Posted by Heidi Schwartz
Patriot Porcelain LLC, a manufacturer of vitreous china products, announced plans to expand its operations in Kokomo, IN, creating up to 140 new jobs by 2014.
The company will invest $14,968,000 to purchase, renovate and equip a 330,000 square-foot facility at the former Kokomo Sanitary Pottery Plant in Kokomo. The new facility, which is expected to be fully operational by June 2014, will allow the company to relocate its overseas lavatory and toilet manufacturing to its Kokomo operations.
“Indiana’s solid fiscal house and low-tax environment continue to earn us national attention as a frontrunner for new jobs and investment,” said Gov. Mike Pence.
“Patriot Porcelain is confident the substantial investment being made in this facility will benefit the city of Kokomo, the state of Indiana and ultimately be a key in America’s economic recovery by generating new manufacturing jobs,” said Jeff Van Weelden, chairman of the board of managers of Patriot Porcelain. “The highly technical U.S. based plant will be a one of a kind operation that will allow us to manufacture the exact product currently manufactured overseas at a competitive price, something unheard of 10 years ago.”
Founded in 2009 by 6th & Main Inc., Patriot Porcelain is a private label vitreous china manufacturer of high quality sanitary products. Producing lavatories and toilets using modern pressure casting equipment, robotics, assembly lines and drying equipment, the company serves customers across the country.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Patriot Porcelain LLC up to $700,000 in conditional tax credits and $75,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. The city of Kokomo approved additional tax abatement.
“It gives me tremendous pleasure to welcome Patriot Porcelain to our community,” said Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight. “This project will bring quality jobs back to the United States and the Kokomo community, and will restore new life to an existing property.”
