The Iowa Economic Development Board Thursday awarded funding to 17 companies that are planning or proposing expansion projects across the state. Some of the awards are designed to lure companies to Iowa from other states. Iowa Department of Economic Development spokesperson Kay Snyder says, combined, the projects would create 300 new jobs.
The biggest award of just over $3.2 million is directed toward one of the largest animal health companies in the world – Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. Snyder says the project will create 92 jobs at facilities in Fort Dodge, Sioux Center and Ames. Another 535 jobs will be retained as a result of the award, according to Snyder.
The IED Board awarded $300,000 to packaging company Walter G. Anderson Incorporated to open a new facility in Newton. “This company will be looking to create 60 total jobs, 40 of which will be supported through the state incentives,” Snyder said. The jobs are expected to pay an average of $19.29 an hour.
A $225,000 award was approved for Dice Career Solutions to build a new facility in Urbandale to consolidate two existing locations. “Dice has been a great company in the Des Moines area for a long time,” Snyder said. “They help connect employers who need high-tech employees.” That project is expected to create 16 jobs. Another award will help farm equipment maker Unverferth Manufacturing expand a facility in Shell Rock in northeast Iowa.
Snyder says the Unverferth award is for $140,000 to create 40 jobs. The other projects or proposals awarded funding are located in Fort Madison, Marion, Hiawatha, Eldridge, Pella, Davenport, Ankeny, Huxley, Vinton, West Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Sheldon and Clive.
Here’s more information provided by the Iowa Department of Economic Development about the projects:
* The board awarded $3,239,000 in direct financial assistance through the Grow Iowa Values Financial Assistance Program (GIVFAP) to Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. for a proposed expansion at its facilities in Fort Dodge, Sioux Center and Ames. The project includes the construction of three specialized vaccine research buildings and the renovation of existing research buildings. The company, one of the top 10 animal health companies in the world, is the leading swine vaccine company in the U.S. and globally. The project represents a $16.9 million capital investment and is expected to create a total of 96 jobs, 92 of which are supported by state incentives. A total of 535 jobs will be retained as a result of the award. The board also approved tax incentives through the High Quality Jobs program.
* The board approved $140,000 in direct assistance through GIVFAP to Unverferth Manufacturing to expand their Shell Rock facility. The farm equipment manufacturer’s $2 million capital investment includes a 41,500 square-foot addition that will provide more space for assembly and shipping preparation. The project will create 40 jobs that are supported by the state incentives. Unverferth’s products include wheel systems, grain handling, tillage, hay handling and spraying equipment.
* The board approved $300,000 in direct financial assistance to packaging company Walter G. Anderson Inc. to open a new production facility in Newton. The company is the leading independent supplier of folding cartons in the upper Midwest, and its facility in Newton will be its second Midwest location. The project will create 60 jobs, 40 of which are supported by state incentives. The facility will be between 125,000 and 175,000 square feet and will begin with one production line, with expansion of up to three additional lines. The project represents a $14.6 million capital investment. The board also approved High Quality Jobs Program tax benefits for the project. The company currently has a manufacturing facility in Hamel, Minnesota.
* The board approved an award of $225,000 through the GIVFAP for Dice Career Solutions to build a new facility in Urbandale that will consolidate two existing facilities in the city. This project is expected to create 16 jobs and retain 154 more. Dice is a provider of specialized career websites where employers and recruiters find prospective employees and professionals can find job opportunities. The company targets employment categories where there is a scarcity of highly qualified workers. Plans call for the construction of a 34,770 square-foot facility with the option to increase by another 10,000 square feet, as needed. The project represents a $1.75 million capital investment.
* The board awarded $100,000 in direct financial assistance through GIVFAP to E. I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. for a proposed research and development pilot facility at the DuPont Ink manufacturing plant in Fort Madison. The plant makes pigmented inks for InkJet printers, serving all major printer manufacturers. It is the world’s largest producer of digital pigmented inks. The project would mean a $1.56 million capital investment and would reduce overhead costs and provide better efficiency for the business. State incentives are expected to support the creation of 3 jobs. The board also approved tax incentives through the High Quality Jobs program.
* The board approved $130,000 in direct financial assistance through GIVFAP to ESCO Automation to construct an office building in Marion to house its corporate headquarters and its engineering division. State incentives, including tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs program, are expected to support the creation of 25 new jobs. The ESCO Group provides engineering and construction services primarily to the food and beverage industry. The project represents a $4.9 million capital investment.
* The board awarded $24,300 from the entrepreneurial component of the GIVFAP to communications equipment company HH Ventures in Hiawatha for technical assistance to support two key projects. The projects will enhance wireless broadband connection manager software and automate and streamline firmware installations.
* The board approved tax incentives through the High Quality Jobs program to Joseph T. Ryerson and Son Inc. for a proposed steel processing and distribution facility in Eldridge. The company currently is evaluating sites in Eldridge Iowa, Alabama and Texas to relocate its Chicago operations. The company proposes leasing an existing 175,000-square-foot facility in Eldridge formerly used by ADS Roll and Hold. The project represents a $7.39 million capital investment and would create 51 jobs, 6 of which would be supported by state incentives.
* The board awarded $670,000 in direct financial assistance through GIVFAP to Lely USA Inc. to establish a proposed consolidated headquarters and production facility in Pella. The company, which produces automated milking systems and barn accessories, is looking for a location somewhere in North America. The project would entail a 35,000-40,000 square-foot production facility and headquarters office. The project, totaling $3,046,000, would create an anticipated total of 30 jobs, 18 of which are supported by state incentives. Another 4 jobs are expected to be retained. The board also approved tax incentives through the High Quality Jobs program.
* The board approved tax incentives through the High Quality Jobs program to Phoenix Closures, which is proposing an expansion at its Davenport facility. The project would modernize and expand the current facility by an additional 15,000 square feet. The manufacturing firm produces injection-molded closures. The $738,000 expansion would make production at the facility more efficient and would better accommodate new product lines and growth. The project is expected to create 8 jobs and retain 43.
* The board approved tax incentives through the High Quality Jobs program for food distribution company Sysco Iowa to build a new $4.7 million facility. The 20,000-square-foot facility will include a state-of-the-art test kitchen and customer showcase. The facility will allow clients to learn about new products, menu offerings and other ideas to better serve their customers.
* The board approved a $50,000 royalty agreement from the entrepreneurial component of the GIVFAP for software development company Vision-1 in Huxley. The company has created an employee performance measurement platform. The platform is staged to re-engineer human resource management systems in the retail, hospitality, and financial services industries.
The following awards were made through the Iowa Demonstration Fund, which provides up to $150,000 to encourage commercialization activities by small and medium-sized Iowa companies in the advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and information technology industries. The fund is designed to encourage product refinements, market planning and market entry activities of unique products to foster competitive, profitable companies that create high paying jobs and wealth in Iowa.
* Split Rock Capital of Sheldon Iowa received $125,000 from the Iowa Demonstration Fund to support the development of a new, patent pending wind turbine technology, the Vertical Farm Tower (VFT), which will support utility grade and distributed wind generation projects. The company intends to prove commercial viability of these utility grade wind turbines and then manufacture the next generation wind turbines in Iowa.
* Performance Biolubes located, in Cedar Falls, is an 18 month old Iowa startup company that is the emerging leader in bio-based metalworking fluids. The company has provided solutions to stabilize plant based oils, stabilize water soluble coolants and reduce the cost of water soluble coolants by 40%. With the help of a $150,000 award from the Iowa Demonstration Fund, Performance Biolabues will implement a scaled up version of their new manufacturing process in their Cedar Falls facility.
* The Iowa Economic Development Board approved an award of $50,000 from the Iowa Demonstration Fund to Canvis, LLC of West Des Moines. Canvis, LLC is a web-based software and services company that has developed a web-based solution called Blue Fingerprint®, that allows developers and general contractors to personalize thousands of homes in the commercial construction industry in accordance to their construction schedule. This award will assist the company in continuing to expand their presence in the marketplace as well as bring a significant product line extension to market – blue Fingerprint Renovate, focusing on the Senior Living housing market.
* AlphaGen Materials Inc. is located in Vinton Iowa and manufactures and sells CerarmixTM, a polymer metallic-ceramic material that can be used as a coating on a variety of surfaces or in the manufacture of individual parts and components. CeramrmixTM can be used to either repair existing infrastructure or to build new products with dramatically superior physical attributes than alternative solutions. The company was awarded $150,000 from the Demonstration Fund to expand their reach and market their product in Baton Rouge, Gulfport and Biloxi to repair damage from Hurricane Katrina at lesser cost than replacement manholes and sewer infrastructure.
* Coverage of Iowa High School sports is in high demand and Clive based company, Your Game Now, has created a unique and efficient production model to capture and provide video coverage for 18 schools and more than 1,200 games. Today, the Iowa Economic Development Board awarded Your Game Now $75,000 from the Iowa Demonstration Fund to expand existing production methods from 18 schools to a statewide coverage model of all 47 of the 4-A high school teams, for select sports.
