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

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

NEW AND EXPANDING life science and manufacturing companies, along with healthy tourism, are positives in south-central Indiana's five counties: Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Lawrence and Monroe.

Life sciences. Bloomington's cluster of life sciences companies is gaining a greater stronghold with expansions at three firms. The largest is the $80 million investment by Cook Pharmica LLC, the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing division of Cook Medical. It is adding 80,000 square feet to its facility, reports Ron Walker, president of Bloomington Economic Development Corp. Now employing 150, the company plans to hire about 200 more.

Another $16 million investment was announced by Predictive Physiology Medicine in October. The company plans to boost employment from 15 to 75 (see separate story).

BioConvergence LLC, a cold chain storage company doing research and development for the biopharmaceutical industry, is teaming up with Eli Lilly and Co. to provide global materials management services for Lilly's products. It's expanding its plant, which now employs about 25. "Long term, forecasted client demand for existing and new services will create 170 jobs and additional facility expansions," Walker says.

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In Seymour, "Schwarz Pharma is finalizing plans for investment and job growth for its 350-plus workforce after the pharmaceutical company was acquired by the UCB Group of Brussels, Belgium," says Jim Plump, executive director of Jackson County Industrial Development Corp.

New manufacturers. Two new manufacturing facilities opened in Bartholomew County, reports Jim Clouse, program manager for the City of Columbus.

California-based Big Train purchased an existing site in Columbus and is investing $5.8 million to equip it and expand it by 50,000 square feet. The company makes gourmet beverage mixes and employs 82.

TechTop LHP, a partnership between Columbus-based LHP Technologies and TechTop Industries Inc., a Chinese electric motor manufacturer, is investing $ 7.3 million to build and equip a 60,000-square-foot building in Woodside Northwest Industrial Park. TechTop will produce electric motors, pumps and generators. Plans are to employ 15 to 20 initially, and 62 by 2012 in its manufacturing, assembly, warehouse and distribution plant.

In Seymour, California-based Cereplast Inc. is investing $7.35 million to equip a 105,000-square-foot facility in the East Side Industrial Park, where it will make 500 million pounds of...