Multimatic’s $25M expansion to create 75 jobs in New Haven

April 01-- Apr. 1--The Canadian automotive parts maker that occupied the former Vera Bradley plant in New Haven two years ago is planning an investment of nearly $25 million expected to create 75 new jobs.

According to an application for a tax abatement given preliminary approval last week by New Haven City Council, Multimatic will make $8.9 million in improvements to its building at 2808 Adams Center Road, investing another $16 million in manufacturing equipment in a project expected to be complete by July 1.

Multimatic announced in 2017 it intended to occupy the 125,000-square-foot Adams Center Road facility vacated by Vera Bradley in 2015. The local maker of women's handbags and apparel had employed 250 people there starting in 2009. Later in 2017 Multimatic received an abatement on $40 million in equipment and said it planned to hire to 180 people. Today, the company has about 225 employees in New Haven, and the new investment and jobs would be in addition to the 2017 numbers, according to Elissa McGauley, Allen County's director of redevelopment.

The new jobs would include two management positions paying between $85,000 and $120,000, and 73 production jobs paying between $37,000 and $75,000.

Abatements temporarily reduce taxes paid on new buildings and equipment. If approved by council, the current request would reduce Multimatic's taxes by early $2.3 million over 10 years. In 2017, the company said it chose to locate in New Have to be "close to both its customer base and its existing facility in Butler, something that ensures ongoing production and technical support." At the time the Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered Multimatic up to nearly $1.28 million in conditional tax credits and up to $150,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans.

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