Randolph County welcomes new expansion

October 18, 2018

By Terrence Jefferies tjefferies@courier-tribune.com

Talbert Manufacturing, Inc., based in Rensselaer, Ind., broke ground at Ferree Trailers in Liberty, which Talbert acquired in 2014 and is expanding.

“We’re excited to be here today, we’re excited about this project,” Kevin Franklin, vice president of Randolph County Economic Development Corporation, said at the beginning of the groundbreaking ceremony in Liberty.

Talbert owners plan to double production space at Ferree Trailers by adding 52,000 square feet.

“We’re going to add 24 jobs (to Randolph County), good-paying manufacturing jobs. And that’s going to be the big thing for Randolph County,” Talbert President Andrew Tanner said.

“We are excited about this expansion to increase our presence down here in the Southeast,” Tanner added. “It’s a good opportunity for us. We have our main plant in Indiana. We handle the midwest, and northeast very strongly from there. This is going to allow us to penetrate into the market into the southeast even more.”

According to the Randolph County EDC, Talbert anticipates investing $2.5 million in new construction and $700,000 in equipment on the expansion, which was necessary due to a continued increase in demand.

The manufacturing business is expecting to attract potential industries in metal working and food processing, EDC President Walter Sprouse said.

The groundbreaking included a number of officials and notable figures in the ceremony, including Liberty Mayor Filmore York.

“Any day is a good day when you have a groundbreaking in Liberty or anywhere else in Randolph County,” York said.

“Randolph County was a better footprint for us, economically,” Fields said.