Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Sweetwater Plans Major Expansion on Fort Wayne, Indiana, Campus

10/03/2018
Sweetwater, an online retailer of music instruments and audio gear in the U.S., plans to significantly expand its operations in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company plans to create up to 1,009 new jobs by 2022.

The company, which was founded in Indiana, will invest more than $76.4 million to expand its 163-acre headquarters campus located along U.S. Highway 30 West in Fort Wayne.

Sweetwater will construct a new, 350,000-square-foot warehousing facility that will provide product storage as well as gear testing, gear photography, offices, staff amenities, customer pickup and more.

Additionally, a new 35,000-square-foot structure will house a conference center with room for up to 1,000 people that will accommodate continuing education sessions for employees. The facility will also be available for members of the community to use for other events.

"This new facility will accommodate the tremendous growth we've experienced recently," said Chuck Surack, Founder & President of Sweetwater. "Our sales continue to increase each and every year, which means we need more room to be able to serve our customers in the way to which they're accustomed. We are delighted to be able to continue to expand in Fort Wayne, where it all started."

Sweetwater plans to break ground on the expansion tomorrow and expects to be operational in the new buildings by summer of 2020. The company, which employs more than 1,300 associates at its Fort Wayne headquarters, plans to hire additional distribution, logistics, sales, marketing, merchandising, programming/IT and various other administrative roles over the next five years to support its growth.

As an incentive, Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Sweetwater up to $8.8 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. Northeast Indiana Works will provide the company with additional hiring and training assistance. Fort Wayne City Council and Allen County Council will also consider tax phase-ins for Sweetwater's eligible real and personal property (equipment) investments.

"Sweetwater is a strong, Indiana-built company with a proven track record of recruiting and retaining employees from other states, boasting employees from 48 states and seven countries," said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. "Sweetwater brings a welcome diversity to the industry base in northeast Indiana and is a driving force in the quality of life in Fort Wayne."

“Sweetwater continues to have a significant and positive presence in our community,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. “I applaud and thank Chuck Surack for his commitment to Fort Wayne. The innovative and unique work taking place at Sweetwater is a tremendous boost to our local economy and job growth opportunities. The success and new investments being experienced at Sweetwater help position Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana as a point of destination to live, work and play.”

Exclusive Research