Pet Supplies Plus USA Inc. announced in January that it plans to add 135 jobs in Seymour by 2016 as part of an effort to relocate its warehousing operations.
The Farmington Hills, Michigan-based company announced it will invest $16.5 million to lease and equip the former Lexmark facility at the entrance to the East Side Industrial Park. PSP plans to begin shipping to customers from the location in August.
“Indiana’s business climate is a magnet for growing companies across the country,” said Governor Mitch Daniels. “We are happy that PSP, like many businesses before, has discovered that our unparalleled infrastructure and first-rate workforce make Indiana the premier place to expand their business.”
Founded in 1988, Pet Supplies Plus is the third-largest pet specialty retailer in the country. It has 258 stores in 22 states, including 10 in Indiana.
“This investment supports our customers who can expect substantial service improvements, a broader range of products and the highest level of availability in the industry,” said Todd Pankey, PSP senior vice president of supply chain. “We appreciate the commitment from Indiana and Seymour who have supported the company with incentives to relocate to the area.”
The City of Seymour granted tax abatement for the investment, plus committed a $100,000 ECLIPSE loan through the Redevelopment Commission. In addition, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Pet Supplies Plus up to $850,000 in tax credits and up to $75,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans.
“With our location along Interstate 65, we are well-positioned to attract major logistics companies and we are thrilled PSP selected Seymour for its new distribution center,” said Seymour Mayor Craig Luedeman. “Our area has seen solid growth over the past year and PSP’s decision gets 2012 off to a great start for us.”
During remarks at the press conference on January 24th at Seymour City Hall, Luedeman also said “thank you to a couple of people who generally are not recognized during economic development announcements, but that without their assistance, this project may not have ended up in Seymour.
“The first is Judge Bruce Markel, who was in his office on Veteran’s Day to sign an order that allowed this project to move forward on an established deadline. His comment to Jim Plump was ‘whatever it takes’ when asked if he would agree to come into the office on his day off.
“Awaiting that signature was Jackson County Sheriff Mike Carothers, who also needs to be thanked for working to make sure those documents were filed … again, working overtime so certain deadlines could be met. Both Bruce and Mike understand the importance of projects like this and the value they bring to JacksonCounty.
“I truly believe PSP saw how we worked together in Seymour, Jackson County and Indiana to make this project a reality … and we are extremely grateful that they made the decision to locate here.”