Galesburg to consider $200K grant for manufacturing facility to create 100 jobs

GALESBURG — Galesburg City Council will consider providing a $200,000 grant to FCA, LLC, an industrial packaging company interested in creating a manufacturing facility in Galesburg, during a city council meeting tonight.

The funding would be rewarded from the city’s Major Project Grant, which was created in 2019 to help incentivize companies to invest and create jobs in Galesburg. FCA is headquartered in Moline

According to city materials, FCA anticipates creating 100 jobs before Sept. 2, 2024 and a total investment of $2,160,000 in Galesburg — in part through repairing and purchasing lumber processing equipment for 1200 Monmouth Blvd, an approximately 85,000 square foot building the company will use as its regional manufacturing center.

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If approved, the $200,000 grant would come from the city’s economic development fund and be rewarded to FCA through the city’s Major Program Grant.

In order to be eligible for the Major Project Grant, a company must invest at least $1,000,000 in Galesburg and create at least 50 jobs that all pay 125% of Galesburg’s per capita wage. Starting pay at FCA will be $16.

Per the Major Program Grant guidelines, a company can receive $2,000 per job created for a max of $200,000.

Ken Springer, president of the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development, said FCA will be the first company to have utilized the city’s Major Project Grant.

“This is going to be a really great win for the community,” Springer said. “A 100 new jobs is awesome so we're really glad to see the project move forward and hope the council approves it tonight.”

City documents show that FCA, LLC was founded in 1985 and provides “custom industrial packaging solutions,” like custom boxes, crates, skids, pallets, corrugated cardboard, plastics foam and metal. The company has 35 locations throughout 17 states and delivers products to over 100 locations in both the United States and Mexico.

Springer said the  company is headquartered in Moline and its main customers are in manufacturing and aerospace-defense industries.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Galesburg City Council FCA facility Major Project Grant job creation