North-central Indiana update: the region's top business stories.

• Author: Mayer, Kathy
• Position: REGIONAL REPORT NORTH CENTRAL

INDIANA'S TRADITIONAL strengths in manufacturing and agribusiness continue growing in north-central Indiana even as communities build new business and technology parks and land high-tech prizes.

Manufacturing strong.

Lafayette had several headlines in manufacturing, reports Cinda Kelley, acting executive director of the Lafayette-West Lafayette Economic Development Corp.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., with 2,400-employees, is investing $300 million over three years in equipment at its auto plant. Caterpillar's new engine platform is rolling off the line yet this year at its plant employing 1,400. Wabash National weighs in with $30 million in upgrades, and its almost 4,000 employees are set to produce 60,000 truck trailers this year.

Others surging: Alcoa/Lafayette Operations, which is boosting employment by 25 to 975 at its extruded aluminum plant, and Lafayette Venetian Blind Inc., which finished a $1.7 million expansion at its custom window covering plant employing 800.

In Monticello, Jordan Manufacturing spent nearly $1 million to ready its lawn-furniture plant to make its own foam cushions, and Adkev Inc. purchased the closed Landis Plastics plant, reports Valerie Hunter, executive director of the White County Industrial Foundation. The plant will employ a minimum of 24, making auto rearview mirrors and consoles.

Two industries quickly took over plants that others shut down, says Gina Sheets, director of economic development at the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce. TriMas Fasteners Inc., employing 275, added a second location as its Lake Erie Products headquarters. It makes large bolt fasteners for household and industrial equipment.

The newly formed Frankfort Tech Group has purchased the former Sonoco Crellin site and now has 30 on the job as new plastic-injection-molding equipment comes in and the plant is renovated. It expects to employ 100 when production is at full capacity.

In Tipton, Bottcher America, employing 60, has completed the first of a three-phase expansion. It re-manufactures rollers from high-speed printing presses, says Debbie Gillam, assistant executive director at the Economic Development Corp. of Tipton County. And DC Coaters Inc., which provides electro-deposition painting to the auto industry, spent $600,000 to double its facility to 40,000 square feet and plans to double employment to about 70.

Alfe, in Wabash, added 8,000 square feet to its heat-treating plant, installing $1.2 million in new equipment...