ANDERSON – With little discussion, the Anderson City Council has given final approval to tax abatements for three new companies to locate in Anderson and an expansion of the Nestle plant with total investments of more than $110 million.
The City Council on Thursday approved a six-year 65 percent tax abatement for a planned $79.5 million for the company to expand its Anderson operations.
Greg Winkler, executive director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said Nestle's expansion will create 30 new jobs with an average annual salary of $75,000.
Nestle started operations in Anderson in 2006 and expanded the plant in 2008. It expanded the water treatment plant in 2010 and revamped landscaping the same year. Also in 2010, the company upgraded the truck dock and expanded the office space, cafeteria and locker room.
The company employs approximately 750 people in Anderson.
The council approved the request for seven-year abatements for a $30 million investment by the Fort Wayne-based Tippmann Group for construction of a 250,000-square-foot Interstate Warehousing building at the intersection of 73rd Street and Layton Road.
The company is investing $30 million in the facility that is expected to employ 60 people by the time it opens in August.
City Council approved a seven-year 50 percent tax abatement on a $20 million real property investment and a seven-year 60 percent abatement on $10 million investment in personal property.
The Tippmann Group has indicated that eventually the warehouse will be 1 million square feet and employ 200 people at an average annual salary of $56,000.
The council approved a 10-year abatement for Indianapolis-based Storage of America that is preparing to move its corporate headquarters and open a facility in the former Warner Press building.
The former Warner Press building, 1201 E. Fifth St., has been vacant for several years. Warner Press located in Anderson in 1906 and in the late 1990s moved its operations to the Flagship Enterprise Center.
Winkler said Storage of America offers climate-controlled storage space and the company is planning to invest $977,000 creating 15 jobs at $21.63 per hour.
The company received a 10-year tax abatement that will start at 100 percent and decrease annually by 10 percent.
Tom Fitzpatrick of Storage of America said the company has signed contracts worth $200,000 with local companies to prepare the building for occupancy. He said the work involves plumbing, heating and air conditioning and cleanup.
The council approved a five-year tax abatement for Ark Developments to build a new corporate office building at the Flagship Enterprise Center.
The company, owned by Joe Clark, is planning to invest $977,000 in the facility creating two jobs paying $18.03 per hour.