Jun 11, 2015 | Jackson County News & Info
[fusion_text]State and local officials attend ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the extension of Industrial Way in the Crothersville, Indiana Industrial Park. (Pictured above.)
Safety and Growth Issues Lead to Improvements at Crothersville Industrial Park
In the past, employees and visitors to Crothersville, Indiana’s only industrial park had only one way to reach Aisin Drivetrain, Inc. (ADI), Aisin Chemical Indiana LLC (ACIN) and Cerrowire/Marmon Retail Home Improvement. That single outlet, Industrial Way, created some concerns.
Those concerns stem from the fact that Industrial Way crosses the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC) line. LIRC is involved in a $100 million expansion project that will allow for not just more train but ones that are longer, heavier and faster.
The completion of a mile long extension of Industrial Way to the west supports the continued success of the industrial park. The extension also offers more accessibility for the growing number of employees for both of the Aisin companies and Cerrowire.
“I don’t think there’s a community in the state the size of Crothersville that can boast an industrial base that we have,” town council President Ardell Mitchell said to a small crowd who attended the ribbon cutting on June 11. “Based on the investments, we can support a solid workforce, and we’re a good place for development.”
When the industrial park was designed in the 1990s, there were funds available to create only a single access point from U.S. 31 into the park, said Jim Plump, executive director of Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation. That was before the industries located, expanded and added jobs.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation funded $835,000 of the project when ADI and ACIN requested their state incentives be used to improve safety at the park.[/fusion_text]
Apr 1, 2015 | Jackson County News & Info
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was written by Seymour Mayor Craig Luedeman at the request of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Chicago and appeared in the organization’s 2015 Winter newsletter and distributed to approximately 2,300 readers).
One of my best friends during my days at Seymour High School in the early 1990s was a Japanese guy, whose father had been transferred here to work with one of the local industries. Little did I know that 20+ years later, we would meet up again in Japan … him now a successful attorney in Tokyo and me serving my 2nd term as Mayor of the City of Seymour, Indiana.
I did not comprehend the importance of business relationships between the U.S. and Japan when I was in high school; I just knew that he was a pretty cool guy and fun to be around. I also was not totally aware of the impact that Japanese companies were having on my hometown, but I was sure glad that my friend was living in Seymour.
I mentioned this is my second term as Mayor of Seymour, and this fall marked my 5th trip to Japan in the past 7 years and, trust me, I now understand the importance of those relationships and the effect Japanese investment has had on Seymour and all of South Central Indiana.
Seymour is located on Interstate 65, one hour south of Indianapolis, Indiana and an hour north of Louisville, Kentucky. It is that location that helped us attract the first U.S. manufacturing operation of Aisin Seiki. That was in 1986, and today, Aisin employs more than 2,000 associates at their 5 locations in Seymour and Jackson County. Aisin U.S.A. Manufacturing has 2 locations in Seymour: Aisin Holdings of America has their corporate office here; and two other Aisin companies, Aisin Drivetrain, Inc. and Aisin Chemical of Indiana, have found homes in the small community of Crothersville, which is located in southern Jackson County.
In addition, Seymour Tubing (whose parent company is Nippon Steel and Sumikin Pipe Co. with support from Mitsui and Co., Ltd.) is located here, as is a joint venture between Cummins and Komatsu (CKEC) to produce engines. O&K American established their 2nd U.S. manufacturing operation in Seymour in 2009.
All together, these companies employ nearly 3,000 of our workers and, as importantly, are excellent corporate citizens that support activities to make Seymour a great place to live and work. We are truly blessed and thankful, and I believe it is very important that we make frequent visits to Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and other locales to meet with executives of these companies to build on our relationships.
My latest trip to Japan in October 2014 was as part of our South Central Indiana regional marketing trip. This group includes a 10-county region that extends along I-65, I-64 and I-74. All told, our region is home to more than 50 Japanese companies which employ over 16,000 workers. Total population in our region is more than 480,000 and we have seen continued growth in the manufacturing sector that has lowered our unemployment rate to less than 6%.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith joined our group, as did a number of private companies that do business with our Japanese companies. “Friends of South Central Indiana” receptions were well-attended in Tokyo and Nagoya, and Secretary Smith spoke of the many benefits of doing business in our region. We are confident that additional investment and jobs will result from this trip.
Spearheading the trip was Jim Plump, who has served as Executive Director of the Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation for more than 30 years. During his time in Seymour, Jim has made 25 trips to Japan and has been involved in the recruitment of all of our Japanese companies, as well as the retention and expansion of those companies.
In working with the JETRO office in Chicago, Jim suggested we plan a visit with the JETRO office in Tokyo. We were very pleased to receive an invitation to visit, and they welcomed our mission delegates to learn more about our region and to provide us important data that they have compiled on the Japanese economy. The officials, including Executive Vice President Tsuneyuki Kato and our friend, Tatsuhiro Shindo, who formerly was in the Chicago office of JETRO, were extremely helpful and their hospitality was much appreciated.
I should also point out that helping arrange this meeting was the Japan-America Society of Indiana (JASI), and its long-time Executive Director Theresa Kulczak. She has been a good friend to Seymour-Jackson County over the years and the State of Indiana is fortunate to have someone as talented as Theresa and an organization that is recognized as one of the top Japan-America Societies in the country.
Mar 3, 2015 | Jackson County News & Info
The Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce will hold its 84th annual awards dinner on March 18, 2015.
The highlights of the evening will include a review of 2014, a look ahead, and presentation of community awards.
One of those awards is the Corporate Citizen of the Year, and Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation (JCIDC) will receive that honor this year.
JCIDC is a not-for-profit public/private partnership charged with raising the local standard of living and improving the area tax base by attracting quality employers and assisting with the expansion and competitiveness of local industries in Jackson County, Indiana.
JCIDC has been leading the way for industrial and economic development assistance since 1984.
Jan 29, 2015 | Jackson County News & Info
Seymour City Council approves tax abatements for O&k
O&k American plans to expand and hire 12 new employees at its Seymour facility.
The announcement is part of the steel coil plant’s $2.7 million investment in new manufacturing equipment and $1 million investment in real property.
Council approved 10-year abatements for both investments during its regular meeting Monday evening.
Jim Plump, executive director of the Jackson County Industrial Development Corp., said the company expected to begin the expansion next month and finish by year end.
O&k vice president Chris White said plans called for a 30,000 square foot building expansion connecting the company’s facilities on Bateman Drive in the East Side Industrial Park.
White said the company was pleased with the council’s devotion to economic investment. “We’re very appreciative of the effort of the council,” he said.
He said Seymour was supportive of O&k’s community efforts, including bringing in high school students to encourage manufacturing careers.
Source: The Jackson County Banner, 1/29/15
Jan 23, 2015 | Jackson County News & Info
PLAINFIELD, Ind. – The Duke Energy Foundation has awarded a $12,500 grant to the Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation to develop a three-year strategic plan.
The plan will include interviews with key business and community stakeholders and will compare the organization with other similar Midwest industrial and economic development groups. Officials expect to complete the project by mid-2015.
“This new plan will be our roadmap for the future of economic development in Jackson County,” said Jim Plump, executive director of the JCIDC. “We appreciate Duke Energy’s support for this project.”
“Duke Energy has a long history of helping the communities we serve identify and develop new and expanding business opportunities,” said Chip Orben, Duke Energy Indiana community relations manager for Jackson County. “We look forward to partnering with the JCIDC on this important initiative.”
In Indiana, the Duke Energy Foundation makes charitable grants of nearly $2 million annually to support the environment, economic development, education and community vitality.
Duke Energy Indiana’s operations provide about 7,500 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 800,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it the state’s largest electric supplier. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com.
Jan 3, 2015 | Jackson County News & Info
Jim Plump is optimistic about Jackson County’s economy heading into the New Year.
Plump, executive director of Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation, said the county is coming off a strong 2014.
Plump said last year’s promised investment – which is what companies tell the corporation they plan to invest – was $174.8 million. Plump said it was a strong number, even though it was shy of 2013’s record setting $177.1 million.
The promised investment for 2014 included 15 projects and created 294 new jobs while retaining 4,600 jobs.
“We’re truly blessed with tremendous industries who continually invest to create new jobs and it bodes well for the future,” said Plump.
Plump said 2015 is already off to a great start after Valeo Lighting Systems announced a $10.8 million project that will create 18 new jobs.
The Jackson County Banner, 01/01/2015
