Apak Inc., a contract packaging company, is expanding its operations at an existing facility at 3801 S. Memorial Drive in Racine, according to a press release by the Racine County Economic Development Corporation.
Mundelein IL-based Apak has leased the space for a year, but it plans to buy the building. The company now has 12 employees and expects to hire 34 full-time employees over the next three years at the Racine facility. Apak has 110 employees at its Mundelein operation.
Laura Million, business development manager for RCEDC, said Apak received help from Racine through the tax reinvestment program, which allows companies to cut the municipal part of its tax bill to finance some of its building sale.
“Apak will receive a 75 percent reduction in its property tax bill over 10-year period, the municipal portion of its tax bill,” she said.
The reduction amounts to $86,850 over 10 years. It allows Apak to be a building owner, but it also deepens the ties it has to the area, Million said.
Ed Raynor, who owns Apak with his wife Sue Raynor, said he was referred to Racine County by another manufacturer to look at moving to Racine County over a year ago.
“We were referred to RCEDC to help us with our land and building search and to help us with our workforce needs,” Raynor said. “With the assistance of RCEDC, we were introduced to the City of Racine staff—from the Mayor’s office to City Development and the Building Inspector, everyone has been very helpful.”
At first, RCEDC, a private-public entity that helps businesses in Racine County grow and move to the area, helped the company try to find land to build, but they realized that the business was growing so fast that an existing building was needed.
Racine Mayor John Dickert said that Apak will benefit from Racine’s strong manufacturing base.
“With our location in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, we are pleased with Apak’s choice and we are excited to support this company as it continues to grow,” he said.