Interstate Lane — Business news from Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia
INDIANA
— Roche Diagnostics Corp. is investing $300 million over the next 10 years at its North American headquarters in Indianapolis and plans to add 100 new jobs by 2017. The investment will cover facility and equipment upgrades to support the company’s growing diagnostics and diabetes care businesses. The company’s Indianapolis campus produces some 2 billion test strips each year for ACCU-CHEK diabetes products.
— Ingram Micro Inc., one of the world’s largest technology distributors, has acquired Indianapolis-based Brightpoint Inc. in a deal valued at $840 million. Ingram Micro President and CEO Alain Monié said that the acquisition of Brightpoint, which distributes mobile devices for phone companies, was a great fit strategically and would immediately expand the company’s presence in the mobility market in a way that would have been difficult to achieve otherwise.
— The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that J.C. Penney is closing its distribution and support center in Plainfield, Ind., in the wake of weak financial results in recent months. The closing will result in the loss of 230 jobs.
— Connextions Inc., a technology and business services partner to the healthcare industry, is adding 300 licensed health insurance agents at its facility in Jeffersonville, Ind., where it currently employs a staff of 500. A company spokesperson said the additional jobs are being filled so that the company will have enough workers for the annual health insurance enrollment period, which starts in October for many companies.
— Wellpoint Inc., an Indianapolis-based health benefits company, has announced plans to acquire Amerigroup Corp. in a transaction valued at $4.9 billion. Virginia-based Amerigroup is one of the nation’s leading managed care companies. “We believe that this combination will create an industry leader in the government sector serving Medicaid and Medicare enrollees. This is an opportunity to capitalize on the strengths of both companies to better serve our members and position our companies for future growth as the health insurance industry changes and as we prepare for health insurance exchanges,” said Angela F. Braly, Wellpoint chair, president and CEO.
TENNESSEE
— TPR Federal-Mogul Tennessee Inc. is locating a manufacturing plant in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., that will produce cylinder liners for aluminum block engines. The facility will house foundry, machining and warehousing functions and is expected to operational by May 2013. The plant will create 72 new jobs and will serve the North American auto manufacturing industry.
— MGM Industries has launched a $3 million expansion of its facility in Hendersonville, Tenn., where it produces custom painted vinyl windows and doors. The expansion will create 75 jobs over the next three years.
— HarperCollins Publishers has completed its acquisition of Thomas Nelson, a Nashville-based company that is a leading trade publisher of inspirational and Christian media. Thomas Nelson will continue to operate as an independent company and will retain its current focus. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
WEST VIRGINIA
— American Woodmark, a manufacturer and distributor of kitchen and bath cabinetry, is investing $15.2 million to expand its manufacturing operation in Moorefield, W. Va. The expansion is expected to create 187 new jobs within the next three years.
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