Seed company eyes Anderson facility

A national seed distributor wants to grow roots in Anderson with a planned $30 million facility that could bring 41 jobs and $3.6 million in taxes over the next decade.

The Anderson City Council will discuss a six-year, 65% tax abatement for the development company, Indianapolis-based Scannell Properties, on Oct. 12, according to our partners at the Herald Bulletin. The city’s plan commission approved the rezoning of 56 acres in the 1900 block of East 60th Street last month.

The tax abatement will save the company $2.2 million over those six years.

Scannell started development on the site last May, is looking to break ground next week and hopes to finish construction next June. It plans to build a 300,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center. including 100,000 square feet of climate-controlled space.

It will have 28 loading docks and parking for 25 semi-trailers. The Herald-Bulletin reported it can support 125 semi-truck trips a day during its busy season and half of which during its down season.

The unnamed company stores seed and delivers them to local farmers, according to the publication.

Jobs generated will have an average wage of $22 per hour, amounting to about $45,000 a year with benefits. During the company’s busy season, it will could bump its headcount to 70 employees.

Scannell bought 30 acres from William and Cindy Mort and signed a 10-year lease with the unnamed company with two five-year options.