New company to invest $2 million, create 24 jobs in Prairie du Chien
Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch was in Prairie du Chien Monday to announce WEDC assistance of $100,000 in business development tax credits to Solomon Corporation.
Prairie du Chien City Administrator Aaron Kramer (left) and Mayor Dave Hemmer (center) talk with officials about the institution of Solomon Corporation in the community’s North Gateway Business Park. A special announcement event, held Monday at the spec building Solomon will occupy, featured Lt. Rebecca Kleefisch announcing WEDC financial incentives for the company. (Submitted photos)
Solomon Corporation, headquartered in Solomon, Kan., will invest over $2 million in a previously vacant 20,000 square-foot facility, equipment and other initiatives to expand its manufacturing operations in Prairie du Chien. The company has existing operations in Kansas, Tennessee, Colorado and Texas.
The Courier Press first reported, in early December, that Solomon Corporation planned to open its fifth regional location in a North Gateway Business Park spec building, owned by Bill Adamany.
Solomon has already hired 14 employees and projects to employ 24 people when it opens later this year.
“We are absolutely delighted to be opening a facility in Wisconsin,” Tom Hemmer, CEO of Solomon Corporation, said. “Prairie du Chien’s location will allow us to better serve many of our existing customers and reach out to new customers in the region. The people of Wisconsin share many of the values that have long been important to our business and we look forward to investing and growing with the local community.”
Solomon considered multiple locations in the upper Midwest before choosing Wisconsin for its expansion. Chief among the company’s criteria for selecting the best location for its new facility were proximity to its customer base, access to major transportation and logistics networks and the availability of skilled workers.
“By choosing Wisconsin for their expansion, Solomon leverages our strong workforce and manufacturing tradition,” Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch said. “The attraction of Solomon Corporation to Wisconsin shows the strength of our business climate. On top of that, the company’s investment in the community and workforce will have a positive impact for years to come.”
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is assisting Solomon Corporation’s expansion into Wisconsin with $100,000 in business development tax credits, which may be earned upon fulfillment of capital investment and job creation requirements. The city of Prairie du Chien has also supported the project with a $571,123 loan that will be paid back at 0 percent interest over 15 years.
“Prairie du Chien is blessed in many ways, including a strong, diverse, community-minded base of industries and businesses,” said Prairie du Chien Mayor Dave Hemmer. “When we learned that we had the opportunity add to the list of corporate and industrial partners with a strong, American-based company with positive long-term prospects, we, the city, along with our economic development partners, were eager to make it happen. We are very excited to welcome the Solomon Corporation as our newest neighbor in the North Gateway Business Park, and look forward to them being a part of our community for many years.”
Solomon Corporation is a premier distribution electrical transformer company that conducts business with over 3,000 utility companies in both the United States and internationally. Customers include municipalities, rural electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities, as well as industrial users. Solomon has contracts with some of the largest utilities in the nation including Xcel Energy, Alliant Energy, WE Energy, Madison Gas and Electric and Dairyland Power among others. Solomon employs over 550 people at its four locations and has annualized sales of over $100 million.
