(La Porte, IN) - 2nd District Congressman Rudy Yakym was in La Porte this week touring a local manufacturing company.
It was one of the first stops on his “Make It, Grow It, Move It” tour, which highlights manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation projects in all eleven counties in the district.
On Monday Yakym and his staff started in Winamac, went to Knox, then ended the day at American Renolit, a manufacturer that produces plastic films on La Porte’s east side.
“Renolit is a company that’s growing here in La Porte,” Yakym told HTNN following a tour of the facility.
“They’re adding jobs and paying good wages. We wanted to highlight manufacturing in the 2nd Congressional District that is growing and expanding, and they’re clearly doing that.”
Yakym highlighted a recent expansion. “They made a $27 million investment in a new machine to really help grow their business here and add good, high-paying jobs,” he said. “We want to commend them for their work here in La Porte.” Renolit president Nils Dietz said Renolit has hired upwards of 30 new employees to support the new machine.
Yakym’s business tour offers a ray of hope for American manufacturing. “There are so many things that we used to make here in the United States that have been pushed offshore and overseas,” Yakym said. “There’s a lot of great leaders here in this community, right here in LaPorte, that are committed to bringing some of that manufacturing back.” La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody and city economic development leaders also took part in the visit.
Yakym said the key element is a dedicated workforce. “They’re willing to make investments right here in this community because of the people that live here that are willing to show up and go to work. They run 24/7 shifts here, which I think is quite impressive.”
