Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. is honored to support the VEX Robotics program in Jackson County and loves seeing the students, from elementary to high school, compete.
JCIDC understands the time and effort they put into robotics. The coaches put in a lot of time and effort, too.
With that in mind, JCIDC invited coaches to an end-of-year celebration April 29 to reflect on the successes of the 2025-26 season and look forward to 2026-27. JCIDC always starts a new school year with a coaches meeting, and now, this end-of-year celebration has been added. Coaches were asked to submit information and photos from the season to include in a slideshow presentation, and that was shared after attendees enjoyed pizza, chips, cookies and drinks.
This school year, Jackson County had 78 teams. At 1.67 teams per 1,000 people, that puts the county at No. 1 in the state. The next highest is Huntington County with 38 teams, or 1.03 teams per capita.
In terms of total number of teams, Marion County led the state with 377 (0.38 teams per capita), and Jackson County is No. 6.
In the county, there were programs at public and private elementary schools, middle schools and high schools, a homeschool program, the Boys & Girls Club of Seymour and 4-H.
Five Jackson County industrial employers recently received approval for 10-year tax abatements, including one that will result in more than 60 new jobs.
During a meeting April 27 in the council chambers at Seymour City Hall, the Seymour Common Council voted to approve investments by Valeo, AISIN USA Mfg. Inc., Cummins Seymour Engine Plant and Walmart Distribution Center.
At the April 13 council meeting, an investment by SpaceGuard Products was approved.
A tax abatement occurs over a 10-year period in which companies pay 10% more on taxes each consecutive year. Companies do not pay any property taxes on the improvements in the first year of a tax abatement.
Altogether, the investments by the Seymour companies top $164 million.
While announcing the four investments at the most recent council meeting, Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. Executive Director Jim Plump said, “I think it’s important to note that these companies are among the highest paying taxpayers in Jackson County.”
Valeo is investing $15,298,000 over three different projects for manufacturing equipment to support continued business growth.
The investment by the automotive lighting systems manufacturer, located in the Freeman Field Industrial Park, will create 61 new jobs with new payroll of just over $20 million added to its current workforce of 1,078 and payroll of $84,776,999.
The estimated start date is May 1, and completion is expected by the end of 2027.
The largest investment is by Walmart Distribution Center. This request for $105 million in personal property is for Phase 2 of a project announced in 2023 that involves Walmart renovating its 42 regional distribution centers.
The retailer continues to modernize its vast supply chain network to provide customers with better reliability, service and speed. A new technology system works to sort, store, retrieve and pack freight onto pallets, and the company will use automation to revolutionize intake, increase accuracy and change how freight is handled.
The newest investment is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
“Over the next three and a half years, they will be investing $276 million on top of their Phase 1 project,” Plump said. “The balance will be invested in ’28 and ’29, and combined with the $57-plus million that they invested over the past two years in Phase 1, this will end up being a $333 million project.”
The investment will allow the local distribution center, located just west of Interstate 65 on Seymour’s far east side, to retain its current workforce of 937, which has an average annual salary of $58,000 and total payroll of $54.3 million.
AISIN USA, Jackson County’s largest industrial employer, is investing in both of its Seymour plants in the Eastside Industrial Park.
There are two personal property abatements: $15,905,880 for Plant 1 and $4,039,000 for Plant 2.
“These investments are related to new equipment to purchase model parts for AISIN’s customers base, including Honda, Toyota and GM,” Plump said.
There also are two real property abatements: $1,640,000 for Plant 1 and $1,400,000 for Plant 2.
Altogether, the investments total $22,984,880. That will allow the automotive parts manufacturer to retain its current workforce of 1,303 at Plant 1 with total salaries of $95.8 million and 528 at Plant 2 with total payroll of $38.8 million.
Plump said the projects will begin around June 1 and be completed by the summer of 2028.
Cummins’ new investment totals $20,362,550 at its campus along East Fourth Street.
This includes three personal property abatements of $16,969,194 and two real property abatements of $3,393,356.
The personal property is for capacity expansion of the Hedgehog project, new manufacturing equipment for another project and machinery and test cells for the technical center. The real property investments will support equipment purchases.
The project will go from May 15 to the end of this year. Cummins will retain its workforce of 957 with total payroll of $77,308,143.
SpaceGuard Products’ investment totals $375,000 — $320,000 for manufacturing equipment and $55,000 for IT equipment.
The manufacturer of wire partitions and area guarding solutions, located east of Interstate 65, will maintain its current workforce of 53 with annual payroll of $3,211,928.
Crothersville Jr./Sr. High School’s juniors had an opportunity to participate in mock interviews with local business professionals the morning of April 22 at the school.
A total of 30 students gained experience in interviewing. Career interests include nursing, occupational therapy, sports medicine, psychology, pre-med, surgical technologist, education, welding, semi driver, automotive, HVAC, criminal justice, K-9, accounting, law, sports management, sports media, paleontology, zoology and veterinary science.
Conducting the interviews were:
*Akaya Adams and Lydia Benter with Schneck Medical Center
*Steve Toppe with AISIN Drivetrain Inc.
*Ben Rudolph with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department
*Kyle Wilp with Crothersville Elementary School
*Zach Spicer with JCIDC
Thanks to Crothersville High School counselor Katie Whitehead for working with JCIDC to coordinate this effort.
Brownstown Central High School senior Kassidy Wischmeier was among the 10 regional finalists from Region 6 in southeast Indiana for the STARTedUp Foundation’s STARTedUP Challenge. They presented April 21 at Maker13 in Jeffersonville.
Wischmeier presented on GreenPath Learning, which offers greenhouses, supplies and curriculum for schools. She also was the 2026 Maverick Challenge Jackson County winner with that business plan.
Formerly known as Innovate WithIN, the STARTedUP Challenge is the nation’s most elite high school pitch competition. Each year, thousands of students submit their big ideas. From these submissions, 70 teams — 10 from each of the seven competition regions — are selected to compete at the regional pitch competitions, where they present their ideas in front of judges and an audience.
At each regional event, one winning team secures its spot at the STARTedUP Challenge Finals and receives $1,000 per student (up to three team members). Additionally, three wildcard teams from throughout the state will be selected after the final regional pitch competition. In total, 10 teams will move on to compete for the $25,000 grand prize at Butler University on June 12.
For information, visit startedupfoundation.org/the-challenge.
More than 1,600 students from all six Jackson County high schools attended Jackson County Industrial Development Corp.’s annual Career College Transition Fair on April 15 in the Seymour High School auxiliary gymnasium and commons.
After receiving a passport upon entering the event, students from Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Medora, Seymour and Trinity Lutheran high schools and Sandy Creek Christian Academy interacted with business professionals from the 61 booths. Once they received 10 stamps, they turned them in to enter a drawing for prizes, which were provided by various participants and JCIDC.
Thanks to the students and staff from the county schools for attending, and thanks to the Seymour High School Jobs for America’s Graduates students for manning the welcome tables and helping with other tasks. Thanks also to those who were part of a booth at the event. Here are the industries represented:
Businesses
Culver’s of Seymour
Millman Realty Partners
Walmart of Seymour
Winsupply of Seymour
Educational institutions
Ball State University
Franklin College
Indiana University Columbus
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indiana University Southeast
Ivy Tech Community College
Jackson County Learning Center
Marian University
Purdue Polytechnic Columbus
Purdue University
Seymour Community School Corp.
University of Indianapolis
Vincennes University
Community services
Atterbury Job Corps Center
Girls Inc. of Jackson County
Hometown Waiver Solutions
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division
Indiana State Police
Jackson County Public Library
Jackson County REMC
Seymour Department of Public Works
Seymour Fire Department
SPARK Jackson County
Su Casa
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services
Health care
Brownstown Veterinary Clinic
Centerstone
Conner-Smith Eye Center
Covered Bridge Health Campus
Jackson County Dental
Jackson County Emergency Medical Services
Schneck Medical Center
Seymour Animal Hospital
Financial institutions
Beacon Credit Union
First Financial Bank
German American Bank
JCBank
Old National Bank
The Peoples Bank
Manufacturing/distribution
AISIN Drivetrain Inc.
AISIN USA Mfg. Inc.
Codis
Cummins Seymour Engine Plant
Excel Manufacturing Inc.
Lannett Company Inc.
Nippon Steel Pipe America Inc. Pet Supplies Plus
Rose Acre Farms
Military
Air Force
Army
Marines
Skilled trades
Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 4 IN/KY
Dave O’Mara Contractor Inc./Koch Mechanical Inc./Padgett Trucking Inc.
Goecker Construction Inc.
Indiana Careers in Construction Association Built to Succeed
Milestone Contractors
To see photos, visit our Facebook page, facebook.com/jcidc1984.
Trinity Lutheran High School’s seniors had an opportunity to participate in mock interviews with local business professionals the morning of April 14 at the Seymour school.
A total of 27 students gained experience in interviewing. Career interests include psychology, nursing, engineering, electrician, diesel mechanic, law, journalism, education, business, finance, graphic design, firefighter, military, construction and church music. Some want to attend college, while some want to enter the military or the workforce.
Conducting the interviews were:
*Kasey Wischmeier with Schneck Medical Center
*Austin Sutton with Sutton General Services & Plumbing
*Chad Gray with Cummins Seymour Engine Plant
*Christina Engleking with Engleking Law, City of Seymour and Indianapolis Fire Department
*Georgiann Coons
*Philip Roggow with Southeast Indiana Small Business Development Center
Thanks to Trinity Lutheran High School counselor Patrick Downey for working with JCIDC to coordinate this effort.
