Three small manufacturers to add more than 100 jobs in central Indiana

Companies that make tea drinks, pop-up campers and jewelry in central Indiana are among 22 manufactures that announced plans Friday to locate or expand their operations in the state.

Two companies in Indianapolis—Circle City Kombucha and Leentu Corp.—will invest a total of $2.7 million and create 78 jobs over the next several years. In addition, Rosa Vila Jewelry said it will hire 27 people in Hamilton County.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. packaged the 22 announcements together for National Manufacturing Day. In all, the nearly two dozen companies committed to investing more than $154 million in their Indiana operations and create up to 1,090 new jobs over the next several years.

“Each day, Hoosiers across the state are developing new solutions and creating crucial products that are shipped to customers across the globe,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement released by the IEDC.

Indiana is the most manufacturing-intensive state in the nation, with 8,500 manufacturing facilities. Manufacturers in Indiana have added 107,300 new jobs since July 2009, ranking No. 2 in the nation and growing at a rate of 25 percent, the IEDC said.

The companies included in Friday’s announcement will expand operations in 17 counties across the state. The list includes Indiana-based firms as well as international companies with operations in the state. The IEDC did not immediately provide the incentives it will provide each company.

These are the three central Indiana announcements:

• Circle City Kombucha, which produces a probiotic, fermented tea, said it will invest more than $1.6 million to increase its production and distribution of bottled and draft Feel Good Soda beverages across the Midwest. The company, currently based at 1121 N. Arlington Ave. in Irvington, is finalizing a lease to more than quadruple its footprint with a 10,000-square-foot facility. However, the IEDC did not say where the new facility—which would launch operations in early 2019—will be located, only that it will be in central Indiana. Circle City Kombucha said it will create up to 60 new jobs by the end of 2021.
• Online retailer Rosa Vila Jewelry, which was founded in 2016 to create original designs at an affordable price, is investing in its warehousing and production operations in Noblesville. The IEDC did not put a dollar figure on the project. The company plans to hire 27 full-time employees by the end of 2022, adding to its five-person team.
• Leentu Corp., a manufacturer of ultra-lightweight pop-up campers, said it will spend $1.1 million to establish operations in Indianapolis at 1811 Executive Drive. The company said it chose Indianapolis for its central location. Currently operating with just two employees, Leentu Corp. said it will add up to 18 new positions—including technicians, general office administration, customer service, sales and marketing positions—beginning next year.

“After prototyping our concept in California, we decided to move our company headquarters to Indiana in July 2018 to be in close proximity to the composite manufacturing sector which services the Indy Car industry,” said Scott Surface, president of Leentu Corporation, in a statement.