Ken De La Bastide, The Herald Bulletin
July 27, 2023
ANDERSON — A new company that will manufacture garden hoses, tubing and pipes from material being furnished by Sirmax is locating in Anderson.
The Anderson Plan Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a primary plat for FITT USA to locate on the former Guide Division parking lot on Raible Avenue.
The property contains about 30 acres and is zoned for industrial use.
Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. announced the company has agreed to invest $20 million in the 150,000-square-foot building in the 3100 block of Raible Avenue.
FITT’s website states it is a leading global company started in 1969 in Italy and is a pioneer in the production and development solutions for the transfer of fluids.
“The city along with our economic team has been working on this project for nearly 18 months,” Broderick said. “This newest company who has chosen Anderson will create over 100 new good paying jobs with a total annual payroll of $4.4 million.”
FITT USA purchased the property from the RACER Trust in December for $200,000. The Racer Trust was formed to sell the former General Motors property in Anderson on the brownfield sites.
Construction is expected to start this fall.
The city worked with the Madison County Corporation for Economic Development and the Indiana Economic Development Department to bring the company to Anderson.
“As an incentive the city will be asking the Anderson Redevelopment Commission to approve the issuance of $2 million in bonds with the approval of the Anderson City Council,” Greg Winkler, executive director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said.
That request will be made in August.
Matt Franklin with Levin Porter Associates, said the company has taken steps to make sure the new facility doesn’t look like a “big box.”
Franklin said the company will do whatever is required by the city when asked about the construction of sidewalks on the site by Plan Commission member Jennifer Culp.
When asked by local residents, Franklin said all truck and employee traffic to the site will be on Raible Avenue and not on 30th Street.
“All the locking docks will be on the southside of the property,” he said. “There will be six to eight trucks per day.”
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