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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Light 4 Life Candles Makes $5 million Investment In Manufacturing Facility in north-central New York, creating 60 jobs

05/27/2012
Light 4 Life Candles, a firm that manufactures votive, sanctuary and devotional candles, acquired a portion of the former Will & Baumer Candle Company facility in Liverpool, New York, with plans to initially create 60 full-time jobs.

Assisted by a $250,000 capital grant from Empire State Development, Light 4 Life Candles, along with Syracuse Gateway Holdings, is making an investment of up to $5 million in establishing its candle manufacturing facility at 100 Buckley Road in the north-central New York State, City of Liverpool, near Syracuse. In addition to that grant, Greater Syracuse Business Development Corporation, a private, not-for-profit, economic development financing agency, in partnership with the Onondaga County Civic Corporation, approved $200,000 of financing. The Central New York Regional Economic Development Corporation also approved an additional $116,000 of financing.

The grant funds allowed the candle maker to purchase and rehabilitate the vacant 200,000 square-foot facility, construct an additional 10,000 square feet of distribution space, and purchase and install new machinery and equipment. Approximately $16,000 from Central New York Economic Development Corporation will go toward installing high energy efficient equipment.

"This is a great example of tactical investment. The funds given to this company will repurpose unused commercial real estate in the area, provide jobs to 60 residents of Central New York and revive a flagging industry for the benefit of future generations," said Kenneth Adams Empire State Development President and Chief Economic Officer.

"The State's investment in Light 4 Life Candles is exemplary of our efforts to realize the greatest possible return on our investment and provides a strategic blueprint for reuse."

"We have completed Phase One of this endeavor and have started production," said Yatish Chandra, Light 4 Life Director. "We are now in the development stages of Phase Two which will be the purchase of additional equipment that will allow us to produce other types of candles."

Town of Salina Supervisor Mark Nicotra said, "Seeing the Will & Baumer facility come back to life is a huge win for the Town of Salina. With that facility being the gateway into Salina, its rebirth sends a welcome message to travelers entering the Town. The Town of Salina is extremely proud to have worked with Light 4 Life Candles in providing the assistance needed to begin producing candles again. Light 4 Life Candles is another example that Salina is open and accessible to new businesses."

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