Life sciences create new jobs

Gov. Joe Kernan announced this month that Indiana's life sciences industry will be growing by about 400 new jobs. Warsaw, Ind., will soon be a part of the creation of more life sciences jobs for Hoosiers, because of the decision of Zimmer Holdings, Inc., to grow there.\nTina Noel, Kernan's press secretary, said life sciences jobs can be in a number of different fields.\n"In Indiana, it's anything from the orthopedics industry, like Zimmer, to pharmaceutical manufacturers like Eli Lilly, and then you have folks who are in the medical device business as well," Noel said. "It can really be anything related to health care."\nZimmer Holdings, Inc., was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Warsaw. According to the Zimmer Web site, the company is "the largest pure-play orthopedic leader in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of reconstructive and spinal implants, trauma and related orthopedic surgical products." \nZimmer has facilities in more than 24 countries and sells its products in more than 80 different countries. Last year's sales for the company were reported at approximately $1.9 billion.\nNoel said the state offered Zimmer a number of incentive packages because it values the jobs the company will provide for Hoosiers.\n"Life sciences is among the four industries that the state of Indiana has targeted, along with advanced manufacturing, information technology and high tech distribution," Noel said. "The life sciences industry is important because, generally, the jobs are higher paying, higher skilled and they're also key to providing good jobs for our college graduates."\nAngie Dye, of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, said the state offered several different incentive programs to Zimmer to accommodate different aspects of the company.\n"One of the programs we've offered them is called EDGE, which stands for Economic Development for a Growing Economy," Dye said. "Those are tax credits that we provide the companies that are expanding and therefore staying in Indiana and making an investment. We also have provided two different training groups for the employees and a program called TECH, which stands for Technology Enhancement Certification for Hoosiers, where we will reimburse them for up to $50,000."\nDye said the state provides incentives like this because of its interest in creating more jobs, but the partnership between the state and the company does not end after the money is handed out.\n"Through the duration of their project, we estimate that they will save $7 million," Dye said. "We will continue to work with them throughout their project and will continue to look for ways that we can be of assistance."\nWith these incentives from the state, Zimmer will stay in Warsaw and is planning to add 128,000 square feet to its 140,000 square foot distribution center, plus an additional 50,000 square feet dedicated to new manufacturing activities.\nIn a statement, Kernan said, "Zimmer is just one of the reasons that Indiana stands on solid ground in the life sciences industry."\n-- Contact staff writer Sarah Schwimmer at sschwimm@indiana.edu.