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“Gov. Jim Doyle and I are committed to doing all we
can to retain good manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin,” said Department of
Commerce Secretary Cory L. Nettles. “Commerce is providing a
$750,000 Community Development Block Grant to the City of Two Rivers for
redevelopment costs.”
Eggers has called Two Rivers home
since 1884. With 220 employees in the city, and another 230 at its plant
in Neenah, Wis., Eggers has a worldwide reputation for high-quality,
custom designed wood products. The new 260,000 square foot facility will
allow the company to move from a land-locked, multi-story manufacturing
facility to a one-floor operation. The new building will include 230,000
square feet of production space and 30,000 square feet of office space.
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June, 2005
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“In order to remain competitive in the
markets we serve, it is imperative that we are as efficient and productive
in our manufacturing operation as possible. This new facility will allow
us to do that,” said Jay Streu, president of Eggers.
Streu noted that
its Neenah plant was updated in 2000 with a building addition of
approximately 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space and new state of
the art equipment. “The $10 million invested into our Neenah facility has
shown the benefits of continued modernization in our manufacturing
operations. Manufacturing at the Neenah facility is now essentially a
one-floor operation. Previously, we had manufacturing operations on three
floors of the plant,” Streu said.
"We have made significant investments
in our business in the past and we will continue to do so in the future,"
said Streu. "This
investment in our company and in Two Rivers will help us achieve the
demands of our industry to reduce costs and manufacturing lead times,
while maintaining the high product quality level that Eggers is known for
throughout the United States. It will truly allow us to combine the
craftsmanship of our employees with the technology of new automated
equipment.”
Eggers will be investing more than $16
million in the new building along with about $3 million in new machinery
and equipment. To make such a large investment feasible, Eggers applied
for state and local development assistance. A new tax incremental
financing district (TID) will assist with the cost of the land
acquisition, site grading, utilities and equipment relocation at an
estimated cost of approximately $3 million.
The city will also cooperate in a
redevelopment program for the existing Eggers property. “The
three-and-one-half acre site has great potential for riverfront
development with 700 feet of river frontage,” said Two Rivers Economic
Development Supervisor Dan Pawlitzke.
“The possibilities are endless,
including commercial, residential, and industrial uses, along with other
amenities such as expanded riverfront walk ways,” he added. Pawlitzke said
the redevelopment efforts could be assisted through the establishment of
another TID.
Two Rivers School Superintendent Randy
Fredrikson also welcomed news of the project. “We are looking forward to
having Eggers as a neighbor to our brand new high school," Fredrikson
said. "Eggers is an important player in our local economy and
employs many parents who have children in our schools. The design of the
new facility is quite attractive and compliments the new high school.”
Fredrikson also noted that the project
will have economic benefits for the school and its taxpayers. “Part of the
cost of building the new high school included extending water and sewer
service along the Highway 42/ VV corridor. We believe the Eggers
project demonstrates that this investment in the City of Two Rivers
infrastructure is already paying big dividends. This major
development project will include reimbursement from Eggers for part of
that cost,” Fredrikson explained.
Eggers Industries is one of the three
largest manufacturers of premium quality architectural wood doors in the
United States and is recognized as the leader in product quality and new
product development. Eggers is also recognized in the industry as a
manufacturer of premium quality architectural plywood and table tops.
Eggers products can be found throughout the United States in courthouses,
libraries, yachts, private aircraft, office buildings, hotels, hospitals,
universities and schools.
Eggers received the Wisconsin State Safety Council’s 2001 and 2002 Safety
Award, was named Manufacturer of the Year in 2001 in the medium-size
business category by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, and received the
2000 Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) Innovator of the
Year Award for being at the forefront of technological advancement and
new machinery implementation.
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