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More businesses moving from Illinois to Kenosha County
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he number of businesses that are moving operations to Kenosha County continues to grow. Two more announced such plans recently. Vonco Products LLC, a flexible packaging and promotional products manufacturer, will move its headquarters from Lake Villa, Illinois to a new building that will be constructed in the Salem Business Park in the Town of Salem in Kenosha County. And Colbert Packaging Corp., a Lake Forest, Illinois-based manufacturer of cartons and boxes, plans to relocate its flexographic packaging operations to Kenosha, potentially bringing 100 jobs. Vonco Products will be the first manufacturer in the 65-acre Salem Business Park. The company will move to an 80,500-square-foot facility, and plans to invest more than $4 million in equipment at the facility and create 86 jobs over the next three years. The Kenosha Area Business Alliance is developing the Salem Business Park. Vonco will lease the building from KABA. The company is expected to take occupancy in June 2017. The Town of Salem has created a tax increment financing district to support the Salem
Business Park development. In addition, to help attract Vonco to Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. has authorized the company to receive up to $500,000 in state tax credits over the next three years. The actual amount of tax credits received will be contingent upon the number of jobs created during that time. “Manufacturing in Wisconsin is a long-term competitive advantage,” said Keith Smith, president of Vonco. Colbert Packaging is in the process of acquiring a 173,000-square-foot facility at 9949 58th Place in the Business Park of Kenosha. The industrial spec building was developed by Milwaukee-based Zilber Property Group in 2015. State, city and county officials offered $1.6 million in incentives to help attract Colbert. The WEDC authorized the company to receive up to $850,000 in state tax credits over the next three years, dependent upon the number of jobs created and capital invested. The City of Kenosha approved a $500,000 grant to offset the company’s construction costs related to the move. Kenosha County is providing $250,000 from its High Impact Fund.
Colbert currently operates its flexographic division from a facility less than half the size of the new building, which will be the company’s largest. Colbert’s A rendering of the building Vonco Products LLC will occupy in the Salem headquarters will Business Park. remain in Lake Forest. The company is eliminating a state an ideal location for Colbert.” warehouse in Libertyville, Illinois as part Since the beginning of 2013, major of the move. economic development projects acJim Hamilton, president of Colbert, counting for more than 6,000 new jobs said the company considered existing and nearly $1 billion of capital investbuildings in Lake County, Illinois, along ment have been announced, completed with potential building sites, but noth- or are underway in Kenosha County. ing was interesting enough. In addition, Other companies that have new facilihe said local officials in Illinois said there ties in Kenosha County include Amazon, were no incentives available to encourage Uline, InSinkErator, Meijer, Niagara Botthe company to stay. tling and Gourmet Foods International. “Your state is very welcoming,” HamA new boundary agreement among ilton said. “It’s nice to be wanted as op- the City of Kenosha, Village of Somers posed to not wanted in this state here. and Town of Paris could facilitate more “Wisconsin is known for its print- development and attract more businessing and paper-making industries, as well es to the county. as the technical expertise of those who ——Corrinne Hess and Arthur work in these fields, which makes the Thomas
SOCI AL M E D I A S T R AT E GI ES
Twitter Chats can help connect with customers Cutting through the social media clutter to connect with your various audiences is more challenging than ever. Business and marketing firms continue to try to determine the benefits of Twitter – besides something to scan while standing in the checkout line at the grocery store. While your company may not secure 96 million Twitter followers like Katy Perry, there is an audience to connect with. How many companies have considered Twitter Chats? The Ritterbusch Group has hosted chats for regional and national clients with great success. The benefits include promoting specific events or product launches for a client at (literally) little-to-no cost in a relaxed, less formal setting. Strong communication before, 4
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during and after the event is key to success. As with any event, determine your goals ahead of time. What do you want the audience to do with the information? Visit a website? Connect on social media? Contact you or your client directly? Whatever the answer, make sure to drive content that will lead to your desired outcome. »» Once a Twitter Chat has been scheduled, promote it to key audiences, including targeted media, through standard channels and all of your social media outlets (not just Twitter). »» Solicit questions on social media, both ahead of time and during the chat itself. »» In all postings related to the chat, utilize a specific hashtag (ex: #TRGChat) so content is easy to find during and after the chat. »» Don’t be late! If the chat is scheduled for 10 a.m., start it at that time. Be as respectful to
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a social media audience as you are to those with whom you have business appointments. »» Remember, content should never live in just one place. Following the chat, continue crosspromoting content. Whether in full or in part, post chat comments to websites, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Take photos during the chat itself and post to Instagram and elsewhere, continuing to use the chat hashtag. Oh, and one little secret: not all Twitter Chats are “live.” By soliciting questions ahead of time, a chat can be held with a client in advance and then posted at a specific day/ time. “Plausibly live” chats can have equally positive outcomes.
——Marc Whitney is an account supervisor at Brookfield-based The Ritterbusch Group.