Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Construction technology company MiTek recently purchased 111 acres in the North Tampa Bay Industrial Park in Zephyrhills and plans to construct a 480,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and warehouse there according to the Pasco Economic Development Council (PEDC).

MiTek is expecting to invest nearly $80 million in the facility where steel connector plates and builder products will be manufactured for the construction industry, according to a statement by the company. 

The new location will allow the company to retain 125 jobs and create an additional 25 jobs.

PEDC and the City of Zephyrhills announced the plan during the Aug. 6 meeting of the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners that was held in Dade City.

“We are excited to put down roots in Pasco County and to be part of the ongoing economic development in this area,” said Douglas Krauss, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing at MiTek.

“This new location is close to our present-day facilities, which will help us retain our talented team members, while also giving us space to increase capacity for raw materials and finished goods. We have a high concentration of customers in Florida, so this is really a long-term investment in MiTek’s future, our customers, and the Pasco County community,” said Krauss.

MiTek serves residential and commercial customers, delivering software, services, engineered systems, and automated solutions, according to a statement by the company. 

The Pasco County site will be developed in three phases. Phase one is currently underway and involves civil, geotechnical, environmental and architectural research to determine the best way to develop the site for MiTek’s specifications. 

Phase two will begin in the coming months as MiTek finalizes permits and contracts and begins site development and building construction, with the goal of breaking ground in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

Phase three includes purchasing equipment for the facility. MiTek is targeting to complete the building in the fourth quarter of 2025 and to begin operations in the first quarter of 2026.

MiTek has received economic incentives from both Pasco County and Zephyrhills for its new facility.

The Pasco County BCC approved a 10-year performance-based Economic Incentive Agreement for ad valorem tax reimbursement, job creation and a workforce training grant up to $3.15 million during their Aug. 6 meeting.

On July 22, the City of Zephyrhills approved incentives totaling up to $2.9 million. Their incentive package includes waiving or reimbursing transportation impact fees up to $430,500 and permit fees up to $432,425. Additionally, a job creation incentive cash grant will be provided that will be equal to the amount of 50% of ad valorem city property taxes paid for the first 10-year period.

MiTek is the second major manufacturer to select Zephyrhills as a place to expand their business.

Bauducco Foods purchased 72 acres of the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park Ready Site in the third quarter of 2023, county records said. Bauducco, which is a Brazilian multinational company, expects to invest over $200 million in a new 400,000-square-foot light industrial facility that will employ about 600 people.

Bauducco is now one of the fastest growing cookie companies in the United States. Products that are produced at the facility in Zephyrhills will be distributed throughout the U.S., according to Stefano Mozzi, CEO of Bauducco USA. Zephyrhills was determined to be a great location for the location of Bauducco’s new and main production hub for the U.S.A. market, Mozzi added.

Bauducco’s new facility’s development will be completed in two phases and will utilize state-of-the-art production equipment and a sanitary design. The first phase will contain 96,494-square feet and is expected to be operational near the end of 2024 to early 2025, according to county records. The second phase will contain 306,506-square-feet and is anticipated to be fully operational by 2028.

Bauducco also received economic incentives from Pasco County and the City of Zephyrhills for their new facility. The Pasco County BCC agreed last year to provide a 25% ad valorem tax reimbursement not to exceed $4.43 million and a $100,000 workforce-training grant, and Zephyrhills granted Bauducco incentives totaling $8.27 million. 

The company must fill 120 full-time positions with an average annual salary of at least 80% of the median one-person income in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area to qualify for the incentives. The city also agreed to waive or reimburse transportation impact fees up to $331,000 and permit fees up to $606,750 along with providing a job creation grant equal to the amount of 50% of ad valorem city property taxes paid for the first 10-year period, according to city records.

Published August 14, 2024