Area Development
Blue Dot Safes, a U.S.-based custom safe manufacturer and service provider, plans to locate a new distribution and call center, in Hammond, Indiana. The company expects to create 28 new jobs in Lake County.

The California-based company is investing $1.25 million to purchase, update and equip a 60,000-square-foot facility at 430 Russell St. in Hammond. The new facility, which is the company’s second location, will be home to Blue Dot Safes’ 24/7, in-bound call center and will also serve as its distribution and fulfillment hub in the Midwest, shipping custom commercial and gun safes across the country.

Scheduled to be fully operational this fall, the company will completely renovate the exterior façade of the building while investing in new equipment and office furniture for the interior. Blue Dot Safes, which currently employs 52 associates in the U.S., has already added 14 full-time employees at its Hammond facility and plans to create an additional 14 jobs within its technical support and customer service departments over the next two years.

“Blue Dot Safes is excited to expand our footprint into Northwest Indiana. Our partnership and interactions with the IEDC as well as the city of Hammond has been an absolute pleasure," said Berge Jalakian, President & CEO of Blue Dot Safes. "We’re extremely eager to get our new Midwest facility up and running with the help of many hard working Hoosiers.”

As an incentive, IEDC offered Blue Dot Safes up to $210,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Hammond is supportive of the project and has offered financial assistance through its Business Facade Rebate program.

"We're excited to welcome Blue Dot Safes to the Hoosier state as they establish their first Midwest facility and create good jobs in northwest Indiana," said Elaine Bedel, President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). "Indiana offers companies like Blue Dot Safes a strong competitive advantage with our excellent business climate, skilled workforce and close proximity to major U.S. highways, providing the ideal location to transport their products across the country and around the world."

“The city is happy to welcome Blue Dot Safes to Hammond. This investment in our downtown will bring jobs and keep investment in the former Discover Books building," said Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. "I think it says something about the viability and business climate in Hammond when we have a large facility that was never vacant, it went from one company occupying it to another one moving in.”