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Marshall County economic development director reports $87M YTD CapEx, recommends 5-year abatement standard
Summary
Greg Hildrethrand presented an economic-development update to the Marshall County Council in July 2025, reporting roughly $87 million in estimated year-to-date capital expenditures and saying he expects possibly another $25 million in projects this year.
Greg Hildrethrand presented an economic-development update to the Marshall County Council in July 2025, reporting roughly $87 million in estimated year-to-date capital expenditures (CapEx) in the county and saying he expects possibly another $25 million in projects this year.
Hildrethrand said the county is considering a standard change to tax-abatement practice: moving from a traditional seven-year phase-in for business personal property and real-estate abatements to a five-year phase. “Now is the time to go to a 5 year phase instead of a 7 year,” he told the council, citing faster depreciation schedules for business personal property and the changing efficacy of longer abatements.
The presenter said several local expansions are underway or announced, including a project described as Hoosier Now with a $16.8 million investment and machinery upgrades (including an $8 million radial-tire machine) and another expansion described as a roughly $23 million investment for a wire-extruding operation that will add building space. He noted the county remains competitive in advanced manufacturing clusters and said unemployment in the county remains below state and national levels.
Hildrethrand discussed several long-term opportunities, including an engineering study for utilities on Pioneer Road and Old 30 to open industrial ground near Plymouth, and an initiative to revive passenger rail service on the Fort Wayne–Chicago corridor with stops that could include Plymouth; he said an optimistic timeline for upgraded service might be five to 10 years but likely closer to 10 years.
He outlined efforts to develop an entrepreneurial hub (Heartland Gallery / entrepreneurial space) using proceeds from earlier Regional Cities grant rollovers and recent IEDC collaborative-community grant funding for an eight-week workshop series for creatives; the hub would use rental income and programming fees to sustain operations once grant-funded buildout completes.
Hildrethrand asked the council to continue support for the county economic-development corporation; he emphasized workforce development as a strategic priority and urged collaboration among industry, education and county partners to build a stronger regional workforce.
No formal council action was required for the presentation, but the presenter asked the council to continue funding and engagement with economic-development efforts.
