Heartland Foods Plans Another Expansion
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowCarmel-based Heartland Food Products Group is planning to expand production capacity at two of facilities on the northwest side of Indianapolis. The company, which makes sweetener brands such as Splenda and other beverage products, says it will invest $32 million in new production and logistics equipment, creating up to 60 jobs by 2021. Heartland is seeking a 10-year tax abatement for the project, which will be considered next week by the city’s Metropolitan Development Commission.
Officials with the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development report in documents filed with the city Heartland is experiencing "significant demand growth for its products." The new investment would also help retain more than 730 existing jobs in Marion County.
The new jobs associated with the expansion would pay an average wage of $17.48 per hour. If approved, the tax abatement would save Heartland approximately $1.8 million and the company would pay $1.75 million in taxes over the 10-year period. Once the abatement period ends, the company would pay nearly $250,000 annually in personal property taxes related to the new equipment.
DMD staff say in the documents, "Heartland has been the recipient of previous tax abatements, and has consistently exceeding the commitments made in association with those projects." In late 2015, the company announced a $26 million expansion that would create up to nearly 190 jobs by 2020.