Just a stone’s throw from the heart of downtown Muncie, where the White River and East Jackson Street intersect, sits the headquarters and production facility of DD DANNAR LLC – a manufacturer of zero-emission, high-performing, off-road industrial machinery.
This area’s rich industrial and innovative history was a key component for why Gary Dannar, founder and CEO, chose to locate in Muncie. “We want our company to be a transformer in the workforce, to quickly come in and build a company with local employees and grow,” says Dannar, when asked about the company’s contribution to that history in a modern era. “The medium to do that happens also to be a pretty cool product.”
Their core product is the Mobile Power Station® (MPS®). This first-of-its-kind platform runs on electric energy and, more importantly, can deliver stored electric energy for powering or recharging equipment and operations in remote or affected areas.
For example, the current product iteration, the DANNAR MPS® 4.00 configuration, comes standard with 250 kWh and is configurable up to 500 kWh. That is just the beginning of what DANNAR has put together, as these platforms can be configured with modular hydraulic attachments found on other well-known industrial equipment vehicles. While a cab can be installed for manual operation on-site, “the machine can be operated with a remote control or programmed autonomously to increase safety in certain areas of operation,” states Dannar. Since it accommodates universal attachments, the platform has the flexibility for industrial customers to swap out attachments easily for the necessary function at the time, which can also increase efficiency when considering vehicles that are more seasonal in usage, often sitting unused for long periods.
For more than 30 years, Dannar’s work in the areas of off-road mechanical and industrial solutions has consistently brought curiosity about why things work and a desire to provide solutions that do the job better. That has translated into building a company too.
“Big solutions and operations make it hard for everyone to feel like they can make a real difference and not just be another cog in a wheel,” Dannar says. He believes that the most efficient way to scale a business is to take one bite at a time and build one facility at a time, so employees feel empowered throughout its growth.
“We came in quietly to confirm our technology by going to early adopters with a rifled approach, so that we could see the adoption of our products happen and responsibly grow,” Dannar says, regarding the headquarters and production facility in Muncie.
DANNAR has certainly seen its share of challenges too. In addition to the arduous process of converting the former industrial brownfield into a viable site for manufacturing operations, the company has dealt with delays brought about by the COVID pandemic and the supply-chain obstacles that followed. However, this company is hitting stride with a backlog of orders into 2025. “We are in transition from mechanical internal combustion to electric,” says Dannar. “The world hasn’t seen something like this before.”
Dannar sees a great opportunity for the company to be in this energy space with a multipurpose and multi-industry application product. “While other states may be resistant to preparing for this energy transformation, Indiana seems focused on taking all of the steps necessary to be a viable player in the field,” says Dannar.
The future of DANNAR in Muncie looks bright. The adoption of the MPS® continues to expand, and Dannar recognizes that he is on the precipice of growth for the company. “I wanted to make a difference in America,” he says. “I wanted to develop a product made by Americans and bring back manufacturing that could compete globally, and we have done that.”
He seems most excited about the company’s ability to help foster energy transformation with a product made efficiently in Muncie. It doesn’t have to be done with robots, but rather with human intelligence and judgment when putting the product together. While Dannar notes that it was kind and generous of the many private local individuals who funded and otherwise assisted with the early phases of development, DANNAR is now set to venture into the subsequent growth phases through Series A industrial investments. These investments will give DANNAR the further ability to scale and expand operations, potentially generating more employment opportunities for the area.
A genuine modesty is present when speaking with Dannar, which is perhaps why, through the early stages of DANNAR’s development, the company has remained relatively quiet and unassuming in its local presence. When asked about his experience with Muncie residents, Dannar says it is always a surprise, and never gets old, when he gets stopped in the community by people he hasn’t met before, and they thank him for what his company is doing for the community. Dannar knows that the company has the “Power to Transform,” which is not only a company tagline, but also an ideology deeply rooted in his notion of living and working.
“We want to see American manufacturing back as strong as it ever was, and we are here in Muncie because this community is rebuilding itself,” he says.
