Many Companies Expanding In Indiana
Governor Mike Pence and executives from 16 companies announced today new investments across Indiana expected to create a combined 2,153 new jobs over the next few years.
“Indiana’s strong economy, fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies make days like this possible,” said Pence. “Today’s announcement includes some of the nation’s fastest growing companies, and they have all either launched in Indiana or are choosing to move here. From tech developers to manufacturing powerhouses, the collective energy of these Hoosier businesses will help power our economy into 2015, creating jobs, promoting opportunities and investing in our future.”
Today’s news comes amidst the state’s record-breaking year of economic development results. In 2014, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) secured job commitments from 285 companies from across the country and around the world, an increase from 261 companies in 2013 and more than any other year on record. The 285 companies anticipate investing $4.38 billion in their Indiana operations and creating 25,317 new jobs in the coming years. The new positions, which companies anticipate to hire over the next five years, pay an expected hourly wage of $21.75, above the state’s current hourly wage of $20.17.
“Looking through the numbers, I see another promising year in Indiana’s future,” said Pence. “Following last year, when we implemented the largest state tax cut in history, this year our corporate income tax began its decline. Meanwhile, companies here at home, across the nation and around the world are committing at record levels to locate their new jobs here. Indiana’s unemployment is dropping, showing some of the largest declines in the nation even while our labor force is growing. It’s a great time to be a business in Indiana and an even better time to be a Hoosier.”
AMI Industries
Heavy-equipment parts manufacturer AMI Industries, Inc. will invest $4.2 million to equip and expand its agricultural component production at a 100,000 square-foot facility in Plymouth, creating up to 250 new jobs by 2015. The company also plans to invest $4.35 million to equip and renovate its automotive manufacturing lines, creating up to 225 additional new jobs by 2017. Currently operating out of its main facility and satellite sites, the expansion will allow AMI Industries to bring satellite operations in house, providing the opportunity to expand into new customer markets.
Deister Machine Company
Deister Machine Company, which specializes in the manufacture of vibrating equipment for the mining, quarrying and aggregate industries, plans to invest $2.8 million to equip its 250,000 square-foot facility in Fort Wayne, purchasing two CNC lathes and a 750 ton press brake, which will be largest in the area. With the new equipment expected to be installed by March 2015, the 102-year-old, family-owned company has already begun hiring for machining and fabricating positions, creating up to 110 new jobs by 2018 to grow the company’s workforce beyond its current team of 198 Hoosiers.
Grand Design RV
Founded in 2012, Middlebury-based Grand Design RV is a manufacturer of fifth wheel trailers and travel trailers, recognized as the fourth largest manufacturer of towable recreational vehicles in the industry with 2014 sales of more than $200 million. To meet the need for more manufacturing capacity, the company will invest $6.9 million to add 48 acres and infrastructure improvements to its current 67-acre campus, creating up to 330 new jobs over the next few years. Grand Design currently employs 548 full-time associates at its Elkhart County campus.
Midwest Automotive Designs
Named earlier this year one of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine, Midwest Automotive Designs converts vans and trucks into luxury vehicles, specializing in the Mercedes Benz Sprinter platform. With plans to create up to 80 new jobs by 2017, the company operates in a 65,000 square-foot facility in Elkhart and will expand by more than 25,000 square feet within the next 36 months. Midwest Automotive Designs currently employs approximately 100 full-time associates.
South Bend Modern Molding
South Bend Modern Molding, a manufacturer of custom molded rubber products founded in 1942, plans to make significant investments to expand production capacity and add new product lines at the company’s 100,000 square-foot facility in Mishawaka, nearly doubling employment by creating up to 80 new jobs by 2023. The company, which was named a 2014 Indiana Company to Watch, is currently experiencing exponential growth from its new products using recycled rubber materials, with up to 50 percent of its sales coming from these product lines. South Bend Modern Molding currently employs approximately 100 full-time Indiana associates and plans on expanding employment more than 50 percent over the next three years.
A number of other companies announced expansions in Indiana. For more information on all of the recently announced expansions, see the full press release here.