Creative Liquid Coatings expanding in Noble County
Expansions to create 64 jobs
Posted: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 6:32 am, Wed Nov 20, 2013.
By Dennis Nartker
dnartker@kpcmedia.com
KENDALLVILLE — Industrial and commercial expansions will create 64 new jobs in Kendallville.
The City Council Tuesday night approved tax abatements for Creative Liquid Coatings and its affiliated real estate entity, Creative Molding & Finishing LLC, and a tax abatement for R.W. Jenkins Automotive.
Creative Liquid Coatings occupies the former Budd Co. building at 2620 E. Marion Drive and the former Tower Automotive building at 221 S. Progress Drive. It is acquiring the vacant Johnson Controls Interior Manufacturing building at 300 S. Progress Drive. All the buildings are in the East Industrial Park.
The Johnson Controlls facility closed in August 2012 with 1 loss of 170 jobs.
Creative Molding & Finishing LLC was granted three years of abatement on $708,500 for the eligible vacant Johnson Controls building. The state allows a maximum three years for taking over an industrial building that had been vacant at least one year.
Creative Liquid Coatings Inc. was granted five years of abatement on new equipment with an assessed value of $3.2 million.
The company plans to move new molding and painting application equipment, molding machines and robotic painting robots into the Johnson Controls building, said general manager Stephen Geist. Creative Liquid Coatings also purchased equipment in the building from Johnson Controls. It is not included in the abatement.
The abatements will create 60 new jobs and retain Creative Liquid Coatings’ current 280-member workforce.
Creative Liquid Coatings will save a total of $150,788 in taxes over terms of the abatements.
The company coats products for the automotive, heavy truck and industrial equipment markets. Geist said business has picked up with the booming automotive industry. Operations in the Johnson Controls building should be up and running early next year.
The new jobs will pay an average of $15 to $16. “We’re always looking for people willing to work,” Geist said. Candidates for the jobs can apply at Leaders Staffing LLC, 100 W. Progress Drive.
Jenkins Automotive received three years of abatement on a $575,000 investment in a new building at 501 W. North St. Company officials broke ground on Nov. 7 for their 6,000-square-foot new NAPA Auto Parts Store. The company will move from its current NAPA store location at 960 Harlash St.
The new store will create four new jobs and retain five jobs, according to the company’s abatement application.
The location lies within a designated Economic Development Target Area, making it eligible for abatement.
