Gov. Evers, WisDOT Announce Rail Project to Help Spur $10 Million Investment, 40 New Jobs in Walworth County

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced that a $630,000 rail project that will help Arntzen Corporation move a production facility from Illinois to Walworth County will be supported by a $200,000 WisDOT Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant.

The new $10 million Arntzen Corporation facility will employ 40 workers in the village of Sharon and is designed to produce large-diameter steel pipes for underground use. The rail project will connect the site to the Union Pacific Railroad.

“Strong infrastructure and strategic investments are key to adding high-skill, high-wage jobs and connecting the dots so our state and economy can grow,” said Gov. Evers. “I welcome Arntzen Corporation to Wisconsin, and I welcome more businesses to collaborate on transportation solutions and find new success in Wisconsin.”

The TEA grant was recently approved by WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson.

“Whether it is improving rail access, strengthening our harbors or improving our roads, Wisconsin is committed to infrastructure investments that improve our economy, safety and quality of life,” Secretary-designee Craig Thompson said. “Thank you to Arntzen Corporation for investing in Wisconsin.”

Arntzen will use the new 1,100-foot rail spur to receive deliveries of steel plate which is the primary raw material for their operation.

“Wisconsin’s pro-business environment combined with the Village of Sharon’s industrial site with rail access made this community the logical choice for our new manufacturing facility,” said company Vice President John Arntzen. “Transporting steel plate from the various steel mills by rail is key to staying competitive as a steel casing pipe mill.”

Construction of Arntzen’s plant in Sharon is expected to begin this fall with completion slated for next year. Work on the WisDOT supported rail spur which will serve the site is expected to begin in the spring of 2022 and be completed by the time the manufacturing facility is operational.

“This partnership between the Village of Sharon, the State and Arntzen is so important to growing our economic base and creating new jobs,” said Susan Steele, Administrator of the Village of Sharon. “This new manufacturing facility, which will be built on a 68-acre site in Sharon, will provide Arntzen with room to grow in the future and add even more new jobs.”

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Walworth County Economic Development Alliance and the Milwaukee 7 (M7) regional economic development organization all assisted in recruiting Arntzen to locate in Wisconsin.

“Arntzen is the kind of company that can thrive here,” said Rebecca Gries, M7’s Director of Corporate Attraction and Expansion. “Their arrival is another validation of the value proposition that our region offers to so many manufacturers.”

Since the beginning of 2020, Wisconsin’s TEA program has awarded 15 grants totaling $7.1 million to support transportation improvements linked to business development projects that will create 1,367 new jobs and retain more than 700 jobs in Wisconsin.

The TEA program provides financial assistance to communities to support transportation infrastructure improvements that will help attract new employers or encourage existing employers to expand.  A municipal or county unit of government must sponsor a TEA application. The project must have the local government’s endorsement, and it must benefit the public.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.