(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City manufacturer is looking to expand elsewhere in the city.
KTR is a German-based company that manufactures power transmission products, brakes, coolers, and hydraulic components. They are looking to expand their operations domestically but are landlocked at their current location on Michigan City’s northeast side.
“We have a very large market here in the U.S. We’re really the largest brand of coupling manufacturers globally,” said KTR representative Eric Stachowiak, who addressed the La Porte County Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday.
He outlined KTR’s proposal is to create a combined North American headquarters and enlarged manufacturing space on 22 acres along CR 400 North, just south of Walmart. A 78,000 square-foot facility will be accessed from 375 North. It will include 18,000 square-feet of office space with the rest containing manufacturing and warehouse space. A six-acre parcel along 400 will be left vacant or sold later for commercial use. The company expects to invest $15 million and add 15 new employees to their existing workforce of 35.
Because the proposal calls for light manufacturing in a commercially zoned area, the BZA passed a special use variance for KTR to proceed.
