On Tuesday, Korellis Roofing announced the completion of its $2 Million expansion plan at a ceremony held at their headquarters in Hammond, Indiana. Along with keeping Korellis’ operations in Hammond, the expansion includes material storage renovation, expanded sheet metal operations, new office space, exterior improvements and the creation of a training center.
Korellis is celebrating their 57th year of operating in Hammond and, as the Lake County Economic Alliance (LCEA) President and CEO, Karen Lauerman, put it, “A family operation like Korellis is the type of organization that we’re going to work very hard to keep right here in Lake County indefinitely.”
Committed to the community, the Korellis Roofing retains 145 employees and plans on adding an additional 45 full-time new jobs in the coming years.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) offered Korellis Roofing Inc. conditional tax credits and training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives.
“We worked closely with the leadership team at Korellis, the IEDC and the City of Hammond to facilitate these incentives, which included several options for their expansion,” Lauerman added. “We wanted to make sure they remained in Lake County, first, and staying in Hammond was critical because business retention is key. We’re really happy that all of the stars aligned for Korellis so that they can add new jobs, a new training facility, and new opportunities for the region’s skilled workforce. We know their mission is not only to grow the business, but to grow the industry and to deliver a quality product to all of their customers so this is very exciting.”
The City of Hammond offered additional incentives and façade improvement grant with the assistance of the Lake County IN Economic Alliance.
“When we’re talking about economic development, you really need all of the help and support that you can get,“ said Phil Taillon, Executive Director of Planning and Development with the City of Hammond. “Both the LCEA and the Lakeshore Chamber have partnered with us to get some great projects done in Hammond so we’re all in favor of working with different organizations that will help us bring more successful businesses, or in the case of Korellis, expansions, to the City of Hammond.”
“Anytime you can help support an expansion process which you know if going to create more high paying jobs, you get very excited,” Taillon said. “It is our goal to see Hammond thrive and business expansion is key for the City of Hammond. We are pleased that Korellis Roofing and the Korellis family decided to further their facility footprint in our community, reinvesting in their operation and employees.”
The training facility will assist in utilizing days unsuitable for roofing to deliver in house training to individuals for continued development in roofing techniques. This training will supplement the mandatory training through the apprenticeship programs, and ultimately provide Korellis with the highest-skilled roofing mechanics. The company is also exploring and developing continuing education opportunities for professionals within the management team including but not limited to active memberships in trade associations.
“There were a lot of things that had to happen and there were quite a few months where we didn’t expect this to happen,” said the owner of Korellis Roofing, Pete Korellis. “But it did and we’re here. We’re set for the next generation and we’re very, very excited about it. With the outstanding support from the City of Hammond, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and the union construction industry, Korellis Roofing is able to continue our mission to grow our organization and our team.”
Internally, Korellis Roofing will integrate systems into the current operation and invest significant dollars in new software implementation and training of employees to increase efficiency and effectively support future growth.
“Indiana continues to celebrate its business climate, which ranks first in the Midwest and top five in the nation,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger. “Companies like Korellis Roofing have access to a skilled workforce and an economic environment that is ripe for growth in Indiana, allowing them to prosper and create good jobs for Hoosiers. We will do our part in taking Indiana to the next level by developing a diverse economy, ensuring Hoosiers are equipped with the skills needed for 21st century jobs and shaping our communities into places where people want to live, work and play.”
To find out more about the Lake County Economic Alliance, visit: http://lcea.us/. For more information about Korellis Roofing, go to http://www.korellis.com/.
