Perry County is a community where industry has always played a major role. For example, the earliest settlers, French fur trappers, were attracted here because of the wealth of resources and the easy access to East Coast markets on the Ohio River. Pioneers sailing down the Ohio River made Troy, Indiana's second oldest community, a major stopping point on their journey. Cannelton was built around rich coal supplies that fueled the Industrial Revolution in cities such as Louisville, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Swiss and German settlers founded Tell City because they were attracted to the rich variety of hardwoods which they transformed into finely crafted hand-made furniture still found in homes today.

Perry County is currently undergoing an industrial transformation as new global corporations move here bringing with them technologically sophisticated manufacturing systems. These companies include Waupaca Foundry, a division of the Budd Corporation and a QS 9000-certified manufacturer. Waupaca built its newest foundry in Perry County to produce components for the transportation, agriculture and home heating industries. It is the most advanced facility of its type in the world and uses state-of-the-art, computerized processes to manufacture parts for companies throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe. General Electric manufactures small motors found in appliances throughout the world following a Six Sigma quality initiative. Stewart-Warner produces heat exchangers for its global array of aerospace customers. The Schwab Corporation is transferring all of its manufacturing to Perry County to produce vaults and fire-resistant storage systems. Perfect Fit manufactures pillows and bedding for name brand retailers including JC Penney and Sears. Parker Hannifin builds filtration media and the Can-Clay Corporation, an ISO 9000-certified manufacturer, produces clay sewer pipe used in municipal systems on almost every continent.

With five full-service industrial parks, companies are also finding that Perry County offers the location that enables them to accomplish their objectives. All utilities are available including water, sewer, gas, electric and the most advanced telecommunications systems available in the world today. Easy access to rail, highway and river transportation resources is readily available and sites are currently open at each park.

Perry County also offers companies a menu of incentives to help them succeed. These include Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts to pay for infrastructure improvements and new construction through the use of property tax revenues. The new property taxes generated from new investment within the district may be used to construct public improvements such as roads and sewers, to acquire real and depreciable personal property and to retire debt incurred to fund the development activities. Funds can also be used for training.

Perry County offers Property Tax Abatement that allows companies to phase in the property tax increase that results from investments in industrial buildings, land, machinery and equipment over as many as 10 years.

Perry County and the State of Indiana stand ready to provide training and employment services, too. For example, the Indiana Department of Commerce can offer a grant that pays up to 50 percent of eligible training costs, which include basic-skills training, transferable-skills training, company-specific skills training and quality-assurance training. Companies seeking to become QS-9000 certified may have up to 75 percent of their related costs reimbursed.

Incentive grants from the Perry County Development Corporation are available. The specific amount of the incentives is based on employment levels and fixed asset investment.

Companies moving to Perry County also may be eligible for EDGE, a state tax credit based on payroll. Indiana individual income tax withholdings from company employees can be credited against the company's Indiana corporate income tax liability. Excess withholdings would be refunded to the company. The credit awarded can be a fixed amount per year or a percentage of taxes withheld. These credits can be awarded for up to 10 years.

Finally, the innovative business climate is a large part of the reason companies experience such success in Perry County. The private sector and local government agencies work hand-in-hand to ensure that our workforce has the education to adapt to new manufacturing processes. Funding programs have been created to encourage entrepreneurial growth and our infrastructure has the capacity to meet the needs of even the most intensive manufacturers. When a company wants to succeed, Perry County is the perfect place to get down to business.

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