City of Winchester, Randolph County and Indiana support multi-million dollar investment in glass manufacturing

Ardagh Group, Glass – North America, a division of Ardagh Group and a leading producer of glass containers for the food and beverage industries in the United States, is pleased to announce it has received approval for incentives from the City of Winchester, Randolph Economic Development Corporation (REDC/Randolph County Commissioners) and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to support significant upcoming capital projects in its Winchester, Ind., glass manufacturing facility. 

The glass industry is an integral part of our community, providing jobs, investment and a quality of life, said Mayor Steve Croyle, City of Winchester. As we move into this phase of reinvestment in our community, we are pleased to partner with Ardagh Group as they continue to grow opportunities for themselves, the City of Winchester and all the families, current and future, working here.

The agreements provide a tax abatement of approximately $6.1 million over 10 years from the City of Winchester and a grant of $300,000 for local equipment purchases and training of employees associated with this project from the REDC/Randolph County Commissioners. Additionally, based on the company’s growth plans, the IEDC offered Ardagh Group up to $1 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants, which are performance-based incentives. As a result, Ardagh Group has agreed to make capital investments of nearly $71 million in its Winchester glass manufacturing facility over the next three years.

This level of investment in a single glass manufacturing facility in such a brief period of time is unprecedented for Ardagh Group and extremely rare in our industry, said John Riordan, President and CEO of Ardagh Group, Glass – North America. We are so pleased that the City of Winchester, Randolph County and the State of Indiana have agreed to provide Ardagh with these important incentives that help to justify our substantial capital investments in Winchester.

The foundation for a better future has been established by Ardagh Group's investment of over $70 million in the Winchester facility, said Bruce W. Hosier, Executive Director, REDC. This project represents the value of strong partnerships, collaboration and the commitment to excellence, which are essential to the prosperity for rural communities.

These incentives are the result of discussions between representatives from Ardagh Group and Mayor Steve Croyle, City of Winchester; the Winchester City Council; Bruce W. Hosier, Executive Director, REDC.; REDC and the Randolph County Commissioners; and the IEDC.

Ardagh Group’s glass products produced here in Indiana reflect the strength of our state’s Hoosier workforce, said Eric Doden, President of the IEDC. Bolstered by Indiana’s affordable business climate and central U.S. location, it’s always great news when a global company with a world of choices like Ardagh Group picks Indiana for its long-term business plans.

Ardagh’s expansion project is one that Randolph County should invest in, and we should be a partner in this Company’s modernization and growth, said Michael Wickersham, President of the Randolph County Commissioners. Most of us have grown up with this employer and recognize them as one of the best employers and corporate citizens in Randolph County.

The Ardagh Group manufacturing facility in Winchester was built in 1937 and specializes in the manufacture of glass containers for the food and spirits markets. Employing approximately 400 people at its Winchester facility, Ardagh is the second largest employer in Randolph County.