Calumet Pallet Co. Inc., a manufacturer of wooden pallets, announced plans today to expand its operations here, creating up to 115 new jobs by 2016.
The homegrown-Hoosier company, which also repairs old pallets or recycles pallets into landscape mulch, playground surfacing and animal bedding products, will invest $2.7 million to purchase and equip a new 93,000 square-foot facility in Michigan City. The new location, which also includes 14.5 acres of outdoor storage, will be complete by January 2014.
"On the list of decisions company leaders face, the decision on where to locate operations is perhaps one of the most far-reaching," said Governor Mike Pence. "Indiana is a state that works because companies like Calumet Pallet have the power to flourish in our pro-growth business climate. With an industrious workforce, low taxes, limited regulations and strong infrastructure, we've built the best possible atmosphere for their success. For businesses searching for the location of their next investment, Indiana is always a good decision."
Calumet Pallet, which currently employs 35 full-time associates, plans to begin hiring production and administrative positions this December.
"Calumet Pallet has been able to grow our business even through the tough economic times due to our ability to service our customers with a quality product at an honest pricing structure," said Jeff Bridegroom, vice president and general manager of Calumet Pallet. "We pick up a lot of customers just from word of mouth advertising from one customer to another. We intend on continuing to grow our business not only in Indiana, but nationally as well. We chose the facility in Michigan City after looking at several different locations. We knew we wanted to stay within the state of Indiana due to the state's friendly business climate, which allows businesses to prosper."
Founded in 1975 by Al Bridegroom, Calumet Pallet plans to increase production to more than 50,000 pallets per week immediately upon moving into its new facility. The company also plans to begin seeking new markets with the expansion, focusing on crane mats for the pipeline industry. With customers ranging from small manufacturers to Fortune 500 companies, Calumet Pallet intends to continue growth of its erosion tube line, Flow Best Filtering Tubes, which is used in the construction industry as an alternative to silt fences.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Calumet Pallet Co. Inc. up to $600,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $60,000 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 Michigan City approved additional tax abatement at the request of the Economic Development Corporation Michigan City.
"I am excited that Calumet Pallet chose Michigan City as the site of its new location and business expansion," said Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer. "It is a good feeling for me as mayor to know that new jobs are coming to Michigan City. This is something I am certainly looking forward to. Michigan City, Ind. is a prime location for business investment and economic growth. Our proximity to interstate highways, railways and a major international port are many of the desirable resources we have available. Once again, I welcome Calumet Pallet to Michigan City and I look forward to working with its leaders for their future success."
Calumet Pallet is the fifth company to announce expansion plans in LaPorte County this year, creating a total of more than 260 new jobs and $21 million in capital investment. Today's announcement comes on the heels of the recent jobs announcements by LaPorte County-based Dwyer Instruments and Harrison Electric. Both companies cited the state's pro-growth business environment, low taxes and strong workforce as reasons for choosing Indiana as their location for growth.
About Calumet Pallet
Since 1975, Calumet Pallet Company has continued to grow and modernize. Our automated facility sets the standard for others to follow. The commitment to quality, service, reputation and reliability has been the driving force behind this growth. We can customize a complete program designed specifically for your needs. We offer purchase and removal of your unwanted pallets, inventory management and retrieval systems, repair programs, heat treating, fumigation and pallets that meet export requirements. We can provide custom size pallets designed using computer assisted drawing programs.
Calumet Pallet has a strong commitment to preserving the environment. Scrap and wood waste is not sent to landfills. We grind unusable components into useful items as landscape mulch, playground surfacing and animal bedding. Calumet Pallet Company is proud to be an active member of the National Wooden Pallet And Container Association. For more information about Calumet Pallet, visit www.calumetpallet.com.
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.