Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), visited Saukville recently to celebrate the American Orthodontics Corporation’s new state-of-the-art facility and the groundbreaking of the Northern Gateway Community Collective.
“American Orthodontics is a Wisconsin success story and we’re grateful the company has recognized the incredible skill of our workforce and decided to expand here as part of the Northern Gateway Community Collective,” Hughes said. “This development pairs the employment opportunities at American Orthodontics with housing, elder care, child care and even doggie daycare to create a community.”
American Orthodontics is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of orthodontics treatment supplies and its new facility is expected to open in mid-2024. Over the next four years, the company is expected to create at least 180 new jobs.
WEDC is supporting the project by authorizing up to $1.1 million in state income tax credits to American Orthodontics over the next four years. The actual amount of tax credits American Orthodontics will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created and the amount of capital investment during that period. American Orthodontics plans to invest $25 million to build and equip the new Saukville facility and an additional $15 million into its existed Sheboygan facility.
The family-owned, Wisconsin-based company produces 98% of its products in its Sheboygan facility, which employs about 700 individuals. The new Saukville facility will allow the company to meet growing industry demand and increase overall efficiency.
Hughes visited Saukville Thursday to celebrate a groundbreaking for the Northern Gateway Community Collective, a mixed-use development that aims to bring business, retail, and social opportunities to Saukville.
The northern half of the development features American Orthodontics new 100,000+ square foot facility.
Alongside American Orthodontics, this section of the Northern Gateway Community Collective will host Anita’s Gardens Assisted Living, a family owned and operated assisted living facility, as well as a collection of single-family homes and apartments.
The southern half of the development aims to be an active town center, featuring a youth sports training center, a sports medicine facility, a 110-room hotel, a dog boarding facility, and a full-service child care center. Additionally, this area will be the headquarters of Mel Charities, a local nonprofit focused on enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. In conjunction with Balance, a local nonprofit, the charity will manage a 170+ unit apartment complex focused on providing market value housing to adults with intellectual disabilities.
The American Orthodontics facility, alongside further development of the Northern Gateway Community collective, is expected to act as an economic spark in the region and encourage growth in the area.
“We are thrilled to see the Northern Gateway Community Collective move forward with its groundbreaking,” said Kathleen Schilling, executive director of Ozaukee Economic Development (OED). “Ansay Development and the Village of Saukville have created an exciting new concept here for Ozaukee County by bringing in a top-tier manufacturer, while also providing the community with needed social resources and economic opportunities for all. OED was happy to be part of the process and appreciates WEDC’s continued support.”
WEDC’s Business Tax Credit program supports job creation, capital investment, training, and relocation or retention of corporate headquarters by providing companies across Wisconsin with refundable tax credits. Eligible companies are located or in the process of relocating to Wisconsin and expect a net increase in employment while using the tax credits.