Press Release | Office of the Mayor | City Council Approves Twelve Year Industrial Facilities Tax Agreement for U.S. Farathane's 100,000 Sq. Ft. Building Expansion and $20 Million Investment

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

City Council Approves Twelve Year Tax Abatement
for U.S. Farathane's $20 Million Investment

Wesltand, MI (September 17, 2019) - On Monday, September 16 the Westland City Council voted to approve a resolution granting an application for a PA-198 Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate and a twelve year abatement agreement with U.S. Farathane, a plastics manufacturing and automotive supplier that has been operating in the City of Westland since 2007.

Industrial Facilities Exemption PA 198 of 1974 provides a tax incentive to manufacturers to enable renovation and expansion of aging facilities, assist in the building of new facilities and to promote the establishment of high tech facilities.

City Council unanimously approved the site plan for U.S. Farathane's proposed 100,000 square foot building expansion of their located at 39200 Ford Rd., in order to house expanded manufacturing capacity for its injection molding and compression molding business lines on August 19, 2019. The total project investment is anticipated to be in excess of $20 million, with approximately $12 million for real property and building improvements.

"This type of abatement is applied exclusively to the new addition," commented Mayor Wild. "In essence, the City agrees to compute the additional taxes at half of the local property tax mileage rate, in order to incentivize these types of projects, which result in economic growth and job creation for the community. We sincerely thank U.S. Farathane for their continued commitment to operating within the City of Westland."

"The expansion will generate an additional $372,000 in tax revenues over the course of the 12 year abatement and is expected to produce 89 new full-time jobs of both salaried and hourly employees once the project is complete," commented Aubrey Berman, Economic Development Director. "The agreement also includes a provision that the company will make good faith efforts to hire Westland residents, which the city has already been working with U.S. Farathane to ensure."

On Wednesday, September 25, U.S. Farathane will be hosting a job fair at Westland City Hall, located at 36300 Warren Rd. The company will be on site to meet with candidates and discuss their opportunities for employment and walk interested individuals through the application process. Further details and information on these positions can be found at www.cityofwestland.com on the Westland Works! page.

" U.S. Farathane is proud and excited to be expanding our business in Westland and we are extremely grateful to the Mayor and his team for the exceptionally positive and professional way this project has been handled by the City and its Council," commented Rodney Turton, Vice President of Purchasing for U.S. Farathane. "Throughout this process we have continually been made to feel welcome and encouraged to make this next step in the expansion of our Westland Operation. We look forward to many more years of doing business in this vibrant and embracing community."

For more information, please call the Mayor's Office at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.