Sysco hasn’t given up plans to build an expansion to its national operation near the intersection of U.S. 35 and 30. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charles Weaver told the Hamlet Town Board last night that the company does not currently intend to offer for sale the land it owns near Hamlet. Continue reading
Sysco Merger Could Put Starke County Site Back in Play
Houston, Texas-based Sysco Corporation’s planned merger with Rosemont, Ill.-based U.S. Foods could bode well for Starke County. Sysco bought 320 acres of land south of U.S. 30 in 2007 after announcing plans to build a redistribution center near Hamlet. At the time the company said the expansion would create 500 local jobs. The project stalled in 2009 due to the weak national economy. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver told the county council this week Sysco still plans to develop the site but has not announced a timeline for doing so. Continue reading
Economic Development Director Says Starke County Still on SYSCO’s Radar
Houston-based SYSCO Corporation still plans to build a regional hub in Hamlet, according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver. He told the county council he talks to SYSCO officials every two months.
“They say this is still part of their plan, as is the facility in Texas, but the people I talk to don’t have any idea when.”
Starke County’s Workforce Needs the Skills for Expanding Industries
One of the questions that Starke County Economic Development Director, Charles Weaver gets is, “What’s the latest on Sysco or other industries here that want to expand?” Weaver then asks himself, “When new industries come or expand, do we have the workforce to fill the skilled positions?”
Weaver recently attended a presentation that was organized by the Northwest Indiana Forum, of which Starke County belongs, where the attendees discussed workforce readiness, and development. Starke County’s unemployment figures, although still in the double digits, have moved out of the “top 10” worst in the state, but will new industry help reduce that figure? Weaver says not if the workforce doesn’t have the skills needed by the employers.
Sysco Project Picking up Pace in Hamlet
There’s finally some movement on the Sysco project in Hamlet. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, revealed yesterday that he has been securing information for three general contractors who have been asked by the Baugh Midwest Cooperative to submit bids for the construction of the massive redistribution center. Baugh Midwest Cooperative is the parent company of Sysco.
No New Information on Sysco Project in Hamlet
Rumors have floated around Starke County for the past few weeks that construction of the Sysco plant near Hamlet is about to become a reality. Starke County Economic Development Director, Charles Weaver, cautions that he has not received any information that supports those rumors.
Boil Water Order Continues for Town of Hamlet
The boil water order continues for the Town of Hamlet. The order is in effect until Wednesday, March 2nd.
The advisory was initially put into effect on Friday, February 25th after Hamlet Water Superintendent, John Goble, notified WKVI that some unknown suspect(s) opened two fire hydrants on 500 East and left them open. The act, that occurred between 9:00-9:30 p.m. CT, drained the water tower for the Town of Hamlet. A third hydrant was partially opened. In two-and-a-half hours, 300,000 gallons of water was drained from the water tower. The fire hydrants are located out by the Sysco property on 500 East.
Hamlet Police Chief, Jeremiah Patrick, told WKVI that there are no suspects at this time, but his Department is continuing to investigate the incident.
Sysco Project to Continue in Hamlet When Economy Recovers
The question of when Sysco is breaking ground at the Hamlet site was brought up at the Starke County Commissioners meeting this week. Commission President, Dan Bridegroom, said to Starke County Development Director, Charles Weaver, in a lighthearted way, “I don’t know what to tell people who ask me.”
Bridegroom said he read in last week’s Leader that groundbreaking for the distribution center could be this summer.
Weaver said that he has “no” word that the summer is a consideration for groundbreaking. The last conversation he had with Baugh Midwest Cooperative Inc. is that the project is still viable, but that nothing is going to be done until the economy returns. He said that this added distribution center will cover 12 to 13 states and at the moment with the economy down those states can be serviced through existing centers.
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