Undersea Sensor plans $4 million Columbia City production line expansion

Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

Ultra Electronics will invest $4.4 million to add a new production line at its UnderSea Sensor Systems plant in Columbia City.
   
The expansion is expected to create as many as 45 new jobs by 2012.
   
Located in the Park 30 Business Center, USSI designs, develops and manufactures advanced military underwater surveillance and sensor systems. It expanded in 2009, to include communications equipment for first responders and the manufacture of mass notification and acoustic hailing products.
   
The new production line will accommodate USSI's new line of high-pressure air compressors for use on military aircraft.
   
The company currently employs more than 300 and will begin hiring additional skilled technicians and other workers once facility upgrades are completed in the second half of the year.
   
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered USSI up to $565,000 in performance-based tax credits and $150,000 in training grants. Whitley County will consider a 10-year tax abatement on real and personal property improvements associated with the project.
   
"USSI has become one of the largest employers in Whitley County," said Commissioner Michael Schrader in Tuesday's announcement. "We will continue to support the company's ongoing growth and success."