Contacts:
Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608-267-9661
Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor,
608-261-2156
Jan Acker, Placon Corporation, 608-278-6038
Roger Larrick, Promega Corporation, 608-277-2545
Awards Will Help Placon and Promega Corporations
Create Almost 50 Jobs, Retain More Than 700 Jobs
FITCHBURG – Governor Jim Doyle announced today that two
Fitchburg high-tech companies, Placon Corporation and Promega Corporation,
will each receive $250,000 in Technology Zone tax credits to help the
companies create and retain jobs and make major investments in their
workplaces. The Governor made the announcement at the Placon Corporation
plant in Fitchburg.
“Over the past year and a half, we have made great strides
to grow our economy. Through my Grow Wisconsin plan, we are working to
foster the growth of high-tech businesses statewide, create high-wage,
high-end jobs for our citizens, and build a strong economy from the ground
up,” Governor Doyle said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s
clear that our hard work is starting to pay off. In the past 12 months,
we’ve created more jobs than any of our Midwestern neighbors.”
“Today, we are taking the next steps in our efforts to
further grow our economy by helping these two companies create and keep jobs
here in Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “I am pleased to support Placon
and Promega as they generate the family-supporting jobs needed for a strong
Wisconsin future.”
Placon Corporation is investing more than $10 million on new
manufacturing equipment and software, and is creating a research and
development department at its facility in Fitchburg. The award will help
the company create 19 new jobs and retain 233 positions. Placon Corporation
designs, manufactures, and markets thin-gauge plastic thermoforms for use in
packaging food, retail, and medical products. It has received numerous
industry awards for quality, innovation, and “green” manufacturing
practices.
“Placon depends on technology to keep us competitive,” said
Placon President and CEO Jan Acker. “This award is providing Placon with
the financial incentive to move forward on our research and development
initiative, allowing us to grow our business here in Wisconsin.”
Promega Corporation is investing over $4.3 million on new
equipment. The project will create 26 new jobs and retain 481 jobs. The
company is a world leader in the development, manufacture, and marketing of
reagents, systems, and advanced technology for use by laboratories involved
in biological research, genetic identity, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals.
“Wisconsin’s support for biotechnology continues to be
strong and encouraging,” said Promega Chairman and CEO Bill Linton.
“Programs like this generate on-going innovation in life science, job
growth, and the ability to take Wisconsin businesses to a national and
international level.”
Governor Doyle has made economic development a top priority
of his Administration. Through “Grow Wisconsin,” the Governor has focused
on upgrading Wisconsin’s industries and competing at the high end – and his
focus on the economy is showing results. In the past 12 months, Wisconsin
has led the Midwest in job growth. And the recently released Wisconsin
Economic Outlook report shows that Wisconsin’s economy is heading in the
right direction. The report found significant improvement for virtually all
of Wisconsin’s metropolitan areas, and projected continued improvement in
Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector, which has lost more than 84,000
manufacturing jobs in the last four years.
Wisconsin’s Technology Zone program is an economic
development initiative that helps stimulate the growth of businesses that
are locating or expanding in one of eight technology zones statewide. Under
the program, tax credits are made available to businesses that are
commercializing technology or using advanced manufacturing techniques to
retain or create jobs in Wisconsin.
Both companies are located in the Capital Ideas Technology
Zone, which provides incentives for high-tech growth in knowledge-based,
manufacturing, biotechnology, food processing, and business services
industry clusters, among others. The zone includes the counties of Dane,
Jefferson, and Rock.
For more information about Wisconsin’s Technology Zone
program, contact Amy Cumblad at the Department of Commerce at 608-266-2688.
