CHARLESTOWN — A New Jersey company that specializes in health care marketing and distributing drug samples plans to open a $13.3 million facility at River Ridge Commerce Center by June.
J. Knipper and Co., the largest supplier of end-to-end samples management services to the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, and One Southern Indiana on Monday announced that the company has broken ground on a new high-volume distribution center in Charlestown. The state-of-the-art distribution center will provide "innovative expanded distribution capabilities for many of Knipper’s pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device customers," according to a 1si press release. It will employ 56 full-time permanent employees.
“The state and county representatives could not have been more proactive in their approach to bringing businesses like ours to Southern Indiana. I can’t tell you what a pleasure it has been to work with them,” said Jim Knipper, owner and CEO of J. Knipper and Company, in the release. “The incentives that the IEDC makes available in the way of tax and training credits made this location very attractive from the start.”
With assistance from One Southern Indiana, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered J. Knipper up to $385,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $40,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The company’s location also affords it the opportunity to apply for benefits through the Urban Enterprise Zone located in the River Ridge Commerce Center.
“We welcome J. Knipper & Company, Inc. to Charlestown and are pleased they have chosen to build and invest in our community,” said Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall in the release. “The addition of a distribution center with the latest technology in the River Ridge Commerce Center and the employment and training that will be provided is an incredible investment. We look forward to working with the leaders of J. Knipper & Company in a partnership that will continue to grow the economy of our city and the region.”
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Lakewood, N.J., J. Knipper provides the health care industry with solutions in direct marketing, sampling, compliance, information technology and sales force productivity.