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Click here to see past recruitment successes.Companies are continually selecting Kansas communities to establish new facilities or to expand existing Kansas operations.
Client Services, Inc, of St. Charles, MO has chosen Lenexa, KS for a new collection services center in the U.S.. The company’s new receivables management center will initially create more than 175 new jobs, with growth in excess of 220 persons within two years. In addition, they plan to invest $3.43 million in new capital investment at the facility. This new customer service operation will house some of the company’s core financial recovery business for many of largest banks in the U.S. Client Services will lease 18,000 square feet at College Corporate Meadows in Lenexa, Kan. The company conducted an extensive search in the U.S. for this new operation and credits the quality of labor in the Johnson County area as a factor in their decision.
Central Bag Company, is moving its business from Kansas City, Missouri to the former Hallmark Select Products building. After renovations to the building are complete, the company will bring its 17 existing employees to Leavenworth this year with plans to increase that number to 75 over the next 5 years. Central Bag Company was established in 1929, and in 1989 became 100% employee owned. The company manufactures textile bags, as well as imports and distributes paper, burlap, cotton, polyethylene and woven polypropylene bags and other packaging products. Central Bag will manufacture bags locally as the company plans to increase its business. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with the Leavenworth Area Development Council to bring this business to Kansas.
Redbarn Pet Products, Inc., announced they will be moving their operations from Long Beach, California to Great Bend, Kansas in the building formerly occupied by Great Bend Packing. Redbarn manufactures premium pet foods and treats. Their products are carried by retailers across the U.S. Redbarn will eventually employ between 175 and 200 people at full production.
J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services , has signed a ten-year lease to occupy new headquarters on the Sprint Campus in Overland Park, KS. The 175,000-squarefoot building at 6580 Sprint Parkway will house 800 Kansas City-based jobs and the move is scheduled for early 2011.
State officials said the company’s decision underscores the state’s longtime commitment to public education. "Companies such as J.P. Morgan commit to Kansas because our workforce is trained, able and incredibly talented," said Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson. "But a skilled workforce doesn’t happen overnight; it takes a long-term commitment to our public schools and post-secondary institutions. As we navigate through our current budget challenges, we must keep this in mind. The decisions we make today directly impact the job opportunities we’ll see in the tomorrows ahead." J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services has been in the Kansas City area since 1989.
Old World Spices & Seasonings, Inc., founded in 1988, is moving its corporate headquarters to Overland Park, KS. The company will relocate its existing 13 employees with plans to increase that number to 25 by the end of the fifth year of operation. Old World Spices & Seasonings, Inc. produces custom seasoning blends for the bakery, dairy, deli, meat, private label and food service industries. Laurie's Kitchen, the company's new branded line of gourmet mixes for the specialty food market, is the company's fastest-growing segment, providing brand penetration throughout the United States. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with the Overland Park Economic Development Council to bring this business to Kansas.
U.S. Bank, plans to bring more than 1,100 new jobs starting in the second quarter of 2010 when U.S. Bank will open a new Service Center in Overland Park.
The U.S. Bank Service Center in Overland Park will be one of the bank’s largest service centers. U.S. Bank currently has service centers located in Cincinnati; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Denver; Fargo, N.D.; Milwaukee; Portland, Ore.; St. Louis; and St. Paul, Minn.
The hiring of new U. S. Bank employees for the new service center is planned to begin by the end of the second quarter of 2010. Additional new U.S. Bank employees completing various functions supporting numerous products will continue to be added throughout the remainder of the year. The new employees will be joined by 130 U.S. Bank Multi-Service Aviation employees who currently work at another location in Overland Park. Continued employment growth is projected to continue in the service center over the next four years or throughout 2013. A total of 1,300 U.S. Bank employees will work inside the five-story, 185,178 square-foot service center. U.S. Bank will be the only company to occupy the building.
Sealy Mattress Company, The largest bedding manufacturer in North America and longtime Wyandotte County manufacturer, Sealy Mattress Company has announced plans to continue producing their world-famous mattresses in Kansas. Sealy will move its local operations to 435 Riverpark in July, 2010, securing in excess of 100 manufacturing jobs for the county. This decision will also bring close to $7.0 million in capital investment to Kansas. Sealy manufactures and markets a broad range of mattresses and foundations under the Sealy®, Sealy Posturepedic®, Stearns & Foster® and Bassett® brands. The company has the largest market share, with sales of $1.5 billion in fiscal 2008, and highest consumer awareness of any bedding brand in North America.
Tindall Corporation, a family-owned manufacturer of sophisticated precast concrete products, has selected Newton, Kansas for the location of their new plant to produce Atlas CTB wind tower bases. These pre-cast bases allow wind turbines to be elevated an extra 30 meters, generating greater and more consistent wind power. The company will begin construction in late 2010 and will employ over 400 persons.
RPS Financial and RPS Benefits, will expand operations to Park Place in Leawood, KS. RPS Financial Group and RPS Benefits, a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual will occupy the top floor of the three-story building. The new facility will accommodate its wealth management, employee benefits and Northwestern Mutual operations.
SPV Coach Company and Southwest Professional Vehicles, has chosen Kansas City, KS as their new manufacturing and headquarters location. SPV Coach Company specializes in the manufacturing of custom-built Cadillac limousines for the funeral home industry as well as the rebuilding of funeral coaches and limousines damaged in accidents. SPV is recognized as a “Cadillac Master Coachbuilders” and holds the distinction of being one of the only company’s in the world that specialize in this type of work. Southwest Professional Vehicles is the largest distributor of luxury limos to funeral homes in the country will move its headquarters from Dallas, TX to a 45,000 sq ft facility at 10th and Central Avenue which it will share with SPV. In total the two companies will employ 33 new full-time jobs and 5 part-time when fully operational. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked in partnership with Wyandotte Economic Development Council and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to make this a success for Kansas.
Diagnostic Imaging Centers, will relocate their headquarters to a new 15,000 sq ft office location in Overland Park, KS. Diagnostic Imaging Centers, P.A. provides medical imaging in the greater Kansas City area with a commitment to technological innovation, compassionate patient care, and maintaining a professional and responsive relationship with the health care community. The new location will employ 32 full-time and one part-time position.
MJS Soda, will locate a new beverage manufacturing operation to Wichita, Kansas. This project is estimated to bring 100 jobs over five years, $4.0 million in payroll and $2.25 million in new capital investment. MJS Soda is a manufacturer of functional soft drinks designed to diminish anxiety and reduce stress.
Advanced Building Composites, LLC, has signed a lease for a 50,000 sq ft facility in Kansas City, Kansas where they will establish a new manufacturing facility. The company will be producing composite pallets, decking and siding materials and will begin production by year end 2009. Advanced Building Composites chose its Wyandotte County location because of the industrial nature of the area and a proven labor pool. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked in partnership with Wyandotte Economic Development Council and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to make this a success for Kansas.
Cook Flatt & Strobel Engineering, has chosen Kansas City, KS as their next location to expand operations. Founded in 1961, Cook, Flatt & Strobel has become one of the Midwest's leading engineering firms through its commitment to the highest quality and efficient project management. They provide quality professional consulting engineering services in a multitude of disciplines from government agencies, industries to individuals. The company will create 23 new jobs at their new Cambridge Circle location. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked in partnership with Wyandotte Economic Development Council and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to make this a success for Kansas.
Aegis Fire Protection, LLC, has chosen to retain its location in Kansas and expand operations to Olathe. The company is a full service WBE Fire Protection and Fire Detection Company. Aegis will manufacturer and design sprinkler systems at the Olathe facility as well as oversee system installation. The company plans on hiring 25 new full time positions at a new 15,000 sq ft facility. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with Aegis Fire Protection to retain their company in Kansas.
Apria Healthcare, America's leading provider of integrated home healthcare products and services, is establishing a regional customer service center in Overland Park. The company will consolidate billing and other support functions at the new facility, which will include 150 positions from the company’s nearby Lenexa operation plus 400 new jobs. Apria is leasing space in the Sprint headquarters complex and will begin operations in August, 2009.
Millers Incorporated, will expand its commercial digital printing operation in Pittsburg, Kansas by relocating an operation from Missouri and through additional growth in operations. The project is expected to create 30 new full-time positions and $2.2 million in new capital investment.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe, will locate a new Positive Train Control operation to Lenexa, Kansas. This site will oversee the replacement of signals for railroad lines with more updated technology to improve safety and communication. The improved technology will allow trains to receive information about where it is located to safely travel and enforce compliance with train movements. The project will create up to 70 full-time positions and approximately $4.0 million in capital investment.
Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Laboratory, (ABADRL) will relocate from Laramie, Wyoming to Manhattan, Kansas. This new lab will further cement Kansas as a global leader for animal health research.” ABADRL is a federal research lab and is relocating in order to fully achieve its research mandate. The US Federal Government has allocated $1.5 million for relocation costs to Kansas. This will bring 31 new jobs to Kansas and $2.25 million in new capital investment.
Sergeant's Pet Care Products Inc., has announced their recent location to Kansas City, Kansas. The company will employ a total of 60 full-time jobs plus 4 part-time positions over the next five years. Sergeant's will produce pet treats, including its SteakHouse, Sniffers and DentaFresh products at the 80,000 sq ft facility. Sergeant's is based in Omaha, NE and was founded in 1868. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked in partnership with Wyandotte Economic Development Council and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to make this a success for Kansas.
Bushnell Outdoor Products , Bushnell Outdoor Products has signed a lease for a 221,800-square-foot space in Olathe, where it will consolidate its area distribution facilities.
The Overland Park-based company, which specializes in high-performance sports optics, leased the space in a 602,000-square-foot speculative industrial building at 22101 W. 167th St.
The Department of Commerce offered a forgivable loan, workforce training, tax credits and sales tax exemptions to retain the Kansas company.
N. Glantz & Son, LLC, has announced their recent expansion and relocation to Kansas City, Kansas. The new warehouse features a welcoming will-call area, improved office systems, and increased inventory.
“The expanded new location is a big improvement,” says Brandon Smith, Branch Manager. “We’ve been in Kansas City for over 30 years. Now, we can offer our customers even better product selection and service with our improved space.”
Like all Glantz locations, the Kansas City branch is a fully stocked facility, offering a huge selection of Commercial, Electrical and Digital sign and graphics supplies.
N. Glantz & Son, LLC, the largest full line sign supply wholesale distributor in North America, has been family owned and operated since 1906, with corporate offices in Louisville, KY.
CareCentrix, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of home health benefits management services, has chosen Overland Park for its newest regional care center. CareCentrix will employ 90 customer service, clinical and management personnel in its new center by February 2010, and anticipates having up to 150 personnel in place within two years. Growth in the company’s home care management business and emerging opportunities in the area of hospital-to-home transitional care are the driving forces behind its decision to open the center.
CareCentrix chose Overland Park as the location for its newest center in large part because of the high caliber workforce in the community. CareCentrix will lease approximately 25,000 square feet on the Sprint-Nextel world headquarters campus.
Kansas City Steak Company, has announced plans to expand its facility and increase its operations at their existing Wyandotte County location. The significant growth will help make room for their newly expanded product line, which is anticipated to help the company draw an estimated $110 million in sales in the next year. The family-owned company, which just committed to another 10 years in Wyandotte County, will increase employment by adding 35 new jobs and invest in new machinery and equipment for the facility.
NCO Group, Inc., an industry leader in business process outsourcing solutions, is expanding their Lenexa customer service center. The company will add a total of 725 full-time jobs plus 25 part-time positions over the next three years. Existing space will be reconfigured and an additional 55,000 sq. ft. will be leased. The new staff will handle a variety of projects, including support for the transition to digital television.
Ford Storage and Moving, has leased 24,000 sq. ft. in Kansas City, Kan. Ford Storage and Moving is an Omaha-based third party logistics, warehousing, record storage, transportation services and home delivery company. The company expects its KC business to grow and looks to expand its footprint significantly in the near future.
The Greensburg Wind Farm, which will consist of 10 1.25 MW wind turbines, will be built jointly by John Deere Renewables, Kansas Power Pool and the city of Greensburg, which is using a green rebuilding initiative as it puts the pieces back together. The wind farm is planned to begin commercial production in 2010. Kansas Power Pool, a municipal energy agency to which Greensburg belongs, will purchase electrical output from the wind farm. When the project becomes operational, Greensburg will be able to supply 100% of the city’s homes and businesses with a clean, green energy source. NativeEnergy Inc., a leader in climate solutions services, will be the exclusive marketer of renewable energy certificates (RECs) from the wind farm, purchasing about two-thirds of the wind farm's expected REC output over 20 years and providing critical revenues to enable project financing.
Premiere Processing, of Chatsworth, California will locate a new metal processing manufacturing operation for the aviation industry to Wichita, Kansas. This new operation will create 100 new jobs, over $3.0M of new payroll and $3.8M of new capital investment. The Department of Commerce offered a forgivable loan, workforce training, income tax credits and sales tax exemptions to bring this new business to Kansas.
FedEx SmartPost, a division of FedEx Ground, announced the location of a regional hub in Olathe. This 126,000 sq. ft. facility will collect and distribute catalogues and periodicals in cooperation with the U.S. Postal Service. Nearly 70 full-time equivalent positions will be created
A third shift and 945 new jobs coming to GM Fairfax plant in KCK, An unprecedented third shift and 945 new jobs are coming to General Motors Fairfax assembly plant in January, providing an unusually large boost to Kansas City s economy. The third shift will come on top of 375 jobs that Fairfax added thanks to its production of the Buick LaCrosse this summer. The shift will mean Fairfax will produce all Malibu, LaCrosse and Aura models for GM. The plant s total employment will climb from 2,700 to more than 3,600 early next year.
Sara Lee Corporation, announced that it will open a new, state-of-the-art sliced meat manufacturing facility in Kansas City, at 4612 Speaker Road, which will become fully operational by 2011. The plant is expected to employ more than 250 people. Sara Lee will invest more than $130 million in the 187,000 square foot facility, which will provide the scale to develop industry-leading technological processes and give Sara Lee the capacity for long-term growth in the meat business. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked in partnership with Wyandotte Economic Development Council and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to make this a success for Kansas.
Sports Associated Inc. (SAI), a subsidiary of parent company GMJ Co, Inc, is anticipating a move into their new home at 4600 Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas by the end of the month. SAI is a carrier company that is known throughout for its expertise in transportation, warehousing and trade shows for a wide variety of power sport vehicles, electronic equipment suppliers and other companies with materials or machinery that requires specialty transportation. The tremendous growth experienced by the company in recent years is what drove GMJ to seek a new location for SAI’s primary headquarters, which will also serve as the corporate headquarters for GMJ. The investment tally for bringing both entities into the county means nearly $12 million in capital investment and an estimated 100 jobs. The Department of Commerce offered a forgivable loan, workforce training, tax credits and sales tax exemptions to bring this company to Kansas.
Siemens Energy, has selected Hutchinson as the site of a new wind turbine equipment production facility, state and company officials announced today. The operation is expected to create an estimated 400 green-collar jobs and will be the first large-scale wind turbine equipment factory in Kansas, which is ranked third in the nation for wind energy resource potential. The 300,000-square-foot facility and adjacent 80,000-square-foot service and repair facility will be built on more than 100 acres in Reno County, which is located northwest of Wichita on the Arkansas River. Construction is expected to begin in August.
The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, will build a 465,500 square foot distribution center in Topeka, Kan., creating several hundred jobs over the next few years. The site is expected to have a total capital investment of more than $20 million, shared between the developer and the company. The jobs created at this new facility will generate approximately $11 million in total direct salaries annually. The Topeka distribution center is one of 20 facilities the company is building nationwide. The new Rapid Deployment Center will help improve service and increase efficiency at the company’s retail locations throughout the area. This site is part of a larger program at The Home Depot to improve its supply chain; making it easier for stores to keep the right products in stock when customers need them.
Black & Veatch, announced one of the largest real-estate transactions in the Kansas City region with an agreement to purchase, renovate and expand their headquarters Overland Park, the world headquarters for the area’s largest engineering, consulting and construction company. The company plans to add 250,000 sq. ft. of space and upgrade the existing space to meet LEED standards. With a potential total of 850,000 square-feet in the campus, the site could ultimately accommodate a total workforce of more than 3,400. The existing facility currently houses more than 2,300 Black & Veatch employees plus contractors and other affiliates.
ANOxA, a startup veterinary research company working to reduce the severity of a disorder that afflicts performance horses, is relocating its corporate headquarters and operations to Lawrence from New York. ANOxA Corp. announced Tuesday morning that it would bring its main office along with its research and development operations to town from West Seneca, N.Y. “Considering the Kansas City area’s concentration of animal health companies, universities excelling in veterinary research and potential animal health collaborators, we find this environment very appealing,” said Herman Haenert, president of ANOxA, in a statement. “We know this is where we need to be.”
The company is expected to have the Lawrence operation up and running within two months in Lawrence. Haenert and two other employees will be based in Lawrence, and the company plans to hire another seven employees within five years. ANOxA will receive $300,000 from the Kansas Bioscience Authority.