Cook Medical Hits Contractor Diversity Goal for Indy Plant

Bloomington-based Cook Medical has achieved a key goal in its effort to build a $15 million manufacturing plant on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Our partners at the Indianapolis Business Journal report the facility is being built with 100% minority-owned contractors and subcontractors.

In November 2020, Cook Medical and Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana detailed plans for the 40,000-square-foot plant. The facility will be located in a neighborhood hit hard by poverty with plans to add 100 jobs.

The following March, Cook selected Harmon Construction Inc. as the general contractor for the project. Chief Executive Officer William Harmon tells the IBJ he has hired 23 subcontractors that are owned by minorities, women, veterans or people with disabilities to build the plant.

“In all my years in construction, this is the first time I’ve been asked to do this—hire 100% minority-owned subcontractors,” said Harmon. “This isn’t going to be a one-and-done. We’re going to develop more relationships with these contractors. We’re going to pass them along to other people and help them get other jobs.”

Construction on the facility is expected to be complete early this year.

You can read the full story from the IBJ by clicking here.