Troy officials vote to allow rezoning, expansion for KK Integrated Logistics

A portion of the tract is zoned as single-family residential. The petition requested zoning be changed to light industrial manufacturing. Also within the tract are four undeveloped streets that appear on the county plat map and would require vacating.

Representatives from KK Integrated Logistics Inc., Waupaca Foundry Inc. and WGS Global Services LLC attended the meeting along with town officials and several citizens against the rezoning. Following construction of the facility, KKIL plans to lease space within the facility to Waupaca and WGS.

“The building will be used for two purposes,” said attorney John Werner, representing KKIL. “The first purpose is as a warehouse for Waupaca Foundry. Another purpose is as a manufacturing facility for WGS Global LLC.”

KKIL President Cynthia Kuber elaborated. “We’re a family-owned company about 35 to 40 years in real estate. We’re primarily a warehousing and trucking company primarily in northeast Wisconsin.”

Kuber told those present the company’s Marinette facility, which since 2012 has housed Waupaca and WGS, was designed to have everything contained within one facility. It serves as a sole distribution center, Kuber explained, from dies to finished goods to dunnage that houses those goods for shipment.

“In Marinette, in the very far west end of the building is WGS, very similar to here in Tell City,” Kuber said. “WGS had a separate location in the Marinette area – like Troy and Tell City – so WGS moved into our existing warehouse in approximately 75,000 square feet. So everything is under one roof and it’s a full distribution center for Waupaca. That’s exactly what we’re looking at doing here in Troy to support the Tell City mill.”

Five Troy citizens who live in close proximity to the proposed facility were present to voice concerns, primarily regarding potential noise and air pollution and increased truck traffic.

Along with Kuber, Christopher Goetz, WGS executive vice president and chief operating officer, sought to shed light on just exactly what activities would take place within the facility and how neighboring residents may be affected. “We currently provide services for Waupaca to help process their casting, provide cleaning services, and move their parts,” Goetz said. “We currently employ 300 people down here and our plan is to continue with 300 people. We will be shop-blasting, grinding and inspecting and then we will put (the finished products) into containers and send them to the Waupaca side (within the same facility) and then they will put it in the system and send it out.”

In response to a question from Werner about the use of hazardous chemicals, Goetz replied, “No, we adhere to all the industry standards of OSHA.”

“Will your operation generate any kind of dust, vibration or any other (disturbances) beyond the exterior walls of this building?” Werner asked.

“We do have a dust-collection system that is designed for this property,” Goetz replied. “Currently, we run a dust-collection system in our Indiana plant here. There is a larger one being designed and built for this (new property) if we do go forward with this. So yes, there will be dust created, but it will be contained through a dust-collection system.” He also added that a bag-house would be built that would run 24 hours daily to keep emissions down.

“So you do not anticipate any dust or other emissions going beyond the building?” Werner asked.

“No,” Goetz said, adding that the facility in Marinette also leases space to a medical manufacturing and device company that requires a pristine environment. He said there had been no complaints or issues.

Goetz said the 300 employees at the Troy plant would cover a 24-hour period, seven days a week.