Chippewa Falls – A multi-million dollar enterprise zone has been awarded to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) in Chippewa Falls. Following this announcement, State Representative Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer), State Representative Jesse James (R-Altoona) and State Senator Kathy Bernier (R-Lake Hallie) had the following to say:
“This project is crucial for the long-term growth and success of the Chippewa Valley,” said Rep. Summerfield. “I have been working with Representative James and Senator Bernier for months now to secure this deal, and I am happy that our region will remain a hub for computer analytics for years to come.”
“I am excited to see this project come to fruition and proud of the continued investment HPE is making in the Chippewa Valley. We are blessed HPE is dedicated to having quality, high paying jobs, with additional jobs being added through this project. I love hearing how HPE is committed to helping close the digital divide we face in our state.” said Rep. James.
“With the Finance Committee’s approval of the Enterprise Zone for HPE, we are sending a message that the prosperity of our Chippewa Valley communities is vital to the state and its future,” added Senator Bernier. “We in western Wisconsin will remain part of a high-tech hub, bringing additional benefits even beyond the great careers. This will advance education at UW-Eau Claire and I am eager to see the opportunities it will provide for higher education and encouraging students to remain in the area. This was a project made possible by hard work by my colleagues, staff, and partners at HPE, and I thank everyone involved for their work.”
Under the plan, HPE will be eligible for up to $8 million in performance-based tax credits over the course of the next five years. This will help the company retain nearly 500 high-paying jobs and establish a Global Center of Excellence for High Performance Compute Manufacturing at the Chippewa Falls location. The proposal was officially submitted by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and was approved by the State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance through passive review.
###
