Eric North and Traci Moyer, Daily Reporter staff writers

Greenfield -- A merger that would have located a high-tech industrial facility on Greenfield’s north side and bring 43 jobs to the area has fallen through, according to officials.

“It is true; the joint venture company CMRQualtronics will not be formed,” John Gatto, managing director of CMR USA in Zelienople, Pa. “There are certainly no problems with the city of Greenfield or the planned site. In fact, I remain impressed and humbled with the reception we were given by people of Greenfield, council and the mayor. It is the intention of CMR to explore the other options we have for our business.”

CMRQualtronics would have been a joint venture between CMR and Qualtronics LLC, which is based in Columbus. Pennsylvania-based CMR manufactures advanced monitoring and wiring solutions for industrial engines and marine propulsion systems. Qualtronics targets a specialized market for automobile wiring harnesses.

The Greenfield City Council already had tentatively approved a 10-year property tax abatement for property near New Road and Fortville Pike. The merged firm proposed a 20,000-square-foot building.

Property for the new business was being developed by Leeson Investments in Indianapolis.

“There were just a lot of management differences that we can’t seem to work out,” said Robert Daly, president of the Columbus-based Qualtronics.

The development was hailed by local officials as a high-tech, low-pollution employer. City officials were going to use tax dollars generated by a special taxing district to pay for some improvements to the land, including a retention pond.

“It broke down at the end of last week,” said Daly of the deal. “There is no way I can see to mend the problem.”

The Greenfield attorney who represented the venture before the council, Ron Pritzke, confirmed Monday that he is asking for the abatement request to be continued. The city council was to hear the request Dec. 15 during a public hearing, but that has been postponed.

The proposed business merger would have brought the new company’s North American headquarters to Greenfield along with 43 people in 2006. The workforce was projected to be 75 jobs in 2007 and 100 jobs by 2008. The average salary was said to be $43,000.

Daly said Greenfield would have been an ideal location for the new company. He said locating here would allow his company to be closer to customers and said the community’s work ethic was also a draw to the area.
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