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

AuthorMayer, Kathy
PositionREGIONAL REPORT: NORTHEAST

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

HEALTHCARE CAPITAL investments, a few new manufacturers and expansions at other industries are among the bright spots in northeast Indiana, where many are facing challenges from a tightened economy

Two new hospitals. The region's largest investment is by Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, which broke ground in October for its 900,000-square-foot Parkview Regional Medical Center. The 115-acre site is south of its existing Parkview North Hospital near Interstate 69 and Dupont Road.

The seven-story hospital will have more than 400 beds, all in private rooms. From 800 to 900 construction workers will be on the job throughout the project. Completion is slated for December 2011. The $536 million investment also includes the already opened outpatient services center, a cancer center and the Women's and Children's Hospital.

In Whitley County, another October groundbreaking occurred, this one at a 42-acre site where the $40.5 million Parkview Whitley Hospital is going up at U.S. 30 and State Road 205 in Columbia City The 96,000-square-foot facility, planned to open in March 2011, will house 30 beds in private rooms.

Big investments. Bluffton brought in major money, reports Mike Row, economic development director of Bluffton-Wells County Economic Development.

Indiana Bio-energy LLC made its "first grind" at its $177 million ethanol plant in September; it employs 70. Startup Alexin LLC, an aluminum extrusion company launched by a group of local entrepreneurs who invested $58 million to build their facility, also began operations in October. It employs 51. Peyton's Northern, a Kroger distribution center employing 1,234, is spending $77 million to expand.

Another major investment in the region is $16 million in improvements at Fort Wayne's SIRVA Inc. The moving company operates Allied Van Lines and north American Van Lines. Now employing 450 at its 288,000-square-foot regional business support center in Fort Wayne, SIRVA is centralizing its Illinois operations there. Plans are to add another 240 workers by 2011.

In Ligonier, Millennium Industries is spending $10 million to add 30,000 square feet to its facility and increase production and warehouse capacity, reports Rick Sherck, executive director of the Noble County Economic Development Corp. The company makes fuel rails, which deliver fuel to a vehicle's engine, and power steering parts for the automotive industry. Ford Motor Co. is its largest customer. Currently employing 250...

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