Smart tech company closes on Gary land for plant
Hundreds of jobs planned for proposed site
Akyumen Industries Corp., the company planning to bring the first U.S.-based smart technology manufacturing plant to Gary, recently closed on the former Ivanhoe Gardens property in a deal with the city.
The company paid $50,000 for the property at the northwest corner of 11th Avenue and Chase Street where it plans to locate the proposed Nano Factory that is expected to bring more than 300 jobs to the city in its first phase of development, according to amended resolution accepting the terms of the deal between Akyumen Industries and the Gary Redevelopment Commission. The deal also includes a $150,000 escrow payment that will be returned to the company upon meeting the terms of the deal.
Akyumen plans to build a 150,000-square-foot facility on the more than 27 acres at 3100 to 3134 11th Ave., the former Ivanhoe Gardens housing development. As part of the deal, the company plans to hire about 300 workers in the first year and as many as 2,500 workers by the second and third years. Akyumen expects the project will also mean about 300 construction jobs, according to the documents.
In a letter to the RDC from Aasim Saied, CEO of Akyumen, he said the jobs that will be created include 10 executive positions, 40 supervisor or managerial positions with the rest in customer service, tech support, assembly line labor, development, operations and support staff. Salary for executive and managerial positions will run between $60,000 and $100,000 a year plus benefits. Hourly positions start between $15.75 and $21.75 per hour plus benefits depending on the department and qualifications.
Phase one of the development will include the combined Nano factory and residence hall.
The recently inked deal does not include the Genesis Center, which also is sought by the company. Eric Reeves, chair of the RDC, said negotiations for the Genesis Center are not finalized but are moving forward.
In a recent interview, Saied said the company is still going through the paperwork with the city but is eager to get started.
“We just started the work ready for design and planning with the city,” Saied said. The start of construction will be contingent on how long it takes for the company to get proper permits and approvals from the applicable city boards and commissions, and ultimately the common council.
He said the company will be finishing up the design work by mid-January. Work on the building will begin immediately after approvals are granted, Saied said.
Saied said the company has “purchase orders in hand” for its products from across the globe.
“We just have to mass produce,” Saied said, adding many countries are looking for “made in America,” and the response from foreign carriers are driving sales.