Endress+Hauser targeting talent with Greenwood expansion

The general manager for Endress+Hauser USA says the measurement instrumentation provider is looking to schools to find the next wave of talent as the company marks its 70th anniversary – and 50th year in Indiana – in 2023. The company is investing $33 million to build a 120,000-square-foot commercial office and light industrial facility on its Greenwood campus that would create at least 75 jobs. Todd Lucey said the project will set the stage for further investment and expansion as needed over the next two decades.

In an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Lucey said the company has worked with colleges and universities to attract talent in the past, but more could be done.

“We started to see that we need to start working with high schools and being able to get kids even interested in science, technology, engineering and math, but sponsor robotics clubs, which also helps getting educators involved, getting the parents involved, seeing what really advanced manufacturing is all about,” said Lucey.

But Lucey said the company wants to look even further than middle and high schools, and the new facility in Greenwood will help.

“One of the things that’s going to be in our new building is this innovation lab, so…we can attract even elementary school students, get them involved in 3D printing and some robotics things and doing some programming of things,” he said. “It’s really cool to see the faces of those young kids get interested in this kind of work because I think it spawns the kind of thing we’re looking for, which is getting a diverse group of talent. The earlier we can get kids involved in that the wider the population set, we can get attracted to our industry.”

The Switzerland-based company began its U.S. operations in 1970 and opened its Greenwood facility in 1973. Lucey said at the time, the labor pool was very attractive for the company, and that remains the case today.

“What we see is the talent pool in the area, not just for manufacturing, but for the knowledge worker. The school systems are great. When we look at the high schools in the area, even the middle schools and elementary schools, and even the vocational schools, we can draw a great amount of talent from the area, and really develop that in our talent pipeline.”

Lucey adds the efforts made by the city over the last decade to improve the quality of life in Greenwood has been a contributing factor to the company’s expansion.

As part of the project, Indianapolis-based instrumentation distributor George E. Booth Co. plans to relocate to Greenwood and share the space, which will be known as the Endress + Hauser Innovation Center and George E. Booth Co. Headquarters.

The company plans to bring 50 existing jobs to Greenwood and add 20 more. President Scott Young said the company is out of space at its current facility.

“This puts us in a state-of-the-art building that’s going to be LEED carbon zero,” said Young. “It allows us to attract and retain talent at a level that we can’t today with [our] facility. So all these things coming in and being on campus to work with their team, their solutions team and our solutions team working jointly, is a big piece that helps both of us grow and scale the business.”

Endress+Hauser is seeking a $3.2 million tax abatement from the city for the project.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect the correct amount of the tax abatement being sought by the company.