Officials at a new central Iowa factory welcomed state and local officials this morning for a ceremony during which the business got a check for 275-million dollars. It’s CEBA money, a Community Economic Betterment Account, of forgiveable loans and grants. Mike Blouin , incoming director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, says the company, Clarke American, is making a significant investment in the Des Moines area. The company is one of the world’s largest printers of checks. The building is worth 12-million dollars and the company has created about 90 jobs initially, with more to come. Blouin says production got underway at the Clarke American facility a few weeks ago.Blouin says the company’s factory in the Des Moines suburb of Ankeny is very modern computer driven assembly line. Blouin is also president and C-E-O of the Greater Des Moines Partnership.
