The Marshalltown Company celebrated a major milestone on Friday morning with the unveiling of the Trowel Sculpture Plaza, featuring what officials claim is the world's tallest round-handled brick trowel sculpture. The impressive monument stands 32 feet tall, weighs 1,800 pounds, and boasts a 10-foot-wide blade, drawing over 100 community members to witness the ceremony at 104 S. 8th Ave.
Marketing Director Ashley Swanson served as the ceremony's emcee and provided detailed specifications of the massive sculpture, which was modeled after the company's renowned 3311 brick trowel. "Just to put that into perspective, that is a small car," Swanson told the gathered crowd. "That is a pretty amazing feat." She highlighted the historical significance of the 3311 model, noting that Marshalltown was the first manufacturer in the 1990s to introduce a soft grip handle on construction tools, revolutionizing the entire industry.
Company President and CEO Joe Carter delivered the closing remarks for the unveiling event, emphasizing that the ceremony served as a wonderful way to celebrate Marshalltown's 135th anniversary. Carter expressed amazement at the strong community turnout and thanked everyone involved in making both the sculpture and plaza a reality. "These guys made it look easy, but this thing is not easy," Carter said. "How do you design this thing? How do you put it all together, but they made it look easy."
The plaza features interactive elements designed to engage visitors and showcase the company's rich history. Carter highlighted a QR code on the wall next to the trowel that provides access to a 12-minute time-lapse video documenting the sculpture's construction process. "It's kind of funny, people laugh when the handle falls off the support," he said, drawing laughter from the crowd while referencing a construction mishap involving team member Jarod Elsberry. "Sorry, Jarod. It wasn't a funny moment for Jarod when it fell off the support, but it was funny for me when I watched it."
Carter used the construction challenges as a metaphor for the daily obstacles faced by Marshalltown employees. "We always say manufacturing and selling these tools is just a complicated task, and it's hard work, but our team is up to the task every single day," he said, requesting applause for both current and former employees. The plaza's back side features detailed graphics and information panels that chronicle the company's 135-year history and highlight key individuals who contributed to its success.
Mayor Joel Greer, who mentioned this might be his final official public speaking engagement as Marshalltown's mayor, added levity to the ceremony while praising the project's impact on the community. "Whether I'm taking credit for this after the tornado, derecho, Legionnaires disease, coronavirus, today's a nice day and I'd like to take credit for it," Greer joked. He emphasized that the plaza has significantly helped beautify the neighborhood and noted that events like this unveiling, along with the inspiration employees receive from business leaders like Carter, made his tenure as mayor enjoyable.
The ceremony also featured remarks from Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO John Hall and Arts & Culture Alliance Executive Director Amber Danielson. The new Trowel Sculpture Plaza is now permanently located at 104 S. 8th Ave. and available for public viewing, serving as both a testament to the company's manufacturing legacy and a unique attraction for the community.
