 1,000 commercial properties in Minneapolis, including 52 totally destroyed businesses, according to a city survey cited by the Star-Tribune.

Looting in New York City has likely caused tens of millions of dollars in damage and theft to local businesses, some of which could close for good, experts have told The Post.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said every fire truck was running during the protests as rioting slammed the city, according to the Star-Tribune. He reportedly announced a coalition this week to help speed up the city’s recovery from the damage.