Delphi Announces Plans to Donate Building Complex To Kokomo/Howard County Development Corporation
KHCD To Use Former Delphi Facility to House Technology Incubator and Announces Plans to House Ivy Tech State College's Nursing School Expansion
KOKOMO, Ind., Nov. 13 -- Delphi Delco Electronics Systems announced at a press conference today that it has donated its former Administrative Office facility located at 700 E. Firmin Street to the Kokomo/Howard County Development Corporation (KHCD) to further plans for a technology incubator in Kokomo. KHCD will convert the facility into the Kokomo Technology Center.
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The Kokomo Technology Center also announced that it would house the expansion of the Ivy Tech State College Nursing Center at the new Kokomo Technology Center building. In addition, it reaffirmed its partnerships with Purdue and Indiana University Kokomo.
The Kokomo Technology Center's objective is to start and nurture new technology-driven companies and provide flexible rental space for new companies.
"We are pleased to make the building available to the Kokomo/Howard County Development Corporation," said Jeff Owens, president of Delphi Delco Electronics Systems. "We are certainly excited about helping to bring new business investments and leading technologies into our city. As a world leader in cutting-edge electronics technology, we are excited about the Kokomo Technology Center going to the next level. It is our hope that the contribution of the property will accelerate the momentum that is already building in the community to keep this project moving forward and add to the list of firsts for Kokomo."
The 98,000 square foot building was originally built in 1955 and served as the Delphi Delco Electronics divisional headquarters until 1987 when the Corporate Technology Center was opened on Lincoln Road. The building has gone through several renovations and was most recently occupied by the division's plant engineering, production control and finance staffs. After consolidating employees to its east-side campus in 2001, Delphi put the building up for sale the following year.
"We have been laying the groundwork for the Kokomo Technology Center business incubator for several years," said Greg Aaron, president of the Kokomo/Howard County Development Corporation. "We continue to make gigantic strides toward our objectives and the support from the community and companies like Delphi has been awesome."
"We are extremely pleased about being a part of this exciting new initiative," says Ivy Tech Chancellor Steve Daily. "We look forward to partnering with the KHCD in this new facility. This move will provide essential classroom and laboratory space for the college and will position us to support future KHCD Technology Center initiatives."
The vision for the Kokomo Technology Center (KTC) dates back more than three years. The Purdue Technology Center at the Purdue Research Park has served as a model for development of the Kokomo Technology Center. Opened in 1961, the Purdue Research Park is currently home to more than 90 companies that employ more than 2,500 people.
Purdue is now engaged with the economic development of north central Indiana and positioned to further assist the KTC and its clients with its intellectual resources and access to research and instructional facilities both at the West Lafayette campus and at Purdue's School of Technology at Kokomo. The success of this Center and its clients will ultimately affect Indiana's economy and the quality of life for all of Indiana's citizens.
"I am excited that IU Kokomo will be a part of this new venture in economic development," said Chancellor Ruth J. Person. "We have a number of programs that are available to businesses, including the Industrial Research Liaison Program, the SBDC Collegiate Management Program and customized workforce education, to name but a few. Our students are always seeking new opportunities for internships. I hope that we can serve the clients of the incubator in these and many other ways."
"With college grads on the rise and a recognized decline in employment opportunities in the region, the business incubator is an important component to support economic development and job creation," said Fred Hakes, Director of Continuing Studies at IU Kokomo. Hakes further commented, "IU Kokomo has developed infrastructure to support business incubation efforts."
The School of Business at IU Kokomo has established a Contemporary Entrepreneurship Certificate program that can be completed in one year. The Campus houses an office of the IU Industrial Research Liaison Program that helps small businesses write product development grants and conducts data searches for businesses considering potential products. Additionally, the Campus hosts the annual economic development and technology professional development conference that brings together entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, government leaders and others with a stake in job creation and economic development. The IU infrastructure to support job creation will certainly be advantaged by the establishment of the business incubator.
Focusing on the long-term economic growth for Kokomo, the Kokomo Technology Center is designed to help create new high tech companies and support the development of technologies for existing companies. Delphi Delco Electronics has 10 facilities in Kokomo, Indiana. Delphi Delco Electronics Systems employs 6,300 salary and hourly employees in Kokomo and 27,000 globally. The division of Delphi Corporation designs and manufactures a full line of vehicle electronics.
For more information, visit Delphi at http://www.delphi.com/media .
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NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos are available of Greg Aaron and Jeffrey Owens by request.