MONROE - Amlat, the infant formula production company planning to build in Monroe's north side industrial park, postponed its Nov. 25 groundbreaking ceremony and is now looking at March 2015 to begin construction of its new, 48,450-square-foot facility, according to Martin Shanks, Monroe's assistant city administrator and director of community development.
The facility was expected to go online in the fall of 2015 and employ as many as 200 people, but that timeline is now in question.
Shanks said he expects to have an update on the status of the Amlat project at the Common Council meeting Tuesday, as requested by some council members in December.
A spokesperson for Amlat could not be reached.
On Nov. 12, the city's Plan Commission approved the Amlat facility design, produced by Lyle Leverentz of Power Engineers, Middleton, allowing construction to proceed.
Amlat is being created by Dong Han of Beijing, China, on 20 acres in the industrial park.
The $20 million production facility received council approval June 17. The Common Council approved a purchase and development agreement for the company, which had an original closing date of June 28.
The site was sold for $447,000 in cash. Under terms of the agreement, the development is to achieve and maintain a minimum fair market value of $1 million in 2015 and of $2.1 million in 2016 through 2029. Non-performance penalties of up to $56,800 annually are included in the agreement.
The council approval had also given Mayor Bill Ross, City Administrator Phil Rath and Rex Ewald, city attorney, authority to make changes to the agreement. Their changes to the agreement in July extended the allowable start date for construction from one year to two years and the completion of construction from 24 months to 33 months. The agreement was also amended to give Han, as the purchaser, the ability to rescind the agreement if she were unable to "process an EB-5 application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for 20 immigrant visas" for individuals seeking permanent resident status with a capital investment in Amlat.
The facility was expected to go online in the fall of 2015 and employ as many as 200 people, but that timeline is now in question.
Shanks said he expects to have an update on the status of the Amlat project at the Common Council meeting Tuesday, as requested by some council members in December.
A spokesperson for Amlat could not be reached.
On Nov. 12, the city's Plan Commission approved the Amlat facility design, produced by Lyle Leverentz of Power Engineers, Middleton, allowing construction to proceed.
Amlat is being created by Dong Han of Beijing, China, on 20 acres in the industrial park.
The $20 million production facility received council approval June 17. The Common Council approved a purchase and development agreement for the company, which had an original closing date of June 28.
The site was sold for $447,000 in cash. Under terms of the agreement, the development is to achieve and maintain a minimum fair market value of $1 million in 2015 and of $2.1 million in 2016 through 2029. Non-performance penalties of up to $56,800 annually are included in the agreement.
The council approval had also given Mayor Bill Ross, City Administrator Phil Rath and Rex Ewald, city attorney, authority to make changes to the agreement. Their changes to the agreement in July extended the allowable start date for construction from one year to two years and the completion of construction from 24 months to 33 months. The agreement was also amended to give Han, as the purchaser, the ability to rescind the agreement if she were unable to "process an EB-5 application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for 20 immigrant visas" for individuals seeking permanent resident status with a capital investment in Amlat.