Laura Walls, Executive Director of the Marshall County Economic Development Commission made her first official visit to the Marshall County Commissioners this week and had some good news to share with them.

Construction on the Plymouth Manufacturing Center at the corner of Jim Neu and Pioneer Drive is almost complete.  Majority Construction is waiting for a hard freeze before they can get some trucks on the gravel parking lot to finish up getting the floor weatherproofed.     

The MCEDC Board of Directors met last week and approved a purchase agreement with a company economic development has been working with for about a month.  Walls told the commissioners there are some conversations we need to have with you in executive session since the county partnered with MCEDC on the project by providing the land without getting payment prior to construction. 

Walls said, “We are really excited.  Before construction on the manufacturing center is complete, we will have it sold.”   She continued, “Its to a good company.  We did our due-diligence on them.”  Walls said they plan to close before the end of the year and be operational by March 2022.   

On a side-note, Mayor Mark Senter told members of the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission Tuesday evening he and Utility Superintendent Donnie Davidson had a positive phone meeting with the new company that will be purchasing the Manufacturing Center.  He said, “ Without telling you who it is I can say it is a green energy company.”  He did say at one time the MCEDC was looking at a company that would recycle tires making an oil from that.  He said this is similar to that but not tires.  Mayor Senter said, “Its something totally different.  You’ll get your eyes opened up.  It’s pretty interesting.”  He also said they will employ 20 to 25 to start and have several locations around the country.    

The EDC Director said they’ve had 10 successful projects in business attraction and expansions so far in 2021.  She said that has led to about $73 million in investment and 247 new jobs. Walls said she believes the numbers will increase by the end of the year with final tallies coming in.

The County Economic Director has participated in 4 sales trips so far this year to meet with site selectors.  She has one more trip in December. 

Marshall County Economic Development Corporation has met with 60 companies so far this year and hopes to raise that number to 70 before the end of the year.

Commissioners Kevin Overmyer asked if the MCEDC has heard anything about the sale of Pretzels Inc. to Hersey’s.  Walls said she has been trying since last Thursday to meet with officials from Pretzels to find out the plan. 

Overmyer asked Walls to make a point to come in quarterly to report to them since they give $150,000 annually to the organization.