Racine County will be the site of the first North American operation of an Italian, family owned, packaging company, creating nearly 200 jobs. The announcement was made Thursday afternoon by Governor Jim Doyle and representatives of Seda International Packaging Group, based in Naples, Italy. Gianfranco D’Amato of Seda said the workforce in Southeast Wisconsin was critical to the decision to locate here. The company had also looked at sites in Ohio, Pennsylvania and in Canada.
Wisconsin will prove $5.7 million in tax credits to Seda and a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant Forgivable Loan. The exact site the company will occupy has not yet been nailed down. Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds said Seda’s decision shows that the county is making a name for itself.