Aluminum facility planned in Allen County
By Sherry Slater | The Journal Gazette
A startup aluminum anodizing company plans to invest $6.9 million and create 48 jobs by the end of 2021, Greater Fort Wayne Inc. announced Wednesday.
Northern Indiana Anodize will build a 47,000-square-foot facility at 13026 Bluffton Road, where it will serve the automotive, construction, boating and industrial industries.
Construction is scheduled to begin in August and be completed next March.
The anodizing process involves dipping aluminum parts into chemical baths to strengthen the metal and help it resist corrosion. The operation will be able to treat parts up to 30 feet long.
Northern Indiana Anodize will be outfitted with 32-foot-deep tanks.
Bruce Fogler, the company's chief financial officer, said some customers are choosing aluminum instead of other metals because it is lightweight.
For example, automakers are using more aluminum to reduce the weight of vehicles and, in turn, improve gas mileage.
“We know there's a high demand for anodizing providers and a shortage of large-tank anodizing facilities, so we're starting this company to provide high-quality services in a growing industry,” he said in a statement.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. has offered the company up to $250,000 in tax credits based on its hiring plans. Northern Indiana Anodize is also eligible for incentives related to its real estate and equipment investments.
Northeast Indiana Works will provide hiring and training assistance.
Allen County Commissioner Nelson Peters in a statement called the new employer “a perfect fit” with increasing commercial growth on Bluffton Road.
