By MARY ANN LEWIS, Commercial Review

It looks as if Jay County might be lucky enough to land two ethanol plants.

“It is no secret,” Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of the Jay County Development Corp., told JCDC members Tuesday, “The Andersons Inc. have selected a site for their ethanol plant and (the Randolph County based Cardinal Ethanol) is moving very rapidly on its plans as well.”

Both companies are pursuing the possibility of constructing ethanol plants in Jay County. Neither has committed to the project.

The Andersons’ potential site is located near its grain terminal outside Dunkirk while the Cardinal group favors a site southwest of the Meshberger Bros. Stone Corp., southwest of Portland. He told members, “they’ve visited the site on five occasions.” The site is along the rail line that parallels Ind. 67.

Cardinal has completed an option to acquire the land and are reviewing infrastructure requests, according to Quadrozzi. The Andersons are preparing to present a tax abatement request to the Jay County Council.

“There are still some Is to dot and Ts to cross,” he said, adding. “It’s going to create a lot of new tax base for the county, with or without abatements.”

Quadrozzi explained The Andersons plan includes a 110 million gallon per year wet mill operation that will create about 20 new jobs while the Cardinal dry mill operation will produce about 60 million gallons per year and create 35 to 40 new jobs.

“The state has indicated it would work with both companies. Is it in the bag?” Quadrozzi explained. “No. But it sure looks good for us. We’re doing all we can to make it happen.”

Quadrozzi told the board of several other proposed projects underway in the county.

“If all breaks, we will have one of the best years ever,” he said of the construction taking place.

Hoosier Harvestore Systems Inc., based in Delphi, has purchased a site in the Bryant Industrial Park as it expands into this area.

“They have a good reputation in the area,” he said about the business that sells equipment and supplies related to the agriculture industry.

Plans call for construction to begin in the next 30 to 45 days and three or four new jobs to be created.

Additionally, he said an industry in the Dunkirk Industrial Park is planning to double its size. That expansion is expected to create 15 to 30 new jobs.

Additionally, plans are also in the works to reopen a grocery store in Dunkirk. Ludwig’s, the sole grocery there, closed its doors last year.

Quadrozzi said, “it looks promising to get a well-established individual in there. He’ll add more product and that’s a big plus.”
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