Date: March 7, 2008
Source: Allied Waste Industries, Inc.
Allied Waste to Establish New Regional Customer Service Center in Northwest Indiana
Company Plans to Create More Than 350 New Jobs in Morocco
Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from Allied Waste Industries, Inc. (NYSE: AW), the nation's second largest waste services company, today to announce the Company's plans to establish a new regional customer and financial support center here, creating more than 350 new jobs by 2014.
The new jobs come following the Phoenix-based company's decision to consolidate its regional customer support center operations into a centralized operation in this Northwest Indiana town of less than 1,200. The center will provide services to customers in 17 states. Allied Waste also operates a 584-acre landfill in Newton County.
"Allied Waste has been operating in Indiana for more than 13 years. We have experienced first hand the area's pro-business attitude and hard work ethic," said John J. Zillmer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Allied Waste. "By consolidating our customer support centers in Morocco, we are best positioned to provide more responsive service to our customers, while gaining greater operating efficiencies. Just as importantly, we see this new facility as a reflection of our commitment to extending our relationship with Indiana even further."
Allied Waste, which operates a network of collection companies, transfer stations, landfills and recycling facilities in 37 states and Puerto Rico, will locate its new consolidated customer support center in an idled manufacturing facility located at 1301 E. Michigan St. The company will begin renovations to the facility this summer and plans to begin hiring customer support representatives, credit analysts, sales staff and customer managers in the fourth quarter of 2008, following the completion of the renovations.
"We welcome Allied Waste's continued investment in the Hoosier state," Daniels said. "We have worked hard to create a competitive environment that differentiates ourselves from our neighbors and makes Indiana a great location for companies seeking to grow their business here in the Midwest."
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Allied Waste up to $1.8 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. The state will also provide Newton County with a $50,000 grant to assist in off-site infrastructure improvements required for the new facility. Newton County will make local infrastructure improvements to the site, assist Allied Waste with recruitment, and provide classrooms for training the company's new employees.
"I believe we are making a great move for the future of Newton County. We thank Allied Waste and the many people who worked on this project for the opportunity to put Newton County back to work," said Roxanna Hanford, president, Newton County Board of Commissioners.
Allied Waste plans to use local contractors for the renovation of the once idled facility and places an emphasis on environmental soundness, Zillmer said. Specifically, the company intends to pursue LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification standards, as outlined by the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, Allied Waste will establish a community recycling center adjacent to the building, allowing Newton County residents to drop off recyclables free of charge, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The recycling center is expected to be operational by August.
"Allied Waste has long been an active steward of our environment," Zillmer said. "We will extend that stewardship to our facility in Morocco, where we aim to employ environmentally responsible and sustainable practices during our remodeling and future operations, while also providing an outlet for the community to join in our efforts by utilizing the new recycling center."
The announcement of Allied Waste's decision to locate in the small Northwest Indiana town comes less than a year after Intec Corporation shuttered its auto parts manufacturing facility, idling 170 employees in the town. Allied Waste plans to locate its regional customer and financial support center in the former Intec facility.
About Allied Waste
Allied Waste is America's second largest non-hazardous solid waste services company and an environmental leader. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, Allied Waste provides waste collection, transfer, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial and industrial customers in over 100 markets spanning 37 states and Puerto Rico. Our team of more than 23,000 dedicated employees operates within a highly efficient, integrated organization that generated 2007 revenue of $6.1 billion.
About IEDC
Established under Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Indiana Secretary of Commerce Nathan Feltman serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. Since the creation of the IEDC, the state has posted three consecutive years of record-breaking commitments for new jobs. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.
Media Contacts:
For more information or photos from the event, contact Erin Serkaian (Reputation Partners for Allied Waste) - 312.819.5719 or erin@reputationpartners.com; Mitch Frazier (IEDC) - 317.232.8873 or MFrazier@iedc.in.gov.
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