Two of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.’s top economic development deals of 2019 were located in southeastern Wisconsin.
The two projects, one in Racine County and the other in Kenosha County, total $116 million in estimated investment and are expected to create a combined 165 new jobs.
WEDC on Friday released a list of the 14 biggest deals it was involved in for the year. Coming in at No. 5 was the sterile injectable drug manufacturing facility to be built in Pleasant Prairie by Nexus Pharmaceuticals Inc. The $67 million facility is receiving $1.5 million in tax credits from WEDC.
The Illinois-based drug maker announced in July it plans to pursue a $250 million, multi-phase project to be developed within 10 years. It will begin with a 100,000-square-foot, three-story production operation, construction of which is slated to finish by 2021. This first development phase will create 77 new jobs.
At No. 7 on WEDC’s list is a $49 million conversion of an existing building into a full-service box plant in Mount Pleasant. The project is being undertaken by Badger Solutions LLC, an affiliate of Illinois-based ND Paper Inc. The project, which is receiving $600,000 in tax credits from WEDC, is expected to create 88 new jobs.
Badger Solutions acquired the 350,300-square-foot building for $15.5 million in October.
ND Paper has two projects on WEDC’s list of top deals. Its $189 million expansion of a paper mill in Biron, which is receiving $1.7 million in tax credits, was the largest deal in 2019 in terms of total project cost. The project is expected to create 27 new positions, and also ensured that 342 jobs were retained in the state, according to WEDC.
The following projects complete the list of the top 14 WEDC deals:
- Nouryon Pulp and Performance Chemicals LLC is building a $99 million manufacturing facility in Howard, which is receiving $850,000 in tax credits.
- Catalent Pharma Solutions LLC is receiving $1.3 million in tax credits for a $74 million expansion of its facility in Madison.
- Matalco Wisconsin LLC is constructing a $70 million facility in Wisconsin Rapids, and is receiving $1.5 million in tax credits.
- Sub-Zero Group Inc. is building a new research and development facility in Fitchburg, a $70 million project that’s receiving $1 million in tax credits.
- Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing US Inc. is building a $41 million new lab facility and administrative space in Madison, and is receiving $400,00 in tax credits.
- Salm Partners LLC is receiving $800,000 in tax credits for a $38 million expansion project in the village of Denmark.
- The city of Stevens Point is receiving a $250,000 grant for a new $31 million mixed-use housing and commercial development project.
- American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. Inc. has a $25 million project receiving $950,000 in tax credits that includes the construction of a new shared service center in Beloit.
- Deere & Co. is receiving $250,000 in tax credits for a $24 million expansion project in Horicon.
- Faith Technologies Inc.’s $20 million manufacturing facility expansion in Little Chute is receiving $800,000 in tax credits.
- Menard Inc. is receiving $500,000 in tax credits for a $19 million expansion project in Eau Claire.
WEDC also originally included on its list a $47 million new manufacturing facility being built in Caledonia by Italian probiotics company CSL Centro Sperimentale del Latte USA Inc. The project, which is to receive $350,000 in tax credits, was later removed from the list. WEDC spokesman Kelly Lietz said the project was removed because the deal hasn’t been made final.
In total, the more than $1.2 billion in planned capital investments for projects supported by WEDC in 2019 are expected to create more than 3,165 jobs and retain almost 14,000 jobs across the state, according to WEDC. Of those projects, 31 have planned capital investment of more than $10 million.
“These companies and communities play a key role in strengthening our state’s economy by investing in Wisconsin and creating jobs that pay well,” Missy Hughes, secretary and chief executive officer of WEDC, said in a statement.
