Patriot Porcelain LLC, a manufacturer of vitreous china products, announced plans to expand its operations in Kokomo, Indiana, creating up to 140 new jobs by 2014.
The company will invest $14,968,000 to purchase, renovate and equip a 330,000 square-foot facility at the former Kokomo Sanitary Pottery Plant in Kokomo. The new facility, which is expected to be fully operational by June 2014, will allow the company to relocate its overseas lavatory and toilet manufacturing to its Kokomo operations.
"Indiana's solid fiscal house and low-tax environment continue to earn us national attention as a frontrunner for new jobs and investment," said Governor Mike Pence. "Our state's emergence as an economic leader is no accident. We've worked hard to create a stable, pro-business climate that removes roadblocks to growth, paving the way for companies like Patriot Porcelain to succeed."
Patriot Porcelain will begin hiring engineering, maintenance, machine operators, quality control and packaging positions by the end of the year. Interested applicants can apply by sending resumes to P.O. Box 290, Monticello, IN 47960.
"Patriot Porcelain is confident the substantial investment being made in this facility will benefit the city of Kokomo, the state of Indiana and ultimately be a key in America's economic recovery by generating new manufacturing jobs," said Jeff VanWeelden, chairman of the board of managers of Patriot Porcelain. "The highly technical U.S. based plant will be a one-of-a-kind operation that will allow us to manufacture the exact product currently manufactured overseas at a competitive price, something unheard of ten years ago."
Founded in 2009 by 6th & Main Inc., Patriot Porcelain is a private label vitreous china manufacturer of high quality sanitary products. Producing lavatories and toilets using modern pressure casting equipment, robotics, assembly lines and drying equipment, the company serves customers across the country.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Patriot Porcelain LLC up to $700,000 in conditional tax credits and $75,000 in training grants based on the company's 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 Kokomo approved additional tax abatement.
"It gives me tremendous pleasure to welcome Patriot Porcelain to our community," said Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight. "This project will bring quality jobs back to the United States and the Kokomo community, and will restore new life to an existing property."
Growing companies like Patriot Porcelain continue to pick Indiana for its strong workforce and limited regulations. Just last week, the Hoosier State ranked best in the Midwest and top 10 across the country in this year's 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index by the Tax Foundation, continuing to prove that Indiana is a state that works for business.
About Patriot Porcelain
Patriot Porcelain is a private-label vitreous china manufacturer of high-quality sanitary products. Patriot's plant engineers have managed international manufacturing operations for such industry leaders as American Standard, Sanitec, and Kohler and slip engineers were trained by Globe Union Group, the former owner of the Kokomo facility. The United States, once home to 48 toilet manufacturing plants, now has only seven toilet manufacturing facilities in operation. At present, Patriot Porcelain's customers have no U.S.-based vitreous china production facilities; however, Patriot has obtained long-term supply contracts with multiple sanitary ware industry leaders in order to provide those needed products and services.
About IEDC
Created in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mike Pence. Victor Smith serves as the Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Eric Doden is the president 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.