Winter 2003 Volume 12, Number 3
Davis Announces the Re-Creation of Brownstown Paper and Pulp Facilities
The state of Indiana is welcoming new paper and pulp mills, and Jackson County is welcoming the addition of 67 new jobs.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Davis today announced that Unicell Paper Mills Inc. will invest $34.2 million in a state-of-the-art pulp mill and a world-class tissue paper mill at 1220 W. Spring St. in Brownstown. The company will renovate the old Kieffer Paper and Pulp Mills, which have been idle since 2001, and create two new facilities. The project will create 67 new jobs by 2006.
'As Unicell revamps two Brownstown mills, the company is simultaneously ensuring that residents will have new job opportunities and access to quality paper and pulp products,' said Davis, who leads the state's economic development efforts as director of Commerce. 'We are encouraged by Unicell's investment in Jackson County and the state of Indiana."
The Brownstown paper mill was originally built in 1899 and currently has two machines with the capacity to make 80 tons of Kraft specialty paper a day. The new facilities will be equipped to produce a daily total of more than 120 tons of high-grade pulp, and more than 30,000 tons of high-quality tissue products including facial tissue, napkins and kitchen towels. The company expects to have the plants in full operation by the first quarter of 2005.
To secure the company's location in Brownstown, the Indiana Department of Commerce worked closely with the company, offering an aggressive incentive package. Commerce offered the company $700,000 in Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credits, $50,000 from its Skills Enhancement Fund and up to $50,000 from its Technology Enhancement Certification for Hoosiers fund.
In addition, the State has offered infrastructure assistance through Commerce's Industrial Development Grant fund, as well as support through the Hoosier Business Investment tax credit program. The company may also qualify for a $1 million zero-interest loan from the Commerce Energy & Recycling Office's Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund.
'This is an important projects for the state of Indiana and for the community of Brownstown," said Tim Monger, executive director of Commerce. "Unicell is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of paper and pulp products, and we are happy to provide this assistance as a way to help the company ensure a successful future in Jackson County.'
Commerce awards Skills Enhancement Fund grants to Indiana companies that undertake capital investment projects. The grants help defray the costs of training new and current employees in transferable and company-specific skills necessary to support these projects. The Technology Enhancement Certification for Hoosiers fund helps companies train existing information technology professionals. Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credits are based on payroll and are awarded to companies that may otherwise locate in another state or country. The Industrial Development Grant fund pro-vides assistance to local units of government for off-site infrastructure projects in support of new business development.
Companies interested in learning more about these or other Commerce programs should contact their regional Commerce office at 800-280-0584, or access its Web site at www.indianacommerce.com