New manufacturing facility will create 80 jobs, draw $80 million capital investment

MADISON, WI. OCT. 1, 2019 – Matalco Inc. broke ground today for construction of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Wisconsin Rapids—an $80 million project expected to create 80 jobs over the next three years.

“We welcome Matalco to Wisconsin and thank the company for its decision to expand its operations into our state,” said Tricia R. Braun, deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the state’s leading economic development organization. “Matalco’s choice to locate in Wisconsin is a testament to our exceptional workforce and will further strengthen our position as a leader in the manufacturing industry.”

“We are extremely excited about entering this next phase of our corporate strategic growth plan,” said Robert Roscetti, vice president of corporate development for Matalco Inc. “This significant investment clearly demonstrates our unwavering commitment to serve our customers and expand our market share. After a lengthy selection process, we decided on Wisconsin Rapids as the site of our new plant because of its location relative to our market, its exceptional workforce and the comprehensive incentive package and assistance provided from both the state and local levels. Overall, we are proud to be part of this progressive community, as this will bring new jobs and opportunities to the region.”

WEDC is supporting the project by authorizing up to $1,500,000 in state income tax credits over the next three years. The actual amount of tax credits Matalco will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created and the amount of capital investment during that period.

Matalco plans to construct a 110,000-square-foot, new, state-of-the-art greenfield re-melt extrusion billet and slab manufacturing facility. The facility will produce more than 230 million pounds of aluminum billet per year. Once the plant has achieved full production capacity—expected to be within the first two to three years after commissioning and startup—the projected employment will be approximately 80 full-time employees.

The new facility will primarily produce 6xxx series extrusion grade billet and logs primarily from scrap aluminum but will also have the capability to produce rolling slabs. The plant represents a first-mover advantage to supply high-quality re-melt aluminum billet to extruders in an underserved market in the Midwest.

The plant is expected to be fully commissioned by the fourth quarter of 2020.

“Wisconsin Rapids has always been a great place for manufacturing,” said state Rep. Scott Krug. “We’re all excited to add to that tradition by welcoming Matalco to the city and to Central Wisconsin.”

“Central Wisconsin’s economy is in the midst of a great comeback,” said state Sen. Patrick Testin. “We’re happy to welcome Matalco to Wisconsin Rapids, and happy that they can be part of our area’s resurgence.”

In addition to the 80 jobs expected to be created by Matalco, an economic modeling study estimates the project could indirectly generate 48 additional jobs in the region. Those 128 total new jobs are expected to have an annual impact of $206,825 in state income taxes.

Matalco Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, where the company operates its flagship plant. The company currently has three additional locations in Lordstown and Canton, Ohio, and Bluffton, Indiana, which serve several of North America’s leading aluminum extruders and forgers. Between its three U.S. locations and its headquarters in Canada, the facilities have a combined annual capacity to produce 1 billion pounds of high-quality billet for sale to building, constructing and automotive markets.