MUNCIE, IN - Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from international gear maker Brevini today to announce the company's plans to locate its U.S. headquarters and first North American gear design and manufacturing center in Delaware County, creating more than 450 new jobs by 2011.
The Italian company, which specializes in designing and manufacturing planetary gear drive applications for a variety of heavy equipment, utility, mining and marine applications, will locate its North American headquarters and design center in an existing 60,000 square-foot facility in the Muncie Delaware County Park One Industrial Park.
The company will construct an additional 150,000 square-foot manufacturing space at the site in 2010 to manufacture planetary gear boxes for wind turbine energy generation and other low-speed, high-torque applications. Capital investment is projected to be $62.5 million with an annual payroll of $20.9 million when all the jobs (average pay - $46,000) are in place.
| |
"Indiana intends to be a green power leader, not only in producing energy but in making the equipment that produces energy, including wind turbines, electric car batteries and other tools of this energy revolution," said Daniels. "Brevini could have chosen to locate anyplace in the country but selected Indiana and that's a reflection of our leadership in alternative energy and our excellent business climate."
The company, which currently designs and manufactures its planetary gear boxes in Germany, Italy and China, will begin hiring engineers, accountants, customer service staff and assembly technicians in 2009 following the relocation of its existing U.S. headquarters from suburban Chicago.
|
"Brevini is a world leader in both innovative design and quality planetary gear box and power transmission applications," said Renato Brevini, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brevini. "This combination requires significant investment in the best facilities, equipment and people. Our Indiana facility will enable us to design and build the best quality gear boxes in the world."
The company's move to Indiana marks the first U.S. based manufacturing operation for the Italian company. The facility will serve as a hub for developing and manufacturing wind turbine planetary gear boxes used in wind farms across the country. The gear boxes, which transform kinetic wind energy into mechanical energy for electricity generation, are a critical component in furthering wind power generation in the United States, Brevini said.
"This is a great opportunity for Delaware County and East Central Indiana to diversify its workforce and economic base. Brevini is the type of company that will be a tremendous asset to the entire community as well as an economic stimulus for the potential of suppliers and other companies to locate in this area and continue our growth," said John Brooke, President of the Delaware County Commissioners.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Brevini up to $3.9 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $300,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. The Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance-Vision 2011 will support Delaware County providing the company with the 20-acre site for the new facility, property tax abatement and extending rail service to the site with the assistance of a state grant.
"Today is a magnificent day for the City of Muncie and Delaware County. More than 450 families in the greater Muncie community will be positively impacted by Brevini's decision to relocate its headquarters and ultimately build a manufacturing facility in the Muncie Delaware County Park One Industrial Park," said Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley. She added that the trickle down economic effect will be significant to the local economy. "The City of Muncie is thrilled with this decision and we so appreciate Brevini's vote of confidence in our community. We look forward to partnering with them as they advance their company." said the Mayor.
"The Brevini announcement represents the single largest industrial project in terms of new jobs in the history of Delaware County," said Rich Clasby, Vice Chairman for Economic Development for the Vision 2011 Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance and Chamber of Commerce. "Today's announcement continues a series of great news. Brevini is the third major international company to come to Delaware County in recent years. Magna (MPT-Muncie) and Miasa, along with two Fortune 500 companies, IBM and Sallie Mae, are creating over 2,200 jobs and investing over $157 million," noted Clasby. "These coupled with many existing business expansions that are creating hundreds of news jobs continue to show the world that Muncie-Delaware County is a great place to do business," added Clasby.
Brevini plans to construct its new manufacturing facility to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and employ technology that will power a portion of the facility with electricity generated from gear box testing.
The U.S. is now the world leader in wind electricity generation, according to the American Wind Energy Association. The trade association expects more than 7,500 megawatts of new wind capacity to be added in 2008, expanding America's wind energy fleet by 45 percent. One megawatt of wind capacity is enough to supply 240 to 300 average American homes.
Every 1,000 megawatts of wind power developed create a potential for 3,000 new jobs in manufacturing, 700 new jobs in installation, and 600 new jobs in operations and maintenance, according to an analysis by the Renewable Energy Policy Project.
Technorati Tags: 
