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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Poseidon Barge Invests More Than $6 Million To Establish Manufacturing Campus In Berne, Indiana

02/25/2014
Mid-America Foundation Supply, a sectional barge manufacturer doing business as Poseidon Barge, will invest $6.05 million to locate a new 72,180 square foot facility in Berne, Indiana, with plans to create up to 26 new jobs by 2015.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana based company will purchase, renovate and equip its new production center on 22-acres at 725 East Parr Road in Berne. The facility, which will begin operations in May, will provide the company with the additional space it needs to fabricate, store, test and display its product line of portable sectional barges. Poseidon Barge, which currently employs approximately 70 full-time associates in Fort Wayne and at a temporary facility in Berne, has already begun hiring welders and fabricators.

“Being located in northeast Indiana gives Poseidon a marked advantage in transporting equipment to the contractor, saving them time and money in mobilization and setup costs,” said Mary Habegger-Fox, President of Poseidon Barge. “Once we learned that the vacant facility in Berne was for sale and had a chance to evaluate it and the full potential incentives available to us, the decision was made very quickly that this was the best site for our expansion. For those eager to build a career in the skilled trades of welding and fabricating, we’d love to have you as part of our team. With a local labor force that takes pride in its work, we look forward to producing quality equipment for our customers here.”

Founded in 1986 to service the piling construction market, Poseidon Barge now focuses on producing multiple lines of portable section barges, used as temporary work platforms. With barges easily transportable by truck, they are designed to also serve projects on inland rivers and lakes. In order to gain better control of its production quality and capacities, Poseidon Barge plans to begin in-sourcing a large percentage of its equipment. The homegrown-Hoosier company operates satellite distribution yards in Cocoa, Florida, Wilton, New York and Belle Chase,Louisiana, with additional product dealers across the nation.

“Indiana’s vibrant manufacturing community is growing,” said Eric Doden, President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “By keeping taxes low, we’ve nurtured an environment that supports the growth of companies like Poseidon Barge, allowing them to create jobs and expand Indiana’s economy with minimized obstacles and maximized opportunities in a state that works."

As an incentive, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Mid-America Foundation Supply, Inc. up to $300,000 in conditional tax credits. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Berne will consider additional incentives at the request of the Adams County Economic Development Corporation.

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