Industrial park in Three Rivers now filled
Three Rivers Industrial Development Authority reached a milestone last year, when an Indiana-based company bought more than 60 acres of property at Three Rivers Area Enterprise Park.
TekModo’s purchase of more than 40 acres last year signaled TRIDA fulfilling its mission of selling all the property within the industrial park. The park, opened in the early 1990s, is at the south end of Three Rivers, east of U.S. 131.
Christy Trammell, executive director of Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce and a TRIDA board member, said TekModo of Elkhart was looking at properties in Indiana and Michigan as part of its expansion.
St. Joseph County and Enterprise Park specifically scored a major victory when TekModo officials chose the Three Rivers property, on which it is investing more $7 million into a project expected to generate 50 jobs initially.
“That purchase made it so we are officially no longer property owners in the park,” Trammell said. “We had a significant amount of interest in the property that TekModo eventually purchased, but nothing was as promising as TekModo. We were very excited to be able to recruit them … they looked at a lot of other places but we worked very hard and made them feel like we wanted them here.”
TekModo manufactures composite plastics for the RV, marine and auto industries. It is poised to open this spring and, Trammell noted, it projects to fill about 400 jobs within five years.
“Their plans are to expand and grow, and that’s why they purchased the last of the property … so they can have multiple buildings in one place,” she said.
Trammell described the history of the TRIDA and the foresight that went into the creation of Enterprise Park.
“Back in the late ’80s, the chamber board went to the city and said that we feel there’s a need for an industrial park, we’d like to help with the industrial park, and the partnership began … they established Enterprise Park,” she said. “The city contracts with the chamber to manage Enterprise Industrial Park and it’s overseen by TRIDA, an authority versus an advisory board.”
TRIDA is an 11-member panel comprised of representatives from various taxing districts, including Three Rivers Community Schools, Glen Oaks Community College, St. Joseph County and the city of Three Rivers.
In addition to TekModo, another new presence in the industrial park is Triple Creek Truck and Trailer Wash. The business, located on a 6 ½-acre property, will open this spring, and features bays for washing semis, RVs and agricultural equipment.
Also, a company called Hog Slat, a swine-equipment company, took over the property formerly occupied by Fastenal.
Trammell also said the city still has plenty of room in Three Rivers Airport Industrial Park, established in 2003. It recently landed a new tenant, Lawson Aviation.
“We are actively seeking additional businesses to come into that park … there’s plenty of space available for now,” she said.
Posted By: Sturgis Journal on March 24, 2020. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
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