Web Industries looks to expand in Allen County, create 45 jobs
Web Industries, a global supplier of flexible material converting and end-product manufacturing services, announced plans today to expand its operations in Allen County creating up to 45 new jobs by 2019.
"As the home to more than 8,500 manufacturing establishments, Indiana workers are making products each day that can be found throughout the world,' said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger. "We are excited Web Industries made the decision to expand their operations here, taking advantage the state's central location, low cost of doing business and skilled workforce. We are confident the company will continue to find the resources they need to not only grow, but to thrive in Indiana for years to come."
The 100 percent employee-owned company, which formats materials that can be found in airplanes, juice boxes, extension cords and medical testing consumables, is investing more than $8 million to expand its current 110,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at 3925 Ardmore Ave. in Fort Wayne. Construction is currently underway to add an additional 50,000 square feet and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The new space will support multi-color printing and large format spooling assets, which are part of the company's converting and manufacturing processes. Over the last 10 years, the company's Fort Wayne location increased its gross sales by 16.5 percent and its employee headcount by 56 percent.
The company currently employs more than 500 employee-owners across seven manufacturing locations in Europe and the U.S., which includes the site in Ft. Wayne as well as U.S. sites in Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Connecticut and Vermont; as well as a site in Germany. In Indiana, Web Industries employs 75 employee-owners and the company plans to continue hiring for flexographic press and machine operators, supporting leaders and infrastructure professionals. Interested applicants may apply by emailing careers@webindustries.com.
“Indiana offers Web Industries many business and quality-of-life advantages,” said Mark Phil, president and chief operating officer of Web Industries. “The state's sound fiscal policies and infrastructure investments have created a strong pro-business environment. The Hoosier workforce is skilled, educated and passionate about building success. The state's central location and extensive transportation system allow us to easily support our expanding customer base. In short, we've found that Indiana has all of the advantages of the state's larger neighbors with few of the downsides, if any.”
Web Industries was founded in Boston in 1969 by Bob Fulton on $10,000 raised from family and friends. Today, the company processes a wide range of materials from composites to plastics, to nonwovens and specialty films that can be found in products around the world. The business serves a variety of industries, which includes advanced composites, health and hygiene, medical, industrial and wire and cable. In 2000, the company became 100 percent employee-owned, allowing its workforce to have a direct stake in the company's success.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) offered Web Industries Fort Wayne Inc up to $70,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company's job creation plans. These tax incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Fort Wayne will consider additional incentives at the request of the Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
“Fort Wayne continues to be a leader in job and business growth,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. “Companies like Web Industries are making a lasting and meaningful difference in our community and region. We appreciate Web Industries' commitment to expanding in Fort Wayne and being part of the momentum and investments we're experiencing as a point of destination city.”
Indiana is home to the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in the nation and is a national leader in manufacturing job growth. With the state's unemployment rate at 3.9 percent, which is below the national average and below all of Indiana's neighboring state, manufacturers like Web Industries help employ one in five Hoosiers at about 8,500 manufacturing facilities across the state.
