Six exciting things happening right now in Hancock County, Indiana

It’s an exciting time to be in Hancock County, the eastern door to Indianapolis.

BeijingWest Industries, Co. Ltd. (BWI), a premier chassis supplier that designs and manufactures brake and suspension systems for the global automotive market, announced plans to locate its first U.S. production facility in Greenfield, creating up to 441 new, high-wage jobs by 2021.

We’re proud to be one of two Indiana counties that’s achieved the “Indiana Healthy Community” designation from the Wellness Council of Indiana.

Our HEDC board president, Steve Long, is president and CEO of Hancock Regional Hospital and shares that not only is Hancock County the 3rd fastest growing county in Indiana, it’s also the state’s 6th healthiest county. At a luncheon earlier this month, several area businesses were honored for “AchieveWELL Business Recognition” including the City of Greenfield, Covance, Greenfield Banking Company, the Greenfield Daily Reporter, Hancock County Public Library, Hancock Physicians Network and Hancock Regional Hospital, Inskeep Ford and NineStar Connect. Midwest Mole and Tsuda are close to reaching the designation and Dellen, Greenfield-Central School Corporation, Keihin, Modernfold and the Town of Cumberland are working on theirs. We look forward to sharing more great things that are happening as Hancock County works to be #healthy365.

Another opportunity in Hancock County relates to our utility rates, and we’re proud of our relationships with providers like the Indiana Municipal Power Agency and Duke Energy.

A new economic development incentive from IMPA for existing and prospective customers offers a percentage discount on wholesale power rates for up to five years.

Businesses seeking to utilize IMPA’s new economic development incentive must meet certain criteria, including adding a minimum of 1 megawatt at one premises and Investing at least $1 million at that premises.

Duke Energy Indiana’s improved Economic Development Incentive can save companies as much as 10 to 30 percent per year for five years on their electric bill when they meet certain criteria: adding a minimum of 500 kilowatts at one premise, with at least a 35 percent load factor, adding a minimum of 10 full-time employees or make a capital investment of at least $1 million at one premise and receiving significant state and/or local economic development incentives.

The company  says the Economic Development Incentive is even more flexible in a brownfield redevelopment area as it can be used for any industry and does not require state or local incentives to qualify.

An, on the technology front, NineStar Connect, a company based in Greenfield, has expanded fiber optic service in 10 Indiana counties, including Hancock County. Increased availability of broadband benefits both Hancock County businesses and residents.

This month, INDOT began working on a multi-million dollar project to improve bridges on I-70 between Hancock and Henry Counties.

There are some really great things happening in Hancock County right now and we’d love to talk with you about them.

Hancock Economic Development Council is accustomed and ready to work with any size project. We will assist any new or existing business wishing to grow in Hancock County. We are your “one-stop shop” for any assistance.

Our services include confidential site location assistance, Cost of doing business analysis and economic impact modeling, and we serve as a liaison between local government and business community

Let us put our resources to work for you. Call us at 317.477.7241 or e-mail executive director Nolan “Skip” Kuker today.