Area firms among JOBZ successes; agreements done in New Ulm

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Firms in New Ulm, St. James, St. Peter, Mountain Lake, Le Sueur and Olivia are among 60 start-up companies, expanding or relocating businesses that have signed business subsidy agreements (BSAs) with Minnesota's JOBZ (Job Opportunity Building Zone) program since Jan. 1, 2004.

New Ulm Precision Tool completed a BSA July 12, 2004 for a $375,000 expansion project. It will add two new jobs paying $10.50 per hour and retain 20 manufacturing jobs.

Two other New Ulm firms, Windings, Inc. and Beacon Promotions, Inc., have applied for JOBZ business subsidies. Hearings for both companies will be held at the Aug. 17 New Ulm City Council meeting. Hearings begin at 7 p.m.

The Windings proposal includes an 8,500 square foot addition that would create a job paying $10.50 per hour. The firm has already hired 13 additional employees since Jan. 1, 2004 and employs 85 people.

The Beacon Promotions agreement includes a $600,000 capital investment for a 15,000 square foot addition that would create four jobs paying $10.50 per hour plus benefits. The company now employs 50 people.

Earlier this year, BSAs in the JOBZ program were completed with Exceed Packaging in St. Peter, Performance Plating in St. James, Beaver Creek Transport in Olivia, SBZ, Inc. in Mountain Lake, and Control Products in Le Sueur.

Exceed Packaging in St. Peter will invest $1.1 million to expand its medical and specialty packaging business into the former Onan Manufacturing building. Twenty-four new jobs that pay $11 per hour will be created.

Control Products in Le Sueur, which assembles electronic circuit boards, plans to expand from Chanhassen into the former ADC Telecommunications building. The move would bring 45 jobs that pay $14.50 per hour.

SBZ, Inc, which manufactures custom closets and cabinets, plans a $75,000 expansion that would create 15 new jobs that pay $8.50 per hour.

Performance Plating in St. James, which makes metal plates, plans a $500,000 expansion that would create 18 jobs that pay $9.50 per hour. A dozen jobs would be retained.

Beaver Creek Transport of Olivia, an agricultural trucking firm, plans to relocate to Troy Township, near Olivia. The move would create two new jobs that pay $10 per hour and retain four jobs.

Omega Nutrition of Fairmont, plans to expand its animal feed nutrition manufacturing to create four new jobs paying $12.02 per hour.

For more JOBZ information, visit www.deed.state.mn.us and click on the JOBZ logo.

Fritz Busch can be reached at fbusch@nujournal.com.