The Minneapolis manufacturing site of injection molder 7-Sigma Inc. was destroyed in a fire related to civic unrest on May 27 following the death of George Floyd.
No one was injured in the fire. Local media reports said the business had closed early in order to protect its workers.
7-Sigma President and owner Kris Wyrobek told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he blamed city officials for not protecting his business and that if he rebuilds, he won't do so in Minneapolis.
"They don't care about my business," Wyrobek said. "They didn't protect our people. We were all on our own." He added that a city fire engine "was just sitting there, but they wouldn't do anything."
Wyrobek also said that "not in my wildest nightmare" would he have considered moving his firm from the city before the fire. He added that he's "cautiously optimistic" that he can rebuild elsewhere, but "we are certainly not able to do that in Minneapolis."
7-Sigma employs 50, according to local media reports. The firm had been located in Minneapolis since 1987. It was founded in 1973 when Wyrobeck along with a brother and his father Jerzy — a former NASA scientist — bought Burgwald Machine Co.
According to its website, 7-Sigma designs and manufactures high-performance plastic and metal components and assemblies for the printing, medical, aerospace and industrial markets.
Officials with 7-Sigma and the city of Minneapolis could not be reached for comment. On June 4, damage to Minneapolis businesses was estimated at $55 million.
Peaceful protests turned violent after crowds gathered to protest the May 25 death of Floyd, who was killed after being arrested by Minneapolis police for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. The four police officers involved in the arrest have been fired and charged with murder or manslaughter.