More Italian businesses aiming to make Delaware County home

MUNCIE, Ind. − Two Delaware County commissioners went to Italy recently and returned with commitments from three Italian companies to invest in Delaware County.

According to a press release from the county's economic development office, the Italian firms reached agreement with commissioners Shannon Henry and James King during an October visit.

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Henry, who is president of the commissioners, said the agreements could involve economic incentives by the county. He said the particular incentives offered to companies are determined by the specific needs of the business. The State of Indiana also offers incentives.

Brad Bookout, economic development director for the county who accompanied commissioners and worked to arrange the business meetings, said the memorandums of understanding reached with the Italian firms do not include any promise of incentives but the county would try to help the companies if they could should they discover a need at some point.

Commissioners have made regular visits to Italy in recent years to sell Delaware County.

Perhaps the most dramatic of the three announcement during the recent October trip was with a company called Vi-Technik Sri, which specializes in rubber, plastic and glazing components for the automotive, defense and rail industries. Among other products, Vi-Technik manufactures advanced plastic technology for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in automobiles.

Plans call for the company based in San Vito al Tagliamento in northeast Italy to initially lease a 15,000 square-foot building in the Muncie Industria Center near Cowan Road and bring in, over time, $1.8 million in technically advanced robotic equipment and hire up to 40 skilled technician associates.

Henry said that Bookout arranged in the meetings with company officials in Northern Italy, which is a manufacturing region of Italy less dominated by tourism. During one session Henry and King met with officials from 15 to 20 different business.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. also provided the help of its Italian manager, Sabrina Riccardi, to put the Vi-Technik project together, according to the press release.

"Having the opportunity to develop this strategic partnership for new investment in the State Of Indiana and now having to company sign a commitment to proceed has been a real honor," she said. "I look forward to seeing the future success of this world-class company in Indiana."

Muncie was not the only community that Vi-Technik looked at before settling on Muncie.

"We looked at many locations in the Midwest before choosing to visit Indiana at the encouragement of Sabrina Riccardi," said Fabrizio Vito, president and CEO of the company. "Once in Indiana, the reception and relationship we developed with Brad Bookout in Delaware County to help us advance our plans was second to none."

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Vito also said, "In addition we are happy to be in an area with a strong presence of other Italian firms."

Muncie Power Products, with its downtown headquarters, is another well established Italian company. it has a 112,000 square-foot factory in Park One business park near Interstate 69. Also, FT Casting or Fonderia Taroni, is based in Alfonsine, Italy and has established its North American sales presence at the Innovation Connector in Muncie.

Vi-Technik plans to begin equipping its Muncie facility in the early spring of 2024 with production targeted for summer.

Delaware County's other October Italian deals will also bring Gamma Meccanica, a company that makes machinery that recycles plastics, to the community. The company will initially have a facility to house machinery and provide an area for the demonstration of its products.

Henry said that many of the Italian businesses, such as Filtrec, come to the county and open a sales office and gradually build its business in North America, while all the time increasing the company's footprint in Delaware County.

"(Gamma Meccanica) is currently producing and shipping plastic recycling and other heavy machine equipment all over the world, including the American market," the press release said. "Its Delaware County location will be its first such location in the United States."

Andrea Burini, CEO of Gamma Meccanica, visited Muncie and Delaware County earlier this year.

"The work and support that County Economic development Director Brad Bookout put into helping us made the difference in our decision," Burini said. "We are delighted now to set our roots to be a part of the Muncie-Delaware County community and we look forward to working with more residents and local companies as we advance our plans."

Also planning to do more in the county is Trebi Sri, a robotics company that already has a sales office in place and now intends to advance that operation to include warehousing.

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The press release says the firm will ship its advanced cutting and deburring robotic machinery to Delaware County for distribution across the Americas.

Trebi is a leader in the manufacturing of robotic equipment that performs work considered considered "dangerous, dirty and low skilled."

David Penticuff is a reporter with The Star Press. He can be reached at dpenticuff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: More Italian businesses aiming to make Delaware County home