Council to approve manufacturer expansion in La Crosse, adding 41 jobs

Duratech to spend $6 million on expansion with help of $275,000 grant from city.

Forget that talk about manufacturing being dead in city.  

A La Crosse-based manufacturer could invest close to $6 million on new infrastructure in a development deal with the city.

Duratech, an industrial printer of everything from labels to circuit boards, has that much on the line with a deal expected to be approved by the city council tonight.

The company plans to spend close to $6 million to add more than 50 percent to its 85,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the city’s industrial park this year. The expansion should add 41 jobs.

The development agreement includes a $275,000 grant from the city for the project. 

The expansion would increase property value for Duratech by close to $3 million. It’s value now is just shy of $2 million.

Documents about the agreement reviewed by WIZM call for a minimum assessed value of $4.7 million, although a representative from the city’s planning office denies any such minimum assessed value exists.

Duratech also has locations in China and North Carolina.