Techo-Bloc, a manufacturer of high-end paving stones and patio blocks, will locate its first Indiana facility in Waterloo, IN, creating up to 85 new jobs by 2018.
The Saint-Hubert, Quebec-based company will invest $34.26 million to establish its Midwest regional operations headquarters, including renovating and equipping an existing 44,000-square-foot dry cast and truck shop, which launched operations in February. In addition, the company plans to begin construction next spring on a 67,000-square-foot wet cast facility, which will allow it to produce masonry products, slabs, walls and pillars to serve growing demand for the company’s landscape products in the Midwest and southern United States.
Techo-Bloc, which currently employs nearly 500 associates across its eight manufacturing facilities and six distribution centers, has already begun hiring for positions at its dry cast facility and plans to begin hiring at its new plant by the end of the year.
“The Midwest market has shown great interest in our products,” said Charles Ciccarello, president of Techo-Bloc. “We chose Indiana because it is a great central state for Techo-Bloc to build and expand in the Midwest. It is very close to many of our potential distributors and has a great infrastructure to move material in and out of the neighboring states. In our business, our vendor partners play an important role in our success and Indiana has proven to have an abundance of reliable quality vendors.”
Founded with five employees in 1989, Techo-Bloc has grown into a major North American manufacturer of concrete paving stones, currently serving markets in Canada, along with markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. regions. With its new Indiana operations, the company will expand its distribution network to include Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska and Tennessee. The company plans to continue its focus on research and development with its fully automated manufacturing process, allowing it to meet rising demand for product variety.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Techo-Bloc Midwest Corporation up to $400,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. The incentives are performance-based, so the company is not eligible to claim them until Indiana residents are hired.
“A large manufacturer like Techo-Bloc has a world of options when planning for a regional expansion, and we’re thrilled that it has selected Indiana,” said Governor Mike Pence. “As a global leader in manufacturing, Techo-Bloc will feel right at home here in Indiana, where we provide the skilled workforce and business climate necessary to help companies maintain a competitive advantage, keeping quality high and expenses low.”
