ST. JOSEPH — Roll covering manufacturer Vail Rubber Works Inc. plans to invest $8.3 million for a new facility in Southwest Michigan after outgrowing its longtime space in downtown St. Joseph.
Vail Rubber tapped Benton Harbor-based Pearson Construction Co. Inc. to build the 68,550-square-foot facility in Berrien County’s Royalton Township, which created an Industrial Development District for the project, according to a statement.
The township also approved a 12-year tax abatement for the facility, where Vail Rubber is expected to create 10 new jobs. The company has been in existence for more than 125 years.
Pearson expects to begin construction on the facility in April and wrap up the project by March 2020.
Vail Rubber President Bill Hanley cited the assistance of township officials, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and regional economic development organization Cornerstone Alliance with “helping to make this (expansion) a reality.”
“Vail Rubber has been one of the most visible and successful companies in Berrien County for more than a century,” Cornerstone Alliance COO Greg Vaughn said in a statement. “They are an employer of choice due to their commitment to employee safety and consistent, steady growth. This new facility will set them up for another century of being the country’s most respected roll cover manufacturer.”