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Home sales in Johnson County increased in January 2010
More local homes were sold in January compared with last year, and the average price of those homes was up from 2009.
In January, 119 homes sold in Johnson County, a 12 percent increase from the previous January, when 106 homes sold.
The average sales price for those homes was $156,231, a 4 percent increase from a year earlier, when the average sales price was $149,591, according to statistics from Indianapolis-based F.C. Tucker.
Johnson County was one of four counties in central Indiana in which home sales increased in January 2009.
Across central Indiana, home sales fell nearly 6 percent for the month, with 1,445 homes sold, compared with 1,532 the previous January.
The 12 percent increase ranks Johnson County third among those counties that increased, with Shelby County having the highest increase of 45 percent, with 29 homes sold, compared with 20 the previous January, according to the F.C. Tucker report.
Across central Indiana, the average price of a home increased nearly 11 percent to $134,027, from $120,811.
I-65 Exits Could Mean Growth to Greenwood
$750 million in new investment to Greenwood is projected if new I-65 exits materialze paving the way for a relocated municipal airport at a new site east of city limits.
The projected economic development impact of a proposed Worthsville Road interchange, a potential 350-acre business park off of Worthsville Road and a planned railroad spur were the mayor's focus in his recent state of the city speech.
The County Line Road interchange is credited with a 69 percent increase in the taxable value of property in the surrounding area and has led to more than $60 million in construction, mayor Henderson said.
The effect of a $24 million Worthsville Road interchange potentially could be greater because it also would create more development opportunities near U.S. 31 as well as near the interstate. An exit also would serve as a lynchpin to a major east-west thoroughfare that eventually could link Interstate 65, Interstate 74 and State Road 37.
Even in a down economy, Greenwood continued to attract new companies, such as OrthoIndy, Mays Chemical Co. and the County Line Road Medical Pavilion. Entrepreneurs have started smaller businesses, such as a pizza restaurant, a dry cleaner and a secondhand shop.
A Worthsville Road interchange would open up about 350 acres for a new business park around Endress+Hauser near U.S. 31 and Worthsville Road. Large manufacturers would have access to the interstate and a railroad spur that Greenwood has talked to Louisville and Indiana Railroad Co. about building.
If the city gets Federal Aviation Administration approval, Greenwood would like to build a larger airport with a 6,000-foot-long runway at a site off Clark School Road, which a newly paved stretch of Worthsville Road would run to. That relocation would allow the city to sell the current airport off County Line Road to developers looking to construct more medical offices near St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis.
Insulin factory could mean up to 70 jobs in Greenwood
A Greenwood pharmaceutical company plans to hire 70 employees within five years to develop a form of insulin that company officials said could gain a large share of a multibillion-dollar global market.
Elona Biotechnologies has figured out a way to make insulin more quickly and less expensively, which would give the product a cost advantage over what doctors prescribe now.
The company intends to spend about $28 million to build a 50,000-square-foot production facility on the city's eastside, which city officials said could serve as anchor to a biotech park.
Elona is a home-grown company that plans to create dozens of jobs with an average salary of $55,000 in an industry with a lot of growth potential. According to consultants, the Elona expansion could have a $516 million economic impact on Johnson County during the next 10 years.
Currently, Elona Biotech employs 11 people at the Sierra Business Center off EmersonAvenue, where it has no room to expand, Cook said. The company was founded by two former Eli Lilly and Co. biochemists and has been based in Greenwood since 1997.
A federal patent expired on insulin in 2002, meaning that other companies can offer low-cost forms. Elona employees figured out a way to streamline the insulin production process, which they've reduced from about 24 steps to seven.
After getting FDA approval, the company plans to sell the insulin worldwide. The opportunity is huge because there's a $3.4 billion global market for the type of insulin that Elona developed.
Franklin College to Begin Improvements
As part of its comprehensive campus master plan, Franklin College will begin improvements on several facilities on campus with work expected to begin this spring. The two general components of the improvements include a new art studio and renovation of several athletic facilities.
The new studio, primarily for advanced art students, will offer access to the existing painting studio for beginner and intermediate students, giving the faculty mobility between both studios and enabling simultaneous instruction to students of all competency levels, completing projects at various stages.
Athletic facility improvements of the plan will include a lighted artificial turf field in Stewart Red Faught Stadium for the football and mens and womens soccer teams, plus new tennis courts, a new softball field and a competition track and field facility to be constructed on college property south and east of the main campus area.
Currently over 30 percent of Franklin College students participate in intercollegiate athletics. Upgrades to the athletic facilities will be made without compromising the colleges primary commitment to academics.
Founded 175 years ago in 1834, Franklin College is a residential four-year undergraduate liberal arts institution with a scenic, wooded campus. The college prepares men and women for significant careers through the liberal arts, offering its 1,047 students 36 majors, including biology, business, education and journalism. In 1842, the college became the first coeducational institution in Indiana and the seventh in the nation. Franklin College maintains a voluntary association with the American Baptist Churches USA.
Companies Exhibit Interest in Johnson County
According to Johnson County Development Corp. executive director Cheryl Morphew,
five companies have shown enough interest in locating in Johnson County that they've asked Greenwood and Franklin to prepare offers of tax breaks to help them decide where to establish operations. Over the past two months, the agency has been getting about as many calls from new businesses as it did before the banking crisis began in September 2008.
Manufacturers, distribution companies and professional firms all have asked local cities what property tax incentives they would offer in exchange for job creation and to offset the cost of investment, Morphew said. Local economic development officials consult site selection experts, who work with companies that typically choose to remain anonymous until they pick out a site and buy land.
The five companies all picked Johnson County as a finalist in their location searches, but any or all of them still could choose to go somewhere else, Morphew said.
Since October, a more varied group of industries have expressed interest in coming to Greenwood or Franklin, Morphew said. Some of the companies had expansion plans that were put off because of the recession, while others were weighing expansion or restructuring and saw an opportunity to take advantage of low construction costs since builders have been hungry for work, she said.
Morphew now gets five calls a week from site selection consultants who want to know if the local work force, land prices and utility expenses would make Johnson County a good place to establish a business. Earlier this year, she was talking with existing business owners in the hope of preserving jobs, instead of trying to lure new companies.
Most of the recent callers have been putting out feelers, without any firm plans, Morphew said. But companies have now gone as far as singling out particular locations and asking what tax breaks cities could offer if they did move here.
"At the height of the recession, businesses were very reluctant about doing anything or investing any money because of the general uncertainty about where things were going," she said. "A lot of companies were nervous and looking at sitting tight to ride it out. But now it appears the state of fear has passed. It's looking like we're getting back to growth mode."
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Ground Broken for Johnson County Armed Forces Reserve Center Project
The Adjutant General of Indiana,delegates of the Indiana National Guard, retirees, legislators and community representatives gathered in Franklin to break ground on the new Johnson County Armory.
Estimated cost of the 39 acre, 169,000 square foot facility is $27 million. This will be the largest military readiness center in the state of Indiana and will enhance emergency response in Johnson County. The Primary Facility includes Administrative Areas, Classroom Space, Drill Floor/Gymnasium and Unit Storage Areas including an Unheated Storage Area. Supporting facilities include civilian parking, military vehicle storage compound and loading dock.
Following are details of the anticipated economic impact the facility will have on the area:
-Design and Construction of Facility: $35 (+) million
-Annual Operations and Maintenance: $200K Annually
-Estimated Annual Payroll: $12.5 million
-Full Time Employees: $1.6 M
-Traditional Soldiers: $10.9 M
-Purchases from Local Economy
-Food
-Fuel
-Numerous Expendable Supplies
Completion of the project is projected in 18 months with dedication of the new facility slated for April 2011.
Student Enrollments for High Tech Training on the Rise
Enrollment at the Central Nine Career Center was up 31 percent to 1,314 students.
Central Nine is now offering new programs including medical assisting, biomedical, vet assisting and advanced manufacturing. The career center has also tweaked existing programs with upgraded technology. The culinary arts program has gotten an upgrade with new equipment and software.
About 3,100 potential students toured Central Nine last year, up from about 2,000 the previous year, Hagen said.
As the career center's enrollment has increased, so has its course offerings.
Engineering and technology programs - such as digital imaging - are in high demand.
More class additions are expected next year due to an agreement between Central Nine and Purdue University to offer aviation courses.
Course decisions are made based on workforce demand. Currently, a high demand exists for high-tech manufacturing jobs, said Jeanette Craw, Central Nine curriculum director.
"There's a need for skilled workers in high-tech, advanced manufacturing, and it's coming from the industries themselves, saying, 'We need skilled workers that have this training and higher level thinking and critical thinking skills,'" she said.
A pilot program this year is expected to become a full program next year The advanced manufacturing program is intended to meet the demand skilled manufacturers, according to Craw.
Students today are immersed in technology, and they're looking for high-tech learning opportunities, from circuit mapping to computer simulations, Craw added.
Nachi to add 43 jobs in Greenwood
A Greenwood tool and machine parts manufacturer is planning to add up to 43 jobs in the next six months by consolidating operations currently in two other states.
Nachi Technology has asked the city for a 10-year tax abatement on nearly $2.5 million in equipment needed for the expansion.
The company would hire 33 to 43 additional workers. 99 people are currently employed at the facility.
Those workers would be paid an average salary of about $41,000, according to paperwork the company filed with the city.
The company, which manufactures and sells tools, bearings, hydraulics and machine parts, first located in Greenwood in the late 1980s. The facility was expanded in 2005, when a distribution company owned by the same parent corporation relocated to Greenwood.
With the new addition, work is expected to begin in the fall to remodel parts of the facility, including new flooring and electrical equipment. As part of the project, the company also is planning to move its warehouse and sales staff to Greenwood, which will require additional office space and remodeling of the current building.
Work will start in the manufacturing section of the facility, followed by the warehouse area and sales, the company's paperwork said.
Company officials expect the expansion will be complete in the next six months.
Chemical company coming to Greenwood
Mays Chemical Company plans to construct a new 60,000-square-foot building in the Precedent South Business Center in Greenwood and move its two nearby operations there.
The comapny will consolidate its central Indiana operations in Greenwood, where it will expand its production capacity. A developer and the company plan to invest more than $4.5 million for a new Greenwood facility that will blend and package chemical products and also handle bulk repackaging.
The 29-year-old company is the 19th largest chemical distributor, according to Purchasing Magazine. The company has about 200 employees in central Indiana, Chicago, New Jersey and Puerto Rico.
Mays Chemical Co. produces and distributes industrial chemicals used as raw materials in the production of food, pharmaceuticals, electronics and automotive products. Their customer base includes a variety of industries such as beverage makers, personal care product manufacturers, and paper processors.
The company plans to transfer 12 jobs to Greenwood, but has no immediate plans to create new jobs. The positions have an average salary of $42,500, not including benefits, and range from a chemist with a doctoral degree to packaging associates.
Greenwood was chosen because of its interstate access, low taxes and proximity to the airport.
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New Japanese-based company to create 37 jobs in Franklin
A new Japanese-based company has started construction on a Franklin facility that will supply Toyota and other automakers with plastic parts.
Groundbreaking at the site of the new Premium Composite Technology North America plant signified the start of work on the 64,115-square-foot facility in the Franklin Business Park, on the northeast corner of Musicland Drive and Graham Road.
Premium Composite Technology eventually will employ 37 workers and is expected to start operations next spring.
The company will make auto parts that currently are imported from Japan and will serve as a first-tier supplier to automotive facilities.
Endress Hauser's Greenwood Plant Expanding
Products which measure the temperature, pressure and flow of coffee creamer, canned soup and biodiesel fuel manufactured by Endress Hauser are utilized world wide.
More than 300 people work at Endress+Hauser's Greenwood facility, which includes the U.S. headquarters for sales and service where it has built a $21 million expansion and is planning to partner with a Michigan company to expand the types of measuring devices it makes.
In the next three to five years, the company will spend more than $68 million on another expansion to move two production divisions into a new building and renovate an existing building to add a sales room and a cafeteria. They project hiring more than 200 additional workers.
Sales at the Switzerland-based company have boomed in recent years, from $58 million in 2003 to $141 million 2008. The local facility, has hired 100 new employees over the past six years and added a 90,000-square-foot building to its campus, allowing Endress+Hauser to produce more and larger measuring devices.
The Greenwood facility is one of five Endress+Hauser facilities in the United States and dozens around the world.
Japanese Auto Supplier to Locate in Franklin
Franklin in Johnson County has been announced as the new home for a manufacturer of plastic parts for vehicles. Premium Composite Technology North America will invest $14 million in the new facility. The company expects to employ 37 workers when operations begin in the spring of 2010.
The company anticipates listing Toyota, Honda and Nissan among its clients. It produces plastic parts such as engine covers, intake manifolds, rearview mirrors and brake light cases.
Premium Composite Technology North America will be funded by Toyota Tsusho Corp., a trading company affiliated with Toyota, and Tokyo-based Sanyo Kaka Co.
Population growth in Johnson County 2nd fastest in state
More than 3,000 new residents came to Johnson County last year, making it the second fastest growing county in the state.
As of July, the county's population had grown to 139,158, up 2.3 percent from the estimate in 2007, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Johnson County was second in growth only to booming Hamilton County, which grew by 3.4 percent.
The numbers show growth continues to be steady in Johnson County and central Indiana, a demographer said.
Since the 2000 Census, the county's population has grown by nearly 21 percent. And each year since, the county's population has grown between 2,000 and 3,000 people.
For the second year in a row, Johnson County has ranked as the 10th largest county in the state.
As the population grows, that means local officials have to plan for more traffic on local roads and more children in schools.
More businesses likely will want to come to the communities, including land so far undeveloped along State Road 37.
Development will continue in the county, likely moving south in the future, county commissioner John Price said.
People are attracted to Johnson County by its proximity to Indianapolis, which typically has had a strong economy and good offering of jobs in multiple fields, said Matt Kinghorn, a demographer with the Indiana Business Research Center.
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Ivy Tech Expanding Franklin Campus Again
Ivy Tech Community College is adding to its expansion plans for the Franklin campus. The college recently began renovating 12,000 square-feet, but will now add 6,000 square-feet to accommodate the more than 1,200 enrolled students. The additional space will provide four new teaching spaces, one computer lab, three classrooms and an expanded student commons. Construction will begin during the last two weeks of April and will be completed for the fall 2009 semeste.r
City Quickly Approves Incentives For New Hospital
OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital's recently announced plans to build a new hospital out-patient department in Johnson County have been approved for a tax abatement package. The Greenwood City Council approved $3.3 million in tax abatement for the site less than a week after the deal was announced to help speed the development of the project. The new hospital is expected to create nearly 100 jobs.
The facility will include 42 exam rooms, four operating rooms and physical therapy.
The hospital is scheduled to open in fall of 2010. OrthoIndy currently leases space on the campus of St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis.
Franklin College Receives Lilly Grant to Fight "Brain Drain"
Franklin College has received a $375,000 sustaining grant from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. to strengthen and extend programs and relationships that help students find desirable jobs in Indiana after their graduation. The grant comes from the Endowment’s “Initiative to Promote Opportunity through Educational Collaborations.”
“We are deeply grateful for this sustaining grant and Lilly Endowment’s trust in Franklin College to produce thoughtful, accomplished graduates who are prepared to serve and lead in their communities,” President James G. Moseley said.
“With a consistent 84 percent of Franklin College seniors remaining in Indiana after they graduate to live, work and raise families, this grant truly strengthens our opportunity to help young men and women who can significantly impact the state work force and economy.”
According to the proposal approved by the Endowment, Franklin College will sustain previous programs and activities while pursuing these new goals:
· Creation of an internship preparation course to help students make thoughtful decisions about where to intern, clarify career goals and prepare for challenges that may be encountered at the workplace
· Development of an internship seminar to help students reflect on their experience and gain a better understanding of the relationship between a liberal arts education and the workplace experience
· Support of faculty development through workshops and training aimed at helping them develop course work that includes additional service learning and experiential opportunities for students
· Expansion in undergraduate research opportunities as a way to prepare students for admission to graduate school or promising careers in bio-tech, chemical and other life sciences careers, and to give them a chance to present or publish their research in a professional forum
“This grant allows Franklin College to continue providing community service activities and internships that enable our students to apply classroom learning in a workplace environment,” Jann Johnson, director of professional development, said. “In today’s competitive job market, these activities give them an edge in their future job searches as well as enhance their academic learning. In addition, Franklin students provide a valuable resource to the businesses, social services and governmental agencies in the communities where they serve.”
Founded in 1834, Franklin College is a residential four-year undergraduate liberal arts institution 20 minutes from downtown Indianapolis. The College prepares men and women for significant careers through the liberal arts, offering its 1,018 students 28 majors including biology, business, education, and journalism. In 1842, FC began admitting women, becoming the first coeducational institution in Indiana and the seventh in the nation. Franklin College maintains a voluntary association with the American Baptist Churches USA.
FEMA Awards $3.3 Million to Repair Flooded Government Offices
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $3.3 million to help fund repairs to the Oren Wright Building in Johnson County. The building, which lies adjacent to Youngs Creek, was damaged during severe storms, flooding and tornados.
The 18,054 sq. ft. building housed government offices, including the county prosecutor’s office.
The total cost to repair the uninsured facility, built in the 1980s with concrete masonry block and brick veneer, is estimated to be $4,416,800. FEMA’s share is $3,312,000 or 75 percent of the total estimated damage.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Franklin College Receives $1.39 million Gift
Franklin Tech Park Associates, LLC transferred a land title to Franklin College for 31.656 acres of woods in the southeast quadrant of I-65 and St. Rd. 44.
The gift, valued at $1.39 million, will be used for botany and field ecology studies and research by college students and faculty. The land also will support growth of academic programs in natural sciences and environmental studies.
Mac McNaught, president of Franklin Tech Park Associates, said the company gifted the land to the college because of its commitment to responsible land stewardship and greater mission of furthering the education of young people.
“We were approached by other groups but the opportunity to take the land beyond preservation and see it used for education on an active and ongoing basis made us most interested in working with Franklin College,” said McNaught.
The woods make up about 15 percent of 260 acres that Franklin Tech Park Associates purchased from the Hougham family in 2002.
“From the beginning, the mature woods really stood out as a special and beautiful ecological parcel. We knew it was important to view development at Franklin Tech Park not only in the context of building business but in building community. We also wanted to make a business decision that would be sustainable. We’re very conscious of thinking green, encouraging green practices and showing in tangible and visible ways that we are acting green,” said McNaught.
McNaught added that Franklin College biology professor Bill Pohley, who retired last May, made him aware of the land’s significance to the college. Prior to Franklin Tech Park Associates’ acquisition of the woods, the Hougham family of Franklin owned the land and allowed college faculty and students to observe wildlife and conduct field experiments. However, the situation was not conducive to long-term studies.
“We had right to the land but no control,” said Franklin College natural sciences division chair Steve Browder. “The fantastic thing about owning the land is that we can set up some permanent tools for plant and animal field studies. Another big advantage is the land’s proximity to campus. It’s no more than 10 minutes away. The land some of the professors have been using for botany and field ecology studies is about 45 minutes away. When you only have three hours to conduct a lab with students and more than half of that time is spent on travel, it’s difficult to be thorough.”
The college administration, with encouragement from Franklin Tech Park Associates, will recommend that its board of trustees name the land gift Hougham Woods in honor of the family’s historic ties to the community.
“Extraordinary gifts play a critical role in shaping and enhancing the educational experiences available through Franklin College,” said President James G. Moseley. “We are deeply grateful for Franklin Tech Park Associates’ extraordinary generosity and trust that Franklin College will be a faithful steward of this land. Hougham Woods will enrich the lives of our scholars and partners in the broader community, in perpetuity.”
Founded in 1834, Franklin College is a residential four-year undergraduate liberal arts institution 20 minutes from downtown Indianapolis. The college prepares men and women for significant careers through the liberal arts, offering its 1,018 students 28 majors including biology, business, education, and journalism. In 1842, FC began admitting women, becoming the first coeducational institution in Indiana and the seventh in the nation. Franklin College maintains a voluntary association with the American Baptist Churches USA.
Greenwood Company Takes Venture Idol Crown
A Greenwood company's new data storage technology earned the top prize of $10,000 today in the 2008 Indiana Venture Idol competition at the Indiana Historical Society here.
Greenwood-based Scale Computing edged out 20 challengers in the afternoon-long competition that put company executives through a series of company presentations and questions in front of a live audience of more than 200 investors and business owners that voted to select this year's winner.
"Scale Computing's technology has potential to revolutionize the market," said Nathan Feltman, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. "Scale Computing and the other contestants in today's competition offer an exciting look into the future of Indiana's continued economic growth."
Scale Computing's new enterprise storage solution, the modularSan, secured the company's first place finish today Based on cloud computing technologies, Scale's modularSAN yields an in-house enterprise-class storage system that reduces costs by 75 percent or more compared to traditional enterprise storage solutions. The innovation represents a radical shift in the way enterprise storage is handled, but maintains seamless compatibility with the existing systems that utilize storage arrays.
"This recognition is a big deal for us because it validates our efforts in developing this technology," said Jeff Ready, chief executive officer of Scale Computing. "We are hoping to do here what we could not do on the west coast. Indiana is a logistical hub with a business friendly climate and the manufacturing expertise we need to succeed."
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Johnson County Firm Plans Major Expansion
A Switzerland-based industrial measuring instrument supplier is announcing tentative plans to expand its location in Greenwood and create up to 234 new jobs by 2016. Endress+Hauser Inc. is seeking tax incentives for the $68.8 million plan that would include construction of a new building, the renovation of existing facilities and the addition of new machinery, equipment and computers.
Officials say the new jobs will pay an average salary of $59,000. The company says it will determine whether to move forward with the project once it determines the effect of recent economic problems on the company. Endress+Hauser has purchased 22 acres near its existing campus.
St. Francis plans $15 million facility in northwest Johnson County
St. Francis Hospitals and Health Centers will begin construction on a 106,300-square-foot medical campus in the northwest corner of the county early next year. The new White River Township Medical Campus will bring as many as 200 jobs when it is complete.
The $15 million facility, located on 50 acres at the northeast corner of State Road 37 and Fairview Road, was given approval for rezoning the land by county commissioners
Central Indiana Firm Acquired
Platte River Ventures announced today that it acquired all of the outstanding stock of Hetsco, Inc. ("Hetsco" or the "Company") in partnership with senior management. Headquartered in Greenwood, Indiana, Hetsco is the leading independent provider of repair and maintenance services for brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchangers used in industrial gas, liquefied natural gas and chemical facilities, as well as a specialty provider of construction and fabrication services for the industrial gas industry.
Furniture Company Expanding
A Greenwood-based patio furniture company is moving locations as it prepares for a national expansion. The Southside Daily Journal reports that MiYu Furniture is moving from its 1,500-square foot facility in Greenwood to a 21,000-square foot facility in Franklin. The company currently sells its furniture in the Indianapolis area, but it will begin seeking national distributors this fall.
Human Resources Company Moving in Greenwood
A national human resources outsourcing company based in Greenwood is moving into a larger space. Tilson HR says it is relocating for future workforce and service expansion. The company has clients in 26 states. Tilson will move to a temporary location until occupying its new permanent site in the Signature Building in Greenwood starting January 1.
Swiss Company to Relocate to Johnson County
Georg Utz Inc. says it will open operations in Edinburgh next year, creating 50 new jobs by 2011. The Southside Daily Journal reports that the company is investing $15 million in its new facility. Company officials say employment at the facility could grow to at least 100.
Georg Utz Inc. is a manufacturer of plastic storage and transport containers and pallets. The company currently operates in a rented location in Columbus.
Franklin Manufacturer Receives Environmental Leadership Award
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, Inc. in Franklin is now a new member of Indiana's Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). The company manufactures cooling compressors and heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment for automobiles. The facility is committed to reducing its waste generation by 65,592 gallons through the installation of a water evaporator to remove water from a coolant mixture. The reduction in waste generation will save about $44,000 per year.
"Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, Inc. has earned its place as a new ESP member through its commitment to pollution prevention and effective environmental management within the facility," said Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Commissioner Thomas Commissioner Easterly. "Indiana wins when companies use sound business practices to demonstrate their core value of environmental protection."
To become an ESP member, businesses must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that they have adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in their environmental performance.
New $35 Million Reserve Center Planned for Johnson County
A new Armed Forces Reserve Center will be built in the Franklin area. The State of Indiana has purchased the land for the planned 166,000 square-foot facility. The $35 million dollar-plus project is expected to be federally funded.
The National Guard Reserve Center will be a 166,000 sq. ft. facility, the second largest facility of its kind in the state.
The facility is scheduled to open in 2010. The State of Indiana purchased the land and will be responsible for the utility extensions on approximately 36 acres of land just west of Interstate 65 in Johnson County.
This facility will be a $35 million-plus project, all federally funded. The senior unit will be the Indiana National Guard’s 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade.
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Precision Cutoff will operate out of former ArvinMeritor complex in Franklin
An Ohio-based company will expand its manufacturing operation to a Franklin factory this year, eventually planning to create 47 new jobs.
Precision Cutoff outgrew its facility in the Toledo area and decided to open a new operation in Franklin, which the company selected in part because of the city's proximity to Interstate 65.
Precision Cutoff, owned by Woodsage Industries, is investing about $2 million into the operation, which will be at the former ArvinMeritor complex on Hurricane Street.
"We anticipate a long and mutually beneficial association with the city of Franklin," Woodsage president James Cannaley said.
"We typically get involved in and give back to the communities we get involved in."
The company cuts, details and manufactures metal tubes used in products ranging from auto exhaust systems to lawn and garden centers.
Much of its work consists of cutting and finishing tubing provided by other manufacturers or large-volume users, such as custom automotive service centers. But the company also fabricates lengths of tube in smaller orders.
The company also is certified to work for the defense and aerospace industries.
Precision Cutoff, which has a 150,000-square-foot facility in Ohio, has been picking up business as smaller tube-cutting companies go under and is diversifying its customer base, Johnson County Development Corp. Executive Director Cheryl Morphew said.
The company, which employs 250 people, reported $2.8 million in profit last year. Plans call for hiring 47 employees, including 40 operators, at an average wage of $15.68 an hour.
If the business expands, Precision Cutoff could end up adding more jobs than that, Cannaley said. The company planned to start with 45 workers at its Ohio plant and saw the work force expanded five-fold.
Precision Cutoff will receive incentives from the state of Indiana and is applying for property tax abatement through the city of Franklin.
The company already is installing equipment at the site, and it hopes to hire 25 employees, including 18 operators, by the end of the year.
"They looked at other sites, but we're glad they chose us," Morphew said. "They'll be a valuable addition to the community."
Over the next month, Precision will move into 110,000 square feet of leased space in the Hurricane Industrial Complex, which ArvinMeritor left in the fall of 2004, idling more than 800 workers.
The 538,000-square-foot facility now has five tenants, including KYB and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, which use the facility for off-site storage.
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Auto Parts Manufacturer to Expand Its Headquarters, Manufacturing Center in Franklin
Aluminum auto parts manufacturer Casting Technologies Company and its parent, Compass Automotive Group, announced it will expand its manufacturing and headquarters operations here, creating 40 new jobs.
Casting Technologies and the Compass Automotive Group will invest more than $3 million to increase its casting operations and renovate its headquarters facility.
"Indiana's strength in advanced manufacturing, coupled with our unmatched infrastructure, is helping us win new opportunities with companies like Casting Technologies Company. That translates into new jobs for Hoosiers," said Governor Mitch Daniels.
Casting Technologies Company, which produces lightweight castings for nearly every major automotive manufacturer, currently employs 85 associates at its Central Indiana facility and plans to begin hiring additional operators, maintenance technicians and professional staff in the fourth quarter of 2008.
"Automobile manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce vehicle weight to improve fuel economy. Casting Technologies Company specializes in providing lightweight aluminum castings as an alternative to heavier components made from steel or cast iron," said Craig Conaty, president and chief operating officer of Compass Automotive Group.
New York-based private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners, L.P., announced the creation of Compass Automotive Group following its acquisition of Casting Technologies and die cast engineered aluminum and magnesium manufacturer Magnesium Aluminum Corporation. Coupled with its November 2007 acquisition of suspension and chassis components manufacturer Alcoa Automotive Castings, Compass, headquartered in Franklin, is integrating the three acquired companies and product lines into a more efficient operation to provide carmakers and Tier 1 auto suppliers cost-effective component solutions across a range of metals and manufacturing processes.
"Compass decided to locate its headquarters in Franklin because of its strategic location, excellent workforce and the community's ability to support business growth.," said James A. Squatrito, chief executive officer of Compass Automotive Group.
The announcement of Casting Technologies plans to grow its Franklin operations is the second in less than a year. In September 2007, the company committed to create 42 new jobs and invest $1.8 million in its Johnson County facility.
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Cabella's Bringing Development to Greenwood in Johnson County
A New Albany developer recently signed a multimillion-dollar deal for the right to develop land on Cabela's 100-acre site just south of County Line Road between Graham Road and Interstate 65. The company wants to build a cinema, grocery store, fitness center, restaurants and retail stores.
Plans call for Cabela's to anchor a commercial hub on Greenwood's growing east side. Cabela's and Splash Universe, an indoor water park resort, are slated to open in Greenwood late this year. Cabela's 125,000-square-foot store will occupy about 21 acres at the northwest corner of the site, and Splash Universe will take up 5.9 acres south of the store.
A rainwater-collection pond will take up another seven acres, and Lopp Properties will develop the remaining 60 acres on the site. Cabela's officials have said their sites usually take about four years to become fully developed.
In the past, the Nebraska-based outdoor retailer has taken different approaches to developing sites around its stores, company spokesman John Castillo said.
In East Hartford, Conn., Cabela's is working with a private developer to find tenants for land at its site. At a Minnesota store, Cabela's real estate division has sold the land off to retailers and restaurants.
At least one other Cabela's site, the Kansas City location, includes a movie theater, Castillo said.
The developer's tentative plans also call for another hotel on the site.
The Splash Universe hotel, catering to families using the water park, will feature 164 rooms, while an 83-room Candlewood Suites is slated to open across the street from the Cabela's property on the other side of Graham Road.
With two other hotel projects planned, nearly 600 new rooms already are scheduled to come to Greenwood's I-65 corridor this year.
A few hotels will be needed in the immediate vicinity of the store, Castillo said. The Greenwood Cabela's, which will feature wild-game taxidermy, a fresh-water aquarium and a replica mountain, is expected to cater to many visitors heading to state and federal parks in southern Indiana.
Some Cabela's stores draw three million visitors a year, more than the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The company claims to be the biggest tourist attraction in Nebraska and Kansas.
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Nitrex, Inc. in Johnson County Plans Expansion
Nitrex Inc. has announced plans to double the size of its facility in Franklin for the second time in two years. The company will add 15,200 square feet to its existing location. The company treats metal for commercial and manufacturing uses.Nitrex previously expanded its Franklin location in 2005.
About 15,200 square feet will be added to the 14,700-square-foot building at 350 Blue Chip Court near Earlywood and Essex drives.
The Nitrex addition will include working space, four offices and a conference room. The number of employees will increase from 23 to 28 with the expansion.
Work on the expansion will begin this month and be complete in about four months.
Franklin's Promex Technologies adding about 40 jobs
A Franklin company that makes biopsy needles plans to more than double the size of its building and nearly double the number of employees, adding about 40 positions.
The company designs and manufactures biopsy needles and products used to test for cancer. The products are sold in the United States, China and Europe.
Promex employs both production workers and professionals. Engineers at Promex specialize in research and development, manufacturing and quality control in making the needles and parts. Production workers use raw materials to grind, weld and assemble the parts to exact specifications.
The expansion project will increase Promex's building by more than 20,000 square feet and add about 40 production and professional positions. When the new jobs will be added has not been determined.
New injection molding, grinding and welding equipment will be bought to meet increased demands of products, Promex President Deborah Beck said in a news release.
The project will cost about $2.5 million. Franklin economic development commission and city council approved $1.7 million tax-exempt bond financing for the project.
No taxpayer money will be used for the bonds.
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Cabela's to open in fall 2008 in Greenwood
Approximately 100 acres between Interstate 65, Graham Road and County Line Road in Johnson County will become the new home of Cabela's, which plans to build a 125,000-square-foot outdoor retail store that doubles as a tourist destination. The project includes Splash Universe, a 30,000-square-foot indoor water park with a 164-room lodge. Opening is slated for fall 2008.
It is projected that the 100-acre area will be fully developed with more restaurants and shops within four years. The value of the entire project is estimated at $102 million. Of that, Cabela's and the water park resort will be worth $60 million to $70 million.
A proposed master plan shows the Cabela's store will be built at the northwest corner of the property, closest to the interstate exit, with the water park and hotel sitting behind, or south, of the store.
Greenwood wasn't the first Indianapolis-area site Cabela's considered. The company initially looked at a location on the northside.
Cabela's is in the midst of an aggressive retail expansion initiative, Darren Robinson, real estate site acquisition manager for Cabela's Ventures Inc. said. The stores attract groups on tour buses, school children on field trips and shoppers from other states.
Greenwood is an ideal site because of its location. The company also evaluates its catalog sales and other indicators, such as hunting and fishing licenses, to determine where a new store could best reach its customer base, Robinson said.
"Indiana is great for outdoorsmen and -women," Robinson said. At its other stores, shoppers come from hundreds of miles away and spend three to four hours looking at the museum-quality wildlife displays and aquariums. The Greenwood store will include an indoor mountain, gun library and archery range. To show the company's commitment to detail, Robinson pointed to a photo of bees that have been taxidermied as part of a display.
More than 3 million people are expected to come to Cabela's each year. Cabela's will hire 90 full-time and 130 part-time workers and have an annual payroll of $5 million. Specific hourly wages aren't yet available, Robinson said. Splash Universe will hire 150 employees.
Splash Universe
For about $20 a day, area residents can float down a 450-foot lazy river, play in the arcade or fly down a slide in the indoor water park.
Based on other locations, it is predicted that more than 120,000 visitors should come to the indoor water park each year, and the attraction will draw people from a 120-mile radius around Greenwood.
The water park will have four slides, one of which is a four-person raft slide. An elevator will carry the raft to the top of the several-story park.
The indoor water park will have a capacity of 650 to 700 people and will be available to residents only when the resort is not full, a spokesman said.
The resort also will feature an activities pool, a children's version of a hot tub, party rooms for birthdays and special events, snack bars, a gift shop, restaurant and lounge.
Construction will begin in October on the $35 million indoor water park and 164-room resort. The attraction will open in October 2008.
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Johnson County Provides Skilled Concientious Workforce
A report released today by the Indy Partnership revealed that Johnson County has a talent pipeline of over 59,000 workers to draw from in jobs relating to manufacturing and is a major reason why the county drew in a diverse number of projects in 2006.
The study takes into account the total number of underemployed and unemployed manufacturing workers who are likely to commute into Johnson County. By drawing workers from Marion, Monroe, Hendricks, and Shelby Counties, Johnson remains primed to attract more manufacturing projects.
Last year, Arbonne International created 400 new jobs and opened a new 208,000 square foot distribution center in Greenwood and found a strong workforce. “Our center in Johnson County is one of our best-performers due to the skilled workforce we found here,” said Bob Henry, Chairman of Arbonne International, whose company opened a state-of-the-art distribution center in Greenwood last summer. “We were able to quickly get the right people in place and were up and running in no time.” In 2005, NSK Precision America moved its corporate headquarters to Franklin in order to create more efficiency. Since the move, NSK has continued to hire new workers and has found a hard-working and skilled workforce.
“We have been very happy with our decision to move our headquarters here. We have found central Indiana workers to have a strong work ethic and yet understand how to balance work with life,” said Brian Kemple, Senior Manager of Operations for NSK.
The talent pipeline is also surging in Johnson County due to the Central Nine Career Center. Central Nine Career Center is affiliated with ten area high schools and provides training on a variety of manufacturing core skills including: welding, computer drafting, electronics, information technology, and machine tools. www.indypartnership.com indypartnership.blogspot.com
“We are committed to matching employer needs with students who have done the realworld work. If an employer has new equipment they are using, we will partner with them so that our students can learn a new process immediately,” said Roberta Jackson, Lead Project Consultant for the Central Nine Career Center.
The 100,000 square foot campus is comprised of seven buildings for classrooms, laboratories, offices and other instructional resource facilities. The school can accommodate 500 students at two sessions per day.
“Our students really have a broad skill set when they graduate. They will not only understand their specialty area but other areas so they can be a more productive employee, and really that’s what employers look for in manufacturing today – multiple disciplines,” said Jackson.
Further contributing to the surplus of an advanced manufacturing workforce in Johnson County were some recent job cuts in the Indy metro area, which have left many workers looking for new opportunities. Two major companies--Daimler Chrysler and International Truck & Engine collectively laid-off over 1,280 workers. Commuting patterns suggest that many of these same workers are actively seeking employment in and around Johnson County.
Many new opportunities are also available due to a number of key expansions in Johnson County during 2006. Klaisler Manufacturing relocated its Indianapolis facility to Franklin and will double its current workforce. KYB Manufacturing North America doubled the size of its Franklin facility by adding a 264,000 square foot expansion and creating an additional 51 jobs. Endress+Hauser, Inc. have almost completed a $17 million facility expansion to its Greenwood campus and will be adding 50 new jobs.
If commuting patterns continue to feed into this area, a number of manufacturing projects may land in the county during 2007 and further demonstrate that Johnson County is a prime destination for manufacturing growth.
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U.K-based Keronite to Establish U.S. Operations in Indiana
LONDON (May 16, 2007) - Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from Keronite today to announce that the U.K-based metals treatment company will establish its first U.S. operations in Indiana.
The transcontinental investment will create 25 new jobs and bring more than $1.5 million in capital investment to the company's new facility in Greenwood.
"This is exactly the kind of business we're most interested in, the front edge of technology with intellectual property that assures high margins, high value and employs the products of our best universities and keeps them close to home. The company has the potential for exciting and rapid growth," said Daniels.
Keronite specializes in a high-tech treatment process that transforms the surfaces of light alloys into wear and corrosion resistant ceramics.While the process has applications that span from the automotive industry to consumer products, motorsports applications will serve as the focus for the company's new U.S. operations.
"There are many applications for our technology in the motorsports industry," said Ross Brown, Keronite's general manager for U.S. operations. "Thank you to Indiana for an excellent opportunity."
Governor Daniels and Keronite executives signed a memorandum of understanding detailing the company's plans to locate in Indiana at a reception for the Motorsport Industry Association in London. The meeting is one of several slated with European business leaders during the Governor's Europe trade mission.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered the company up to $250,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $64,000 in training grants based on Keronite's planned expansion.
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Clarian Health to Expand in Johnson County
Clarian Health purchased 158 acres, at the southwest corner of State Road 135 and Whiteland Road in Johnson County. Developers predict that the land where a major health-care center is intended could become the central point of the county over the next decade and a perfect place for residential and retail growth.
Mike Duke of Welbourne Companies has been talking with Clarian officials on and off for at least two years about a future health-care center in Johnson County.
A Clarian facility will bring significant employment to that part of the county. The land is zoned for commercial use and already annexed into Bargersville. There would be enough land to build a hospital.
Developers have plans for retail and commercial developments, including a bank and possibly restaurants and doctor's offices, at two of the other corners at the intersection.
Clarian could break ground in about nine months.
UK firm plans plant in Johnson County, bringing up to 29 jobs
Keronite Inc., based in the United Kingdom, plans to open in an existing building in May in Greenwood bringing 29 jobs with annual salaries averaging $40,500.
The company developed a process to transform the molecular structure of light metals such as aluminum and magnesium to have a hard finish making them more resistant to corrosion and wear for use in vehicles and architecture.
The Greenwood technical center will serve as a showcase facility, where workers will operate the machinery to show customers the process.Four employees from an Indianapolis office will relocate to the 2011 Southtech Drive facility, and 25 more will be added to the payroll. Salaries paid to the new employees will total about $1 million.
Skilled and unskilled workers will be needed to operate the machinery and produce pre-production samples for customers, Edmonds said.
The facility will be the Keronite's first showcase center, and the company will bring in customers from across the United States and around the world to see the process.
Keronite's process is used to strengthen the lightweight metals used in vehicles, architecture and aerospace equipment. The strengthened metal can replace steel for some manufacturing, he said.
The metals also can be used in producing bicycles, eyeglasses, digital music players and manufacturing molds, according to the company Web site.
Low utility rates, affordable rent and a centralized location in the United States near an airport attracted Keronite to Greenwood, Paul Edmonds, vice president of global sales said. Indianapolis' racing industry also attracted the company since it has customers in the industry, he said.
The company looked at the Southtech location in part because there is room to expand, Johnson County Development Corp. executive director Cheryl Morphew said.
Keronite expects opportunities for growth in customers in the United States, Edmonds said. As sales increase, the company could need to hire more employees, Mayes said.
Greenwood officials want to see more manufacturing positions to keep the job base diversified since many new jobs have been in logistics, Morphew said.
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Greenwood Company Creates Humvee Simulator
A Greenwood firm has designed a simulator that will help soldiers learn how to escape from a Humvee during a combat situation.
The Southside Daily Journal reports that Precision Products is shipping the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer to an Air Force base in Georgia this month for military review.
Company officials say bases in Nevada and Virginia are also considering purchasing the simulator, which costs about $120,000 not including the Humvee cab.
Using a Humvee cab suspended in a metal frame that rotates, the machine simulates what could happen if a Humvee is rolled during a combat situation to train soldiers in evacuation and defense.
Precision Products is a former tool-and-die shop that now focuses on military products. It currently employs about 65 people.
Franklin Tech Park Certified by State as ‘Shovel Ready’
Status helps companies identify locations for rapid development
Franklin Tech Park has earned the title of "Shovel Ready" paving the way for companies to quickly locate their businesses on a property that is ready for development. Franklin Tech Park joins only one other site in the nine county metro region to earn the designation from the State of Indiana.
About Shovel Ready
The title is the namesake of the State’s "Shovel Ready" program that identifies sites which have undergone extensive title work, proof of ownership, legal and environmental review and qualify for expedited permitting with state regulatory agencies.
"The term "Shovel Ready" is recognized nationally and will provide us an advantage when competing for new projects," said Cheryl Morphew, Executive Director of Johnson County Development Corporation.
"We are excited about Franklin Tech Park being designated as "Shovel Ready" by the State of Indiana, and look forward to working with the State in marketing the Park as ready for immediate development," said Mac McNaught, owner and developer of Franklin Tech Park. McNaught further stated that "We are grateful for the coordinated efforts of the City and the Johnson County Development Corporation in helping bring this distinction to Franklin Tech Park."
About Franklin Tech Park
Franklin Tech Park is a 260 acre mixed use business park located at the southeast quadrant of I-65 and State Road 44 in Franklin, Indiana. Franklin Tech Park is principally designed for bulk distribution and logistics facilities, as well as light manufacturing. The park offers flexible-sized parcels from 2 to 90 acres.
Franklin Tech Park has a proven track record of attracting investment. Aisin Holdings of America, Inc., a Japanese auto parts distributor whose North American headquarters is located in Seymour, Indiana, took occupancy of a 147,015 square foot facility in early 2005. The Aisin facility is situated such that it may be expanded to 390,000 square feet. In addition, the Tippmann Group, a Fort Wayne based company which is a leader in refrigerated distribution facilities, occupies a 146,000 square foot refrigerated facility which was completed in the summer of 2005. Tippmann’s initial building may be tripled in size to 450,000 square feet.
Contacts
To further information on the Franklin Tech Park, click here to download PDF spec sheet. To learn more about the Johnson County Development Corporation, browse through the JCDC website at www.jcdc.org or contact Executive Director Cheryl Morphew at 317-736-4300.
Delta Dental to Open Center in Greenwood
Delta Dental of Indiana says it plans to open a new customer service center in Greenwood this month. The center, which will serve customers enrolled in a new segment of the company's business, will initially employ nine people.
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