Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from the tri-states. In addition to this update from Dubuque, we will share other local developments in Tuesday’s edition.

A full-service truck dealership recently broke ground on a new, larger facility in Dubuque.

Thompson Truck & Trailer, currently located at 1190 Roosevelt St. Ext., is constructing a nearly $7 million new location at 6800 Boulder Brook Court, off of Stone Valley Drive. General Manager Joe Hoffman said crews are pouring forms for the side of the building this month, and the exterior of the new facility should be completed by September.

“(The new facility) will be completed early next year,” he said. “The end of January is what they’re shooting for. They’re all on time right now, which is awesome.”

The 29,500-sqaure-foot facility will provide more room for technicians to work and stay organized, Hoffman said. The current building has 12 truck bays, while the new facility will have eight drive-through bays, which is the equivalent of 24 regular truck bays.

“Our current building is obviously starting to age a little bit,” Hoffman said. “There’s not a lot of room for our technicians doing larger repairs. There will also be room to move trucks forward, so technicians can move trucks forward to work on new ones if they’re waiting for parts.”

Hoffman said the Dubuque facility currently has a staff of 28, but he hopes to add five to 10 employees at the new facility. He added that the dealership is actively looking for diesel technicians already.

“Everybody keeps coming to Dubuque to grow their business,” he said. “It’s a fighting battle to get technicians, but we hired three in the last month.”

Hoffman also said the new facility’s location right off U.S. 20 hopefully will expand Thompson’s customer base.

“I think being out on the highway out there, we’ll get some customers from off the road that we don’t get currently,” he said. “There’s a benefit in staying busy.”

Thompson Truck & Trailer in Dubuque can be reached at 563-557-8170.