The Timnath planning commission has approved a 75-thousand square-foot state-of-the-art facility to be built by plastics manufacturer Eldon James – which at the moment is based in Loveland. KUNC's Brian Larson spoke to Northern Colorado Business Report Publisher Jeff Nuttall about the move.
Nuttall: The planned site is near the intersection of Harmony Road and Club Drive, about one-and-a-half miles from Interstate 25. The total investment, including the price of the land and the construction of the LEED-certified building, is estimated at $12 million.
Larson: Will this new facility take the place of Eldon James’ other northern Colorado locations?
Nuttall: Not right away. Company CEO, Marcia Coulson, said that its other three facilities, totaling 30,000 square feet in Fort Collins and Loveland, will continue to operate after the new facility opens, sometime in November 2012. Eventually everything may end up under one roof, but that’s not anticipated at this time. The new facility will also include an 11,000 square foot medical clean room. Eldon James makes top-of-the-line automotive, plumbing, beverage dispensing and industrial tubing and connectors. In 2010, it entered the medical technology industry with products developed through its subsidiary EJ BioMed. These products are made in its "clean room" on the first floor of the Cortina building in downtown Fort Collins.
Larson: So does that mean there will be job creation involved with this new facility?
Nuttall: Absolutely. Coulson said that they are planning to add 10 jobs to their existing 35, which is obviously not a lot but still good news for the suffering manufacturing industry. They’ve chosen to keep the jobs local, although they did look out of state for a place to build. Northern Colorado’s quality of life won out, though, and Coulson decided to keep it local. Timnath acted quickly to attract Eldon James, beginning in September. A team of city officials including Mayor Jill Grossman-Belisle, the town manager and the town planner worked to lure Eldon James.
Larson: So, the town of Timnath is obviously excited about this development.
Nuttall: Very much so. The mayor told us this week how excited she is about the boost in primary employment that will result from the new facility. First it will create construction jobs, and then manufacturing jobs after the plant opens.
Larson: You mentioned that Eldon James looked out of state to build their new facility – do they do a lot of business here in Northern Colorado?
Nuttall: The majority of its sales take place out of state, and they even ship some products internationally. In Northern Colorado, they have been doing a lot in the biofuels area, as that sector picks up steam. Also, thanks to this new project, Eldon James will establish itself as the first business in the new Timnath Ranch business and industrial park, much like they were the first company to set up shop in Loveland’s Longview business park back in 1997.
Larson: So what is the next step?
Nuttall: The plans will go before the Timnath Town Council Dec. 20 for approval, which Mayor Grossman-Belisle expects won’t be a problem. The Coulsons are planning a March 2012 groundbreaking.
