Goshen County may soon enter phase I in planning for a new Torrington industrial park set to house Schlagel Manufacturing.

There are only two more barriers to cross – approval from the State Lands and Investment Board and the Wyoming State Attorney General.

The Wyoming Business Council awarded the county the necessary $3 million to get the project started Thursday afternoon as part of Business Ready Community – Business Committed grant.

“They said that this project is exactly what the Business Committed Grant and Loan Program is designed for,” Executive Director of Goshen County Economic Development Corporation Lisa Johnson said. “They want to be in business to help companies be successful in Wyoming.”

Torrington currently has an industrial park east of U.S. Highway 85 and south of U.S. Highway 26. Heartland Biocomposites is housed there.

However, there are only 20 acres remaining in that area, which is not enough space for major development.

And earlier this year, Goshen County was overlooked as a location for a University of Wyoming/GE Energy coal gasification plant due to lack of space.

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

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. It is also expected to create 12 new jobs.

Goshen County will match $732,128 for the project.

“The money for local match for the project is going to be used for the land and the infrastructure improvements in the business park,” Johnson said. “That money is coming from the Economic Development Sales Tax fund.”

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. They then plan to re-invest those funds for future development at the industrial park and around the county.

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

According to the grant application, there are also plans in the works for phase II 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.

“If the voters in Goshen County hadn’t approve that sales tax for economic development then we wouldn’t be able to do a project like this,” Johnson said.

This project is also a huge step forward for Schlalel Manufacturing.

“It will enable us to become more efficient,” Owner Ron Schlagel said. “It will be a far superior location. It will be good for the employees and it will be good for the business.

“I think it was something that helped me and it’s something that’s helping Goshen County,” he added. “It’s a win win situation from both sides.”









For the complete article see the 09-04-2009 issue.

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