Governor Mitch Daniels and executives from nine companies announced new investments in Indiana expected to create a combined 2,552 new jobs over the next few years.
The news comes amidst the state's record-breaking year of economic development results. This year, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation has already worked with 251 companies that have made decisions to expand or establish operations in Indiana, outpacing the 219 decisions by companies announced at year-end last year and every other year on record. The 251 companies anticipate investing $6.57 billion in their Indiana operations and creating 27,858 new jobs in the coming years.
"We've added jobs at nearly twice the national average for the past three years, but we have seen a significant surge of new interest in the past several months. The best holiday gifts the state could receive are these jobs but today's bundle is not the last for this year. Stand by for more," said Daniels.
According to the U.S. Labor Department, Indiana ranked second in the country for private sector jobs added over the past month and is fifth for job growth over the past year. Since the low point of employment in July 2009, Indiana's private sector jobs growth (6.6 percent) has nearly doubled the nation (3.8 percent).
Angie's List, a national provider of consumer reviews on local service companies, plans to invest approximately $1 million to expand its Indiana operations, creating up to 850 new jobs by 2017. Angie's List, which currently employs more than 1,000 people in Indianapolis, launched in 1995 in Columbus, Ohio, with one employee - co-founder Angie Hicks. The company moved its headquarters to Indianapolis in 1999 and has since expanded to serve members in more than 200 cities across the United States.
Elkhart-based Atwood Mobile Products, a lightweight durable recreational vehicle components manufacturer, will invest $5.9 million to consolidate manufacturing operations from Michigan and distribution and warehousing operations from Tennessee and other locations to Elkhart County, creating up to 132 new jobs by 2015. With more than 700 associates nationwide, the company currently employs 368 employees at four Elkhart County sites.
BidPal, Inc., an Indianapolis-headquartered handheld bidding device company that helps nonprofits enhance charitable fundraising, will invest $3.5 million to expand its existing office space on the north side of Indianapolis, creating up to 172 new jobs by 2017. As part of the project, it will also acquire additional information technology and telecommunications equipment to support growing customer demand and expand the company's service and support capacities. BidPal received a $1 million grant from the state's 21st Century Research and Technology Fund (21 Fund) in 2009 and has since grown to more than 65 associates in Indiana today.
Brunswick Fort Wayne Operations, producer of Harris FloteBote and Cypress Cay pontoon boats, plans to expand its operations in northern Indiana, creating up to 200 new jobs by 2016. The company has manufactured recreational boats for more than 50 years in Fort Wayne. Having outgrown its current facility, the company plans to move into a larger space by early 2014.
Phoenix, Ariz.-based Café Valley, Inc., is a producer of baked goods - both private label and its own Café Valley Bakery brand - for restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores across the United States as well as 50 countries. The company plans to construct a new facility on the former Thompson Consumer Electronic site in Marion, creating up to 400 new jobs by the end of 2018. The new facility is expected to open its doors in 2014 with approximately 100 employees.
ExactTarget (NYSE: ET) will invest $55 million in equipment and real estate to expand its Indianapolis operations over the next five years, creating up to 500 new jobs by 2018. The global interactive marketing provider, which employs more than 1,000 Hoosiers in Indianapolis, debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in March and recently announced multi-million dollar acquisitions of Atlanta-based Pardot and Indianapolis-based iGoDigital.
Inventure Foods (NASDAQ: SNAK), a marketer and manufacturer of specialty food brands, will expand its Bluffton operations, creating up to 80 new jobs by 2015. The company plans to add bagging machines and distribution systems to accommodate product growth. With additional locations in Arizona and Washington, the company's products range from Jamba smoothies to Boulder Kettle chips to T.G.I. Friday's potato skins and onion rings.
Mitsubishi Engine North America (MENA) will begin manufacturing turbochargers for automobiles in the United States and will invest $10.8 million to locate its first plant on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control's (MCCA) campus in Franklin, creating up to 73 new jobs by 2016. The turbocharger division will occupy approximately 18,500 square feet of the existing MCCA Franklin plant and add an additional 10,700 square feet of new construction. MENA and MCCA are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Japan.
Moorehead Communications, Inc. d/b/a TCC, the largest Verizon Wireless premium retailer in the nation, plans to expand its Indiana operations, creating up to 145 new jobs by 2016. Founded in 1991, today the company employs 467 Hoosiers and operates more than 850 locations in 39 states across the nation. Over the last four years, the company has had a growth rate of more than 325 percent.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Angie's List up to $7,000,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. Atwood Mobile Products LLC was offered up to $700,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $120,000 in training grants based on its job creation plans. BidPal, Inc. was offered up to $2,150,000 in conditional tax credits based on its job creation plans. Brunswick Leisure Boat Company, LLC was offered up to $2,575,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants based on its job creation plans. Café Valley, Inc. was offered up to $5,800,000 in conditional tax credits based on its capital investment plans. ExactTarget, Inc. was offered up to $10,000,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on its job creation plans. Inventure Foods, Inc. was offered up to $425,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $75,000 in training grants based on its job creation plans. Mitsubishi Engine North America, Inc. was offered up to $600,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants based on its job creation plans. Moorehead Communications, Inc. was offered up to $1,195,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on its job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives.
The city of Indianapolis will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of Develop Indy for BidPal's project. The city of Fort Wayne and Allen County will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance for Brunswick's project. The city of Marion will support Café Valley's project with additional incentives. The city of Indianapolis will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of Develop Indy for ExactTarget's project. The city of Bluffton will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of the Wells County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development for Inventure Foods' project. The city of Franklin will consider additional property tax abatement and provide funds using revenues generated from the issuance of a tax increment financing (TIF) bond for MENA's project.
About Angie's List
Angie's List helps consumers have happy transactions with local service professionals in more than 550 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. More than 1.5 million paid households use Angie's List to gain unlimited access to local ratings, exclusive discounts, the Angie's List magazine, and the Angie's List complaint resolution service.
About Atwood Mobile Products
Atwood Mobile Products is a world leader in designing and manufacturing a wide variety of products including gas appliances, ventilation fans, chassis components, seating hardware, and entry doors that serve the recreation vehicle, agricultural, industrial, marine, van conversion and manufactured housing markets.
About BidPal
BidPal improves charitable fundraising by helping nonprofits use technology to more efficiently run their charitable events. BidPal's event management solutions, automated auctions, payment processing, online fundraising, consulting services, and more help make charitable events more fun and more profitable. Handheld bidding and donations, myBidPal Planner Pro™, myBidPal Giving Center™ and myBidPal Payments™, featuring SmartPay™ and Mobile Wallet™, are just a few ways that BidPal is revolutionizing charitable fundraising. Visit www.BidPalNetwork.com or call 1-888-729-0399.
About Brunswick Fort Wayne Operations
Brunswick Fort Wayne Operations has been manufacturing award-winning recreational boats for more than 50 years in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Currently, Fort Wayne Operations produces two pontoon boat brands, Harris FloteBote and Cypress Cay.
As part of the Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), a worldwide designer, manufacturer and marketer of recreation products, including marine engines, boats, fitness equipment and bowling and billiards equipment, Brunswick's strength and expertise give Brunswick Fort Wayne Operations the resources to employ the industry's best people and allows them to fund the ideas, innovations, and investments required to continue to be an industry leader, employing the highest caliber people and utilizing only the best suppliers of materials and components.
About Café Valley, Inc.
Café Valley Inc. was formed in 1985. It was purchased by the current ownership and management group in 2004. Café Valley Inc. is primarily a supplier of baked goods to customers throughout the United States and approximately 50 countries - including many hosting U.S. military bases - around the world.
About ExactTarget
ExactTarget is a leading global provider of email marketing and cross-channel interactive marketing software-as-a-service solutions that empower organizations of all sizes to communicate with their customers through email, mobile, social media and websites. ExactTarget's powerful suite of integrated applications enable marketers to plan, automate, deliver and optimize data-driven interactive marketing and real-time communications to drive customer engagement, increase sales and improve return on marketing investment. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana with offices across North America and in Europe, South America and Australia, ExactTarget trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "ET." For more information, visit www.ExactTarget.com.
About Inventure Foods
Inventure Foods has three manufacturing facilities in Goodyear, Arizona, Bluffton, Indiana and Lynden, Washington. We produce products from Jamba smoothies to Boulder Kettle chips to T.G.I. Friday's potato skins and onion rings.
About Mitsubishi Engine North America
Mitsubishi Engine North America, Inc. Turbocharger Division and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, Inc. are wholly owned subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Japan. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries currently has companies operating in many states throughout the United States, including Florida, Georgia, Texas and Indiana, to name a few.
About IEDC
Created by Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Dan Hasler serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC.
The IEDC oversees programs enacted by the General Assembly including tax credits, workforce training grants and public infrastructure assistance. All tax credits are performance-based. Therefore, companies must first invest in Indiana through job creation or capital investment before incentives are paid. A company who does not meet its full projections only receives a percentage of the incentives proportional to its actual investment. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.