Greencastle factory will add jobs and equipment

New equipment and a potential for additional jobs are headed to one of Greencastle's auto part factories.

Officials with Heartland Automotive, makers of injection molded car parts for Subaru, announced plans to invest $1.4 million in new cutting, bonding and folding equipment beginning in March.

According to information supplied to the Greencastle City Council Tuesday night, Heartland officials believe the new equipment will result in the addition of about 18 full-time jobs at the Greencastle plant, which currently has about 566 workers.

The company plan to begin installing the new equipment in March, with final installation to be completed by September.

Members of the city council voted unanimously Tuesday night to declare the factory an Economic Revitalization Area, which is the first step to granting a 10-year tax abatement for the new equipment.

According to its website, Heartland Automotive LLC has a second plant in Lafayette, was founded in 1987 and is owned by Shigeru Company, LTD of Ota City, Japan.

In other business during its Tuesday night meeting, council members approved a name change for the Greencastle Street Department.

Street Commissioner Paul Wilson asked the council to approve changing the name to the Greencastle Department of Public Works to better reflect what the department does.

According to the resolution that was approved by the council, the street department not only repairs city streets, but they remove snow and leaves, care for trees and maintain storm drains.

"It will be a morale booster for the guys," Wilson said of the name change.

The name change takes effect immediately.

Wilson said he is currently working on a design for a new logo that will be placed on department vehicles.

In other business, the council: