INDIANA
– Whirlpool Corp. has agreed to pay the State of Indiana $800,000 to resolve all tax credits and incentives associated with the loss of employment in the company’s Evansville facility. Following a significant layoff of manufacturing jobs in 2009, Whirlpool agreed to preserve 260 full-time positions in Evansville in order to retain previously awarded tax credits. But as part of its organizational efficiency efforts, Whirlpool recently relocated most North America procurement positions, including some from Evansville, to the company’s global headquarters in Michigan. The company’s refrigeration research, engineering and design functions remain in Evansville, where the company has approximately 230 employees.
OHIO
– Multi-Color Corp., a Cincinnati-based company that produces labels for a broad range of industries, has acquired a Scottish company for approximately $26 million. Labelgraphics, headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland, primarily produces labels for the United Kingdom spirit and wine markets.
– Cincinnati’s low costs for facility leasing, transportation and property taxes contributed significantly to its ranking as the least-costly location to do business in the United States among the 27 largest metro areas (all with populations exceeding 2 million), according to a study by KPMG LLP. Atlanta was the second most cost-competitive location in the large-cities category, followed by Orlando, Tampa and Dallas-Fort Worth.
– Bridgestone Americas Inc. has opened a new $100,000 million technical center in Akron, one of only three technical centers for the company worldwide. The center houses some 450 employees who develop advanced tire technologies for the Nashville, Tenn.-based company.
TENNESSEE
– Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines Corp. and its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month as the company struggles to address operational and financial difficulties in the cutthroat airline industry. Airline officials said they plan to continue operating as the company works to reduce costs by restructuring operating agreements and achieving cost savings from its workforce. Pinnacle has already furloughed 450 of its 2,860 pilots.
– Opry Mills, a regional shopping mall in Nashville and one of the largest retail centers in the state, has reopened after being closed for nearly two years. One of Tennessee’s top tourist attractions, the mall suffered serious damage after an historic flood ravaged the Nashville area in May 2010.
WEST VIRGINIA
– Simonton Windows is adding 160 full-time positions at its plant in Ritchie County. The expansion will support the company’s launch of its Asure line of energy-efficient replacement windows and patio doors.
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