Central Indiana update: the region's top business stories.

AuthorMayer, Kathy
PositionREGIONAL REPORT CENTRAL

DISTRIBUTION, MANUFACTURING, entertainment and professional services are all bringing growth to the eight-county central Indiana area.

Distribution central. New and expanding distribution centers top the news in Boone, Hendricks, Shelby and Marion counties.

Billed as "the world's largest automated pharmacy," Medco Health Solutions chose Anson, the mixed-use development in Boone County, for its $145 million prescription drug fulfillment center. The 340,000-square-foot facility is expected to create 1,300 jobs. "They are one of the nation's leading pharmacy benefit managers," says Tina Staley, coordinator of administrative and research services at Boone County Economic Development Corp. "When the facility is open and running at full potential, they will fill one million prescriptions a week."

Other new businesses in the area include Subaru Parts Distribution Center in Whitestown, which employs 31 managing auto parts shipping, and Temco Machinery Inc., which breaks ground this spring for a sales, maintenance and warehouse facility that will employ 22. Temco makes snow removal equipment, street sweepers and other equipment for cities and airports.

Cinda Kelley, executive director of Hendricks County Economic Development Partnership, sees continued growth of distribution centers. Whirlpool Corp.'s 805,000-square-foot parts center in Plainfield, owned and operated by Ryder and employing 419, is getting a $9.4 million investment and 150 new employees in 2008

In Shelbyville, Ohio-headquartered Seneca Medical Inc. is spending $3 million on an 85,000-square-foot expansion that will more than double its size; it distributes medical supplies and equipment to healthcare facilities. Its workforce of 40 will increase by about 25, says Dan Theobald, executive director of Shelby County Development Corp.

Distribution expansions also include Hachette Book Group in Lebanon, which spent $12 million on a 300,000-square-foot addition and boosted employment by 38 to 280.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Technology product distributor Defender Direct in Indianapolis is adding 300 jobs to its current 230. "It's a great story," says Jeb Conrad, director of Indianapolis Economic Development. "It's one of those started-in-the-living-room entrepreneurial stories."

Manufacturing news. Franklin is the site for the first U.S. operations of a joint venture between Toyota Industries Corp. and Nishina Industrial Co. Ltd., known as Indiana Hydraulic Equipment Corp., says Cheryl Morphew...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT