Goshen County, Goshen County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) and Schlagel Manufacturing are in the running for a $3 million grant that will be the kickoff for a new industrial business park in the Torrington area.

The Wyoming Business Council will vote on the grant application during their Sept. 8 meeting.

GCEDC Executive Director Lisa Johnson explained that while Torrington currently has an industrial park, the space remaining after Heartland Biocomposites was constructed is not enough for major development.

This led GCEDC to look for space in other areas.

The proposed site is located one mile south of Torrington on the east side of U.S. Highway 85.

GCEDC will use the grant money to construct a building to house Schlagel Manufacturing and then lease it to the company.

Schlagel Manufacturing will have the option to purchase the building at fair market value at any time, Johnson said.

“We intend to recoup that investment and then we get to reinvest that money in the business park or in other projects around the county,” Johnson said. “It’s a great opportunity for us.”

The amount the company will pay each year, the size of the building and other details are still under negotiation.

GCEDC will purchase the necessary 66 acres of land for the project. And in addition to the Schagel Manufacturing building, the development will also include lots for five companies.

“We have a purchase option agreement. It’s an agreement between Goshen County and the landowner that gives us the right to purchase that for a certain period of time,” Johnson said. “This purchase may be contingent on being awarded the grant from the business council.”

The purchase of this land comes from the Goshen County Economic Development Sales Tax funds.

According to the grant application, there are also plans in the works for Phase Two of the project, which involves purchasing an additional 158 acres in the next 10 years with revenues from lease payments, sale of the Shlagel Manufacturing building and the sale of the remaining business ready lots.

Johnson said GCEDC had talked to a few interested companies but that those negations are “nowhere close” to the level of Schlagel’s contract.

“Planning is phased because with this project there would probably be funding available to serve about five lots,” Johnson said. “We’ll have enough money to get five lots started and it will take a period of years to sell out the last five lots.”

She added that GCEDC would develop future lots as funds become available.

Schalgel Manufacturing is a local business formed 15 years ago. According to the application, the company manufactures the TILL-N-PLANT, a patented one past strip tillage machine used in agronomic practices to promote fast and deeper root development in semi-arid conditions.

“(GCEDC) is very pleased to be working with a company that has such a good history with their business,” Johnson said. “They have experienced positive growth in recent years. The retention and expansion of companies is a priority of (GCEDC) so this is an ideal project.”

For the complete article see the 08-28-2009 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 08-28-2009 paper.

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