Medical Technology Company to Bring New Jobs to Plainfield
Becton Dickinson Company, a Fortune 500 medical technology company, is moving its Midwest warehouse distribution operation to Plainfield from Park 100 in Indianapolis. The move will allow the company to expand, construct a state-of-the-art warehouse management system, and hire additional workers. Becton Dickinson has committed to hiring an additional 78 employees by the year 2012. The current 94 employees will transfer to the Plainfield location.
"The new Midwest distribution center is a key step in positioning BD's distribution network for continued sales growth, and providing the flexibility necessary to adjust to changes in the U.S. healthcare marketplace," said Larry P. Smith, Vice President of Supply Chain and Customer Service. "It will allow us to reduce cycle times and consolidate shipments, enhancing the operational effectiveness of the entire supply chain, from distribution partners to our customers."
The new warehouse location will be east of SR 267 on 63 acres along Reeves Road. Duke Realty will purchase the land, which is currently not generating property taxes, from the Indianapolis Airport Authority. Reeves Road will be reconstructed from a section just past the Mormon church to the alreadyimproved section in front of Duke Building V, which is located where Reeves intersects Perry Road. This means that Reeves Road will be fully reconstructed.
"This is truly a win-win situation for all the players," said Robin Brandgard, President of the Plainfield Town Council. "Becton Dickinson gets a new state-of-the-art facility, Plainfield gets new jobs and has land returned to the tax rolls, and the fully reconstructed Reeves Road will have lots of benefits for town citizens. When the new high school project is completed, buses will be able to come and go easily from the new high school to the transportation facility on Whitaker Road. Trucks from the industrial parks will have direct access to S.R. 267 via Reeves, reducing the amount of traffic on the Hadley Road intersection. Plus, Reeves Road will have been improved fully from Center Street to Columbia Road, with a new stoplight at S.R. 267, meaning citizens will have another east-west road to use for getting around town."
Becton Dickinson manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products. Their customers are a mix of healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry, and the general public. Some of the employees in the new facility will be from Becton Dickinson, the remainder from the third party logistics company. Becton Dickinson employees will have an average hourly wage without benefits of $13.10.
Plainfield has just received a $955,000 federal transportation enhancement grant to improve the streetscape of U.S. 40 from Raceway Road on the east to Moon Road on the west. Coupled with two previous grants, the town now has nearly $2 million with which to do the project. Plainfield will provide a 35% match.
"We've been hoping to find enough funding to do this project since 2001 when we first proposed the idea of preserving the historic character of the town," said Robin Brandgard, Town Council President. "The planning and design process will likely take 18 months or so before we start construction, but we're hoping to find some elements we could do right away, like taking parking of Main Street downtown and adding or improving parking on side streets and in lots behind the buildings. That would enable us to add a turn lane at the intersection of Main and Center Street."
The town plans to add medians with plantings, construct new sidewalks, improve crosswalks, put up decorative light poles (similar to those at Vestal Road), hang banners, and add new permanent signs.
"We want people to recognize when they enter the town of Plainfield, that they are entering a place of historical significance," Brandgard said. "U.S. 40 through Plainfield is part of the Historic National Road and has been designated a National Scenic Byway. The new streetscape will set us off from Indianapolis on the east and provide a welcoming entrance on the west. With all the modern amenities that we have to offer, from our award-winning trails system to the Recreation and Aquatics Center to the new Metropolis shopping center, giving our town a makeover to highlight our history will make us a unique, even more desirable place to live and work."
Are You Paying Your Utility Bill to the Wrong Company?
If you're still writing your checks to Utility Data Corporation or using the old account number you had last year, you are paying the wrong company! For the moment the Town is reprocessing those incorrect payments without penalty, but that will change. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR PAYMENT IS CORRECT!
If you are paying through on-line bill pay service, make sure your account number is correct (you received a new account number last January) and that the payee listed is the Town of Plainfield.
If you are writing a check, make sure you are writing it to the Town of Plainfield and are sending it to the right address: Town of Plainfield, PO Box 6012, Indianapolis, IN 46206-6012.
If you have any questions about this process, please call Lois Burgner, Utility Billing Director, at 837-0000.
