Tax benefits to help Frontier business expansion

The Iowa Economic Development Authority recently Board approved awards for companies in Belle Plaine and Perry, which will assist in the creation of 51 jobs and result in nearly $45 million in new capital investment for the state.

Frontier Natural Products Co-op, in Belle Plaine, and A.D.R Axles USA, an affiliate of a company based in Milan, Italy, were awarded tax benefits through the High-Quality Jobs program, according to a newsletter from State Rep. Thomas Gerhold.

Founded in 1976, Frontier is a cooperatively owned wholesaler of natural and organic herbs, spices and essential oil products sold under the Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands.

The company plans to expand the Belle Plaine facility with the construction of a 90,000-square-foot facility for additional production and warehouse capacity to support continued growth, including service to larger multinational retail corporations, the newsletter says.

The project represents a capital investment of just over $30 million and is expected to create 16 jobs, six at a qualifying wage of $22.18 per hour.

A.D.R Axles USA manufactures axles, braking systems and suspensions for agricultural and industrial machines. The company plans to establish its North American headquarters with the construction of a 54,000-square-foot fabrication and assembly facility located on the certified site within the Perry Industrial Park.

The project represents a $14.3 million capital investment and is expected to create 35 jobs, including 12 that will meet or exceed the qualifying labor shed wage of $31.10 per hour