DeKalb County EDC Praises Investments from 2020

Article by Andy Barrand | KPC News | August 4, 2021

AUBURN — The economic outlook in DeKalb County continues to look good as the state rebounds from job losses due to the pandemic in 2020.

That was the message Anton King, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp., delivered to the DeKalb County Council during Monday’s meeting.

As of July 28, the county’s unemployment rate was 3.7%, slightly above pre-pandemic numbers. At the height of the pandemic in April 2020, the county’s unemployment rate was 21.1%.

Despite the pandemic, local companies continued to invest in DeKalb County during 2020 as $145 million in investment was poured into the county.

“The pandemic gave businesses a lot of time to make strategic decisions,” he said.

The $145 million was nearly five times the investment spent in 2019 when $30 million in investments were made.

Midway through 2021, King said he anticipates that investment by businesses will top 2020 numbers.

“We have seen 28 total wins in DeKalb County so far,” he said. “2021 continues to be busy and capital intensive. A lot of investment is happening all over.”

So far, $112 million in investment has been made in the county spurred by the recent expansion announcement by Therma-Tru in Butler. The project is a $43 million one and will bring 53 additional jobs to the facility.

Therma-Tru is currently one of the largest employers in the county with 1,030 people, 917 hourly workers and 113 in salaried positions. The average hourly wage for hourly employees is $20.65, according to the company’s tax abatement application. The average annual salary for salaried employees is $85,000.

TRIN Inc. in Ashley also recently made an investment into its facility.

King said he is also seeing investment in the county’s non-profit sector and smaller “mom and pop” shops.

“It is good seeing them striving for growth and having success. It adds to the quality of life in the community,” he said.

With all of the positives in investment, DeKalb County is not immune from a national trend of businesses needing workers to fill jobs.

“There is an ever increasing need for workforce here in the county,” King said. “The positions that are open need to be filled ASAP.”

Due to the lack of workforce, King anticipates more and more industrial facilities will turn to automation to help fill those missing pieces.

King said another big issue facing the county when it comes to filling vacant positions is the county’s housing stock. There is currently a need for housing throughout the county. In an effort to help alleviate the issue, the EDC is in the midst of a housing survey.

The EDC is hoping to have results from the study by the end of the year.

After his short presentation, King asked the council to once again help support the EDC when planning the 2022 budget.

Council President Rick Ring thanked King for his leadership of the EDC.

“I appreciate your leadership of this group; it is exceptional,” Ring said.

Article source: https://www.kpcnews.com/news/article_dfe8515f-d5e2-5ab5-a540-2ddbc9db1979.html