Wanda English Burnett, Editor

It was an exciting day for Ripley County when Mark McIntyre stepped to the podium and said, “This is a momentous occasion for a small company.” He is the vice-president of Belletech, the first company to locate in the Versailles Industrial Park. They will supply automotive glass assemblies (windshields) to Honda of Greensburg, which is located on a 1,700 acre site along Interstate 74. The new Civic production center is expected to employee 2,000 associates.

The official announcement came Tuesday afternoon, September 9 with Governor Mitch Daniels and other officials also in attendance. The Governor noted that this is the third Honda supplier to come to Indiana and said the other two are both doing well. They are located in New Castle and Winchester.
The Governor said the new facility means “new life, hope, and growth” for the area and is “proof we can still win small town Indiana.”

Belletech will invest more than $4 million to build and equip a 40,000 square foot plant on 13 acres at Versailles. McIntyre noted that they will begin the hiring process in March or April of next year with the wage exceeding the areas’ average wage and benefit package. Initially, around 45 to 50 jobs will be filled with potential growth (depending on the economy) of employing near 100 associates.

McIntyre was quick to thank the people of Ripley County and the state, saying “everyone was great to work with. He noted that after being introduced to two “incredibly special people” Barry Lauber and DeeDee Benkie, the company changed their focus and made the decision to locate in Versailles. Of Benkie, he noted, “Through her efforts, professionalism and perserverance, we changed our focus.” He praised the Governor, saying, “It’s people like him who have the vision to realize people make up companies.”

Ripley County Commissioner Robert Reiners welcomed Belletech and pledged the county’s support to them. He also thanked the City of Lawrenceburg for their generous grant monies to make the industrial park a reality and helping to bring this company to the area. “They are great neighbors,” he noted. He further said that words cannot express how grateful the county is. He noted that Lauber and Benkie “spent endless hours and weeks on the project.” The Lawrenceburg Economic Development Fund will provide Belletech with a grant of up to $630,000. This fund is managed by the City of Lawrenceburg and funded by entrance tax revenue from the Argosy Casino. In the past three years this fund has provided more than $17 million in grants to economic development projects throughout the region.

Mayor of Lawrenceburg Bill Cunningham, spoke at the event saying it shows what a strong Democrat mayor can do when working together with a strong Republican governor. He said Lawrenceburg was fortunate to have the riverboat gaming and noted that they “hope to help you (Ripley County) again in the future.” He further noted that the casino is expanding, offering even more job growth to the area. “It is our hope that with investments such as those we have made in Honda, Cummins and others that Indiana will maintain and improve its reputation as a Midwestern economic powerhouse.”

Belletech, a joint venture between AGC Flat Glass North America, Inc., PPG Securities Industries, Inc., and AGC-Takahashi Co. Ltd., is set to begin construction yet this year, hoping to complete the facility in the spring.

Several incentives were offered to the company to locate in Indiana with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation offering up to $770,000 in performance-based tax credits, along with $36,000 in training grants, which is based on the company’s job creation plans. Ripley County will also receive a grant from the state of up to $120,000 to offset the cost of infrastructure improvements. A press release noted that the county will provide Belletech with property tax abatements requested by the Ripley County Economic Development Corporation.

Governor Daniels noted that Indiana has consistently been first among states in the midwest, economically speaking. He answered a question as to why that was by saying the state is “friendly to businesses, hospitable, has a regulatory approach keeping taxes and utilities down.” He noted that “we (state) still have so far to go.”

McIntyre thanked the Governor and the State of Indiana for their generosity. He introduced seven Belletech employees, saying they would be a key part of the management team helping get the Versailles plant going.

On short notice there were over 100 people attending the official announcement with businesses along US 421 welcoming the new company and the Governor for the special day.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTOS ABOVE: Pictured from left, Governor Mitch Daniels spoke with officials from Belletech, Tom Abrahamson, senior manager of production, Chuck Folz, Ripley County Commissioner and Teresa Cummins, senior manager, sales and production control, before the official announcement of Belletech coming to Versailles was made by Vice President Mark McIntyre, pictured at the podium below. The announcement was made at the Versailles Industrial Park just south of town where the company that supplies windshields for Honda, will be locating.