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Today's Headlines
AUTO JOBS ROLLING INTO ST. LOUIS
Hybrid electric vans are driving auto manufacturing jobs back into St. Louis. Emerald Automotive has been developing its lightweight delivery van – the T1 – for about two years and is ready to start building a facility where it can manufacture its vehicles. The eco-friendly delivery van gets 130 miles per gallon – that’s amazing! But I can’t deny that I am most excited about the nearly 600 highly technical jobs! Additionally, Emerald predicts that suppliers will create 400 more jobs.
After comparing 25 potential locations in the United States, the British company’s clear choice was the City of Hazelwood. And I couldn’t agree more with their decision! They recognized the quality of our region’s trained workforce, central location and pro-business environment. By 2014, Emerald projects the facility will be fully functional, and by the next year, we look forward to seeing nearly 10,000 vans roll off the line. Charlie A. Dooley
CHINA CARGO HUB GETS READY FOR TAKEOFF
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Cutting the ribbon at the Leinco grand opening is Governor Jay Nixon, Leinco President & CEO Patrick Leinert, Barbara Leinert, and St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. |
Leinco Technologies is investing $3.2 million in Fenton. Leinco is a St. Louis biotech business that provides products and services to the medical field for basic life-science research and diagnosis of diseases. As demand increased for its products – antibodies, proteins and testing kits – Leinco announced its intention to expand.
"We were close to moving our biosciences company to Florida when the Missouri team stepped up in a big way," said Patrick Leinert, president and CEO.
The Missouri Technology Corporation, Missouri Department of Economic Development, and St. Louis County Economic Council approved over $500,000 in incentives to retain the company and assist with its local expansion.
The new R&D and manufacturing facility is a renovation of an underutilized 27,000-square-foot building in Fenton that was part of the supplier complex for Chrysler. Leinco is making a capital investment of more than $3 million and creating 48 high-tech jobs.
"St. Louis is a place we love to call home," said Leinert. "It allows us to be part of the fabric of an expanding plant and life sciences corridor and near our favorite baseball team."
St. Louis Enterprise Centers have welcomed six new small businesses this summer, adding to its list of more than 50 companies. Each startup moved into one of the four Enterprise Centers—West County, South County, Wellston, and Midtown.
The companies represent a diversity of industries, including:
"Our Enterprise Centers are extremely diverse, which is a good thing for the health of our local economy," said St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. "Each idea, each new business could grow into the next great St. Louis company."
As a leader in small business incubation, St. Louis Enterprise Centers provides a nurturing entrepreneurial environment with office and working space specific to small business needs. Its mentoring services and networking programs help each business grow.
Click here to learn more about these and other Enterprise Center clients and graduates.
Spartech Corporation, producer of plastic sheet, compounds and packaging products, unveiled its new 90,000-square-foot technology center located in Maryland Heights. In addition to bringing several capabilities under one roof, the expansion creates new high-tech jobs in St. Louis County.
The investment in the new technology center creates new opportunities for innovation by bringing together a critical mass of skill sets and expertise to develop new ideas and sustainable plastic solutions for the benefit of customers and the planet.
Spartech operates facilities in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and France. It has approximately 2,400 employees, including 235 employees in Missouri.
