Posted on September 15, 2020
Hill’s Pet Nutrition and sister companies Midwestern Metals and Custom Dredge Works will soon be expanding their operations in Shawnee County.
The board of Topeka and Shawnee County’s Joint Economic Development Organization voted unanimously Wednesday to approve incentive contracts between those companies and GO Topeka, the economic arm of the Greater Topeka Partnership.
The contracts are expected to result in multimillion-dollar investments in the area, as the companies expand their operational capacities and look to create a combined 50 new full-time jobs.
According to its agreement with GO Topeka, Hill’s Pet Nutrition is expected to make a capital investment of $31.4 million during its expansion, in the process creating 33 new full-time jobs with an average salary of $56,000 plus benefits.
“Our $31 million investment consists of an onsite wastewater treatment facility, followed by a new diet-making system,” said Corey Murrey, plant director for Hill’s. “In order to support this new equipment, we will hire an additional 33 employees that we will bring on board with an extensive training program.”
That investment is expected to result in a total economic impact of $495 million over the next 10 years, according to numbers provided by the GTP.
Through JEDO, GO Topeka plans to provide a performance-based incentive to Hill’s of up to $341,000.
“Hill’s Pet Nutrition has long been a key contributor to the economic growth of the entire region,” said Molly Howey, president of GO Topeka. “Not only will this expansion allow for more specialized positions and new growth for the organization, it will also propel Topeka and Shawnee County’s reputation as a major contributor to the animal health field, as well as a leader in the Animal Health Corridor.”
According to the GO Topeka agreement with Midwestern Metals and Custom Dredge Works, those companies plan to make a capital investment of $3.5 million during the course of their expansion, creating 17 new full-time jobs in the process.
“Our expansion includes the development of five new buildings,” said Levi Brecheisen, project manager for Custom Dredge Works. “These will house a sand-blasting and paint department, as well as a dredge assembly department. With this project, we hope to see an increase in employment, production and quality and safety.”
GO Topeka estimates the economic impact of their capital investment will total $69 million over the next 10 years, and the organization plans to provide a performance-based incentive to the companies of up to $96,000.
“Midwestern Metals/Custom Dredge Works has a unique history that only lends itself to the prestige of our business community: 40 years in metal fabrications and 20 years in dredge design and production,” said Mayor Michelle De La Isla. “Work like theirs hasn’t gone unnoticed, and their continued economic impact on our community through this expansion will not be overlooked.”
Also at Wednesday’s JEDO meeting, board members voted unanimously to amend the Choose Topeka program, which was created late last year to help local employers attract talent and incentivize people to make the move to the capital city.
The JEDO board voted to allow a portion of the funds previously allocated for the program to be used by GO Topeka to bring remote workers to the area, not just those who relocate to work for an employer in Shawnee County.
“We developed the relocation initiative initially before any of us knew this pandemic was going to happen,” said Barbara Stapleton, the GTP’s vice president of business retention and talent initiatives. “We really want to be able to adapt and make the changes that are needed.”
Stapleton said the GTP learned soon after the launch of the Choose Topeka program that many potential candidates who could complete their work remotely were interested in moving to Topeka, but the Choose Topeka program wasn’t originally designed to accommodate those individuals.
“The pandemic has reshaped the way we perform professionally, with remote work becoming the new normal for many,” Stapleton said. “It was imperative that a remote option for the relocation initiative come into play.”
Thus, the Choose Topeka Relocation Initiative — the GTP’s name for the remote worker portion of the incentive program — was born.
Based on a remote worker’s verified salary, a potential candidate could receive up to $10,000 for a home purchase or up to $5,000 toward a minimum one-year lease after moving to the area.
The remote worker initiative requires a minimum three-month waiting period before a candidate could receive those incentive funds. During that time, GO Topeka would require documentation to verify proof of residency and remote employment. Only one relocation incentive would be offered per household.
“To those remote workers looking at this program with interest,” De La Isla said, “let me be the first to say we’re happy to welcome you to our vibrant, growing community, and we’re excited to provide you with the resources to help you start your best life here in Topeka.”
Source: cjonline
