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

• Author: Mayer, Kathy
• Position: REGIONAL REPORT: SOUTHWEST

THE 13 SOUTHWEST counties in the toe of Indiana's boot are savoring expansions in manufacturing, power production and professional services. Recreation continues to grow, too, and the area is attracting new developments.

New manufacturers. Four newcomers headline the area's manufacturing news.

In Princeton, home to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana Inc., Japan-based Toyota Boshoku is joining the manufacturing mix. It's making a $57 million plant-and-equipment investment and will employ 230 making steel seat frames, says Todd Mosby, executive director, Gibson County Economic Development Corp.

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PartTec Ltd., an instrumentation company that will assemble neutron detectors under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy, has chosen Linton for its operations. It will employ eight, says Joan Bethell, executive director, Greene County Economic Development Corp.

Also in Greene County, Walnut Grove Spring Water Co. has begun bottling natural spring water that it sells to fine restaurants, gourmet retailers, wineries and to individuals from its website. The company employs six. The spring is one of only two certified natural springs in Indiana.

Tell City Boat Works is building a $5 million facility in Tell City and hiring 50 to build river-going vessels, says Carol Hagedorn, project manager for Perry County Development Corp. Its large-horsepower boats will be used to transport multiple barges on the river.

Plant expansions. OFS Brands, with nearly 1,500 employees, is spending $81 million to expand its national headquarters and manufacturing operations in Huntingburg and will add another 300 new jobs by 2012, says Nancy Eckerle, director of the Jasper Chamber of Commerce. The company makes office and conference room furniture.

She also reports that Jasper Seating has a new name: Jasper Group. The furniture-maker employs 500, supplying the office, school and hospitality markets. In January, it announced it would build a 15,000-square-foot showroom at its corporate campus in Jasper to showcase more than 50 collections.

The investment by ATTC Manufacturing in Tell City tops $50 million for construction and equipment. It's the company's fourth addition since opening in 2002. Currently employing 398, plans are to add another 90. The auto machining facility supplies brake drums, motors and differential cases to Toyota North America.

Ontario -headquartered Brampton Brick's $42.5 million facility in Farmersburg is nearly complete...