COLUMBUS, Ind. — The eighth tax abatement in 12 years for a manufacturer near Edinburgh was approved Tuesday by the Bartholomew County Council.
As a result, 46 jobs will be created and 108 jobs will be retained at Georg Utz, Inc. by the end of next year, company finance manager Penny Grubbs said. An application filed by the company states the expected average wage will be $25.13 per hour.
Located on a 35-acres site north of the Edinburgh Premium Outlets, Georg Utz, Inc. has produced custom and standard plastic containers for industrial, logistic and storage industries since 2009.
The company will spend $11.8 million to expand its production and warehouse facility by 135,500 square feet, said Michael Chiado, President of Americas for the subsidiary of Georg Utz Holding AG of Switzerland.
Another $7.5 million will be spent on new equipment, which will bring the total investment at the facility on County Road 250W up to $19.3 million, Chiado said.
A second abatement approved Monday to allow the construction of a 50,000 square foot building is unusual because an occupant has not been secured at this time.
The request came from Harold Force, best known in the community as president of Force Construction, Inc. But as he addressed the council Tuesday, he spoke as the head of Force Holdings, LLC – a family-owned investment and development company.
The abatement request is to create Force Holdings’ fourth speculative shell building for companies seeking an already-made building that they can occupy in a comparatively short period of time.
It will be located on two lots within the Meadow Lawn Industrial Park, located north of County Road 800N between Executive Drive and County Road 250W.
For the complete story, see Thursday’s Republic.
