ChemGen growth among Valley’s good economic news in 2011 [The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.]

Dec. 31--EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the final story in a series looking at local news events from 2011.

TERRE HAUTE -- The year 2011 was short on blockbuster economic headlines in the Wabash Valley, but one positive development that demonstrates growth in size and reach emanates from Terre Haute's ChemGen, a manufacturer of animal feed enzymes.

ChemGen's customers -- and potential customers -- are the world's poultry producers. ChemGen's products help animals digest food more efficiently, saving farmers money.

As an example of the company's global reach, on Friday, a large shipment of its enzymes was set to begin the long journey to the Far East. ChemGen's products are shipped by road, rail and sea.

"We've grown quite a bit," said Joe Leinberger, plant manager at ChemGen. And the company, with its global sales, expects strong growth in the future.

"We have some pretty aggressive sales goals," Leinberger said. "We're pretty optimistic."

LeRoy Schatz, maintenance manager at ChemGen, said the company buys many of its inputs -- materials such as sugar and salt used in the production process -- from local businesses, which helps the Wabash Valley's economy. "We try to keep things in Terre Haute as much as possible," he said.

ChemGen moved into the former Alpharma fermentation plant on South First Street in 2008. At that time, the company, based in Gaithersburg, Md., expected to hire between 15 and 20 employees. However, the company now employs 24 people, five contractors and 19 regular, full-time workers.

The company, founded in 1985, is on the cutting edge of food production for a growing world population, said Steve Witt from his perspective as president of the Terre Haute Economic Development Corp.

Terre Haute is "perceived as a very business-friendly community," Witt said. As a result, Witt expects more good economic news in 2012.

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Beyond ChemGen, there are rumblings in the distance that could be indicators of good business news to come.

Perhaps the biggest single economic story came at the very end of the year. Economic development officials announced that a still-unidentified company is planning to buy a portion of the former Pfizer property in southern Vigo County. The purchase would include facilities Pfizer constructed to manufacture Exubera, a diabetes medicine.

The name of the company should be announced in early January.

Other business news in 2011 included the opening of a new Holiday Inn Express on U.S. 40/Indiana 46 near Interstate 70.

There was also the launch of construction of a new, three-story office building at 925 Wabash Ave. The building, which is receiving economic incentives from the Terre Haute Department of Redevelopment, will house WTHI-FM and WWVR-FM radio stations and also Old National Insurance.

Later in 2011, WTHI-TV announced plans to move into a new building currently under construction at Eighth and Ohio streets.

"I think those are excellent indicators of the private sector having continued faith in not only the downtown but our economy and community as a whole," Witt said. While downtown Terre Haute is "definitely on an upswing," the whole local economy is starting to make steady progress, he said.

Other good news in 2011 included the recent announcement by Southwest Airlines that it is purchasing $4.7 billion in new jet engines, products for which are manufactured by GE Aviation in Terre Haute.

Also, Terre Haute-based Sony DADC made a $72-million investment in new equipment in 2011 and Jadcore added a new production line.

Even Boral Bricks, a southern Vigo County manufacturer, which is still struggling with the housing crisis, had good news for the area this year. Because of the Vigo County plant's efficiency, Boral expanded its service area and announced plans in November to keep the facility operating year-round.

"I think things are slowly improving," Witt said.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or [email protected].

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