Autocam Medical leaves option open for longterm expansion in Warsaw
This post was provided by News Now Warsaw
By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — You don’t construct a $70 million manufacturing facility in another state without a sense of confidence, and Autocam Medical — the Grand Rapids, Mich., company that announced plans to do so in the Warsaw Tech Park — is feeling pretty good about its future in Kosciusko County.
That was apparent Monday as the city redevelopment commission took a few more steps to secure the initial deal and then talked at length about the orthopedic company’s long-term desire to potentially expand further.
Autocam officials have said they are impressed with the local workforce connected to Warsaw’s orthopedic industry.
Autocam originally wanted to acquire 30 acres of land in the park, but the city opted to provide 15 acres — enough to accommodate a 100,000 square foot building designed for some 300 workers.
On Monday, the city began working on an agreement to provide the company with an option to acquire another 18 acres next to its future plant on the southwest corner of the tech park along US.
Jeremy Skinner, the city’s director of community and economic development, explained the city’s rationale in not offering 30 acres in earlier talks.
“Autocam would have taken all 30 acres, but unfortunately for them, I’m not a developer. I’m a job creator,” Skinner said.
The city would not be interested in selling off part of the park that wouldn’t have any quick return and because it would lose control of the land, which could then lead to unforeseen uses that don’t fall within he parameters of a tech park.
Under the right to first refulsal agreement, a third party can still seek to buy the land, but Autocam would have a chance to match any offer as long as they agree to certain metrics, including job creation figures with the city.
The option would be available for as long as 2040, under the terms discussed Monday.
That led to the hypothetical discussion about a potential bidding war over the adjacent property, and Skinner said later that some companies might be interested in that specific land because it sits along US 30, which is appealing to some companies.
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