Inviting IT companies.

• Author: Mayer, Kathy
• Position: East-Central Indiana update: the region's top business stories. - Brief Article

Inviting IT companies. Utilizing the Indiana General Assembly's recent tax-abatement program for counties along the 1-69 corridor and the new Heartland Crossings Business Center in Daleville, Delaware County hopes to attract information-technology companies.

"That may give us an advantage,' suggests Terry Murphy, vice president of economic development for the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. The tax-abatement program covers investments related to logistics and information-technology operations.

Once an outlet mall, the 52-acre Heartland property includes a 250,000 square-foot building now being redeveloped as office space. Additional construction is also possible.

Three Muncie plants are growing. Smurfit Stone Container Corp., now employing 114, and Allied Enterprises Inc., with 30 employees, both invested about $700,000 each on new equipment and added...