From the Clark County News and Tribune:
Essroc Cement Corp. in Speed has been in business for more than 160 years. The Clark County Commissioners would like to see them stay for many years to come.
The commissioners voted Thursday to authorize Commissioners President Jack Coffman to write a letter of support for the establishment of an economic revitalization area to encompass Essroc’s Southern Indiana operations. The vote was 2-0, with Commissioner Rick Stephenson absent from the meeting.
Essroc, which is headquartered in Nazareth, Pa., produces more than 6.5 million metric tons of cement annually. The company operates production facilities throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
The company is seeking to modernize its processes at its Speed plant by upgrading equipment to allow for the use of alternative fuels, which would replace a portion of the coal it currently uses. The total upgrades would cost $20 million, said County Attorney Jake Elder.
Additionally, it wants to send seven of its current employees through a 6,000-hour mechanical maintenance apprentice program over the next four years at a local technical college.
The company is seeking a five-year tax abatement for equipment and a 10-year abatement for its real property, said Kathleen Crowley, senior director of business retention and expansion with One Southern Indiana. Crowley said the plant would add nine new jobs and $350,000 in payroll.
“I’m certainly in favor of proceeding with this,” said Commissioner John Perkins.
Crowley declined to comment after the meeting, and referred questions to Matt Hall, 1si executive vice president. Hall said he supported the commissioners’ decision.
“I think if that’s the direction they want to go, I think that that’s the first step,” Hall said, “and I think communities that are progressive and want to support businesses, that’s what they do, so we would be in support of that.”
Coffman said he saw the potential deal as a chance to help the company to become a global industry leader.
Essroc is in the process of donating five acres to the county for wetland mitigation to assist with the runway expansion project at Clark Regional Airport.
http://www.newsandtribune.com/clarkcounty/x1186905100/Clark-County-Commissioners-open-to-tax-abatements-for-Essroc
