The Department of Economic Development has approved funds for two Iowa businesses who’ve promised to expand and add jobs. Tina Hoffman, a spokesperson for the D-E-D, saysthe Pella Plant in Clear Lake has been approved for a 160-thousand dollar investment to expand its storm door plant. Hoffman says the money comes from the federally funded Economic Development Set-Aside (EDSA) program. She says the company promises to add over four dozen workers. The company plans to hire 50 additional employees at an average starting wage of 11-dollars and 44-cents per hour. Hoffman says funds from the same program were approved for a new business in Adair. She says the Trausch company plans to create 70 jobs over the next three years producing food display cases using a new type of refrigeration technology. She says the jobs will have an average starting wage of 10-dollars and 74-cents per hour. A majority of the money for both companies is in the form of a loan that will be forgiven if they meet their job creation goals.
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