Business Facilities - April 2008 - (Page 17)

Wind Tower Producer Chooses Columbus thanol may be big business in Nebraska, but it hasn’t prevented the state from embracing other popular forms of alternative energy. In the case of KATANA Summit, LLC, a partnership of Sumitomo Corporation of Tokyo and KATANA Industries, Inc. of Ephrata, WA, Nebraska will become part of the wind power boom by producing the giant towers upon which wind turbines sit. KATANA announced last year that it will manufacture wind towers in Columbus, NE. The project will utilize 75 acres and more than 250,000 square feet of building space. E “This area is geographically correct for manufacturing and distributing the tubular windmill towers we’ll be producing, and the business climate here in this town is just phenomenal for us,” says Darrell Lehmann, president and CEO of KATANA Summit LLC. The company purchased the Columbus Spec Building, Reliance Building, and 46 acres from Loup Power District in the Columbus East Industrial Park for its operations in Columbus. Plans call for manufacturing to begin in June of this year, eventually employing 100 to 120 workers at full production. Baldwin Filters of Kearney, NE I HOMEGROWN MANUFACTURER EXPANDS n February, Baldwin Filters announced plans to expand its Kearney, NE plant, which also serves as its global headquarters. The company, which produces filters for heavy-duty machinery and vehicles, expects the expansion to cost $20 million and add over 300,000 square feet of additional warehouse and distribution space. Baldwin estimates that it will add 50 new employees (for a total of about 900) over the next five years in conjunction with the expansion. “Baldwin has been exploring this project for several years and we plan to start construction within the next 12 months,” says Sam Ferrise, president of the company. Baldwin was started by J.A. Baldwin in Kearney in 1936, and has been part of the CLARCOR manufacturing group since 1981. CALL CENTERS STILL STRONG IN NEBRASKA esides energy, Bthe callagriculture,costs, lowand manufacturing, center industry is well established in Nebraska. Low labor employee turnover, and a speaking accent perceived as neutral by most Americans have all contributed to the industry’s success in the state. Among the Nebraska call centers established in 2007 and 2008 thus far are Apogee Retail and Custom Response Technologies (CRT). Apogee Retail chose Columbus, NE for a new call center in February 2008. The company, which operates thrift stores on behalf of charitable organizations, chose Columbus from among 120 communities under consideration. The 35,000-square-foot, SPECULATIVE BUILDING $3.6 million call center will open in • Abundant Electrical Power at Low Costs June, employing 250 to 300 people at • Sixty-Five Home Grown Manufacturers $10 per hour and up. CRT, headquartered in Omaha, • Four Fortune 500 Manufacturers opened its doors in Lexington, NE in • Well Educated Workforce with outstanding Work Ethic October. The company has occupied • Hastings College – 4 year Liberal 7,500 square feet of the Lexington BusiArts College ness Center, where it will hire up to • Central Community College – 2 year Community College 75 people to answer and make calls on behalf of insurance companies. Hastings, Nebraska Building specs: 97,500 sq.ft. • 300' X 325' 26' Sidewall • 6-22 Acres available PHOTO CREDIT: BUFFALO COUNTY EDC Hastings Economic Development Corporation P.O. Box 1104 • 301 So. Burlington Ave. Hastings, Nebraska 68901 dhaussler@hastingsedc.com www.hastingsedc.com • 402-461-8406 #3507 at www.BusinessFacilities.com BUSINESS FACILITIES 17 http://www.hastingsedc.com http://www.hastingsedc.com http://www.BusinessFacilities.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - April 2008

Business Facilities - April 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves: Ohio Businesses On the Move Corporate Moves: Nebraska If You Build It, They Will Come A Tale of Two Industries Economic Transformation In the Islands Diversity: A New York State of Mind Growing in the Sun Key Kansas Industries Get a Boost How To Choose the Right Commercial Real Estate Broker Missouri Downtowns Dare to Dream Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - April 2008

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