Glacier Transit and Storage, Inc., Plymouth, Wisconsin, is undertaking a $6 million project to expand its refrigerated space to accommodate growing storage demands from cheese manufacturers and the food industry. The company plans to create seven new positions, in addition to retaining the 28 existing positions in Plymouth. The company is eligible for up to $70,000 in tax credits through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).
In addition to WEDC, several partners are helping the expansion project take shape. Plymouth Industrial Development Corporation has sold land for the expansion project in the City of Plymouth Industrial District. The Rural Development Administration (USDA) and Plymouth Utilities through the City of Plymouth will finance a portion of the building construction costs, and Community Bank & Trust will use Small Business Administration financing to cover more than $5 million in construction costs and all equipment.
“As part of our role in fostering economic development collaboration, we’re pleased to help leverage local and federal resources to help Glacier Storage and Transit, Inc. expand its offering of refrigerated warehouse space to capture new business opportunities and provide improved transportation service to its customers,” said Reed Hall, interim secretary and CEO of WEDC.
For the last two years, Glacier Transit and Storage, Inc. has been operating near capacity and is now expanding to accommodate additional business and the potential for convenient and more efficient rail service for its customers. The first phase of the project is the construction of an 87,020 square foot refrigerated food warehouse building.
The company was formed in 1982 by Jeff Goelzer, president, as a logistics and trucking business. Over the years, it acquired refrigerated food and dry goods warehouses, including Plymouth Cold Storage that was started by Jeff’s father, Jack Goelzer. Plymouth Cold Storage started in 1955 to provide refrigerated and dry storage to area cheese makers.
Glacier Transit and Storage, Inc. has 11 warehouse locations including refrigerated warehouse space. The company continues to expand warehouse and transportation services to the cheese industry and is building the new facility adjacent to rail service to expand the opportunity of more economical transportation via rail.
The tax credits from WEDC will be distributed annually in direct relation to the number of jobs retained over a three-year period, based on the number of new, full-time positions created.
About Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), formed in 2011 as a public-private entity, leads economic development efforts for the state and nurtures business growth and job creation by advancing Wisconsin’s business climate. In addition to the state’s strong legacy industries of agriculture and manufacturing, recent economic growth has occurred in multiple specialty sectors: water technology, renewable energy, bio-medical research and technology, healthcare systems, and food processing. In 2012 Wisconsin was ranked No. 20 in CEO Magazine’s “Best States for Business” list and No. 17 as a top state for business by CNBC. WEDC partners with more than 600 economic development organizations throughout the state to serve businesses looking to start, grow or relocate. WEDC has four core areas of focus: business and industry development, economic and community development, entrepreneurship and innovation, and international business development. Visit www.inwisconsin.com or follow WEDC on Twitter @_InWisconsin to learn more.