WIUM Local
(2008-08-22)
Gates Corporation added 25 jobs when it chose to add an industrial hose distribution center to its plant. As a result, the factory now employs more than 100 workers.
State and local leaders worked with the company to make it happen. Sal Garza of the state's "Opportunity Returns" program says it was not easy. He says the greatest obstacle was "the pre-existing perception that manufacturing is no longer a viable industry." Garza says they overcame that obstacle by demonstrating the quality of the local workforce and by providing incentives.
Garza says one incentive is a 100% credit against the state income tax that's leveraged against the salaries of the new workers. That's good for up to 10 years.
In addition, Gates received $12,500 from the Prairie Tech Learning Center to cover half the cost of training the new staff.
You can listen to interviews with Garza, Prairie Tech Learning Center Director Linda Lee Blaine, and State Representative Don Moffitt (R-Gilson) by clicking on the audio button.
Additional information:
*Moffitt hopes the announcement is the beginning of a new trend. He says the announcement shows that Gates Corporation thinks it can operate a profitable factory in the Midwest. Moffitt says other corporations should take a look at what Gates has done.
*The money to train the new workers came through the Prairie Tech Learning Center, which had received a $50,000 state grant to help local manufacturers offset training costs. The grant comes from the state's Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP).
*Other companies that have benefitted from ETIP grant money through Prairie Tech Learning Center include NTN Bower in Macomb, Methode in Carthage, Fusion Tech in Roseville, IMI MCR in Monmouth, The Alliance in Monmouth, Farmland Foods in Monmouth, Blick Corporation in Galesburg, and East Moline Metals in East Moline. © Copyright 2009, wium
