HANCOCK COUNTY — A designer and supplier of beverage accessories plans to build a distribution facility in the western part of the county.

Seattle-based True Fabrications — part of True Brands — which sells products like corkscrews, glasses and other beverage accessories, is planning the project south of County Road 350N and east of County Road 800W. The estimated $14 million capital investment will lead to a 200,000-square foot building with the capacity to double in size.

True Fabrications will move the distribution operation it’s had for the past several years in a facility of about 120,000 feet in Marion County into the new Hancock County property.

“They are at maximum capacity where they’re at,” said Alexis Sowder, a project manager with Indianapolis-based KSM Location Advisors, at a Hancock County Council meeting earlier this year. “There’s no opportunity for growth.”

But the company knew it wanted to stay in Indiana, said Kevin Kenny, head of distribution for True Brands.

“After extensive research in all of Indianapolis, we want to stay centralized here,” Kenny said. “We believe it’s a strong footprint for our initial phase of distribution and continued growth.”

The company has experienced aggressive growth since its founding in 2003, Kenny continued.

True Fabrications will relocate 93 full-time jobs as a result of the move. The building is estimated to be completed by the end of 2022.

The Hancock County Council approved a 10-year real estate property tax abatement for the property, which will be 100% in its first year. Taxes will gradually phase in over the years that follow.

True Fabrications originally sought a personal property tax abatement for the equipment that will go in the building, but backed down after council members indicated they don’t typically grant such breaks.

Jim Shelby, a county council member, said the council tries to reserve personal property taxes for schools and other taxing units unless there’s a compelling reason to do otherwise.

“I don’t see that this would be unusual,” Shelby said.
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