Family-owned D. Martin Enterprises is planning to build a new manufacturing facility in Michigan City.
The $20 million investment will include 112,350 square feet of manufacturing space and 4,000 square feet of office space. The new space is expected to require 30 more employees, with the potential for more in the first two years of operation.
The company, which was founded by Don Martin Sr. and his wife, Betty, in 1975, began to provide solutions for electric arc furnace steel mills.
“My grandfather opened the DME office in Michigan City over 40 years ago, and it’s always felt like the right place to be — central to many of the mills we do business with and in a community that has grown exponentially in that time,” said Cassie Martin Graham, D. Martin Enterprises vice president of operations, in a press release.
The company at 310 Commerce Square has almost 100 employees and is working on a new process.
“In less than 10 years, we have increased sales revenue over four times,” Martin Graham said. “In the time that we have had our current production facility in Michigan City, we have grown from a single product line to designing more than 10 discrete product lines.”
Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said the announcement is a sign that Michigan City is on the right track.
“D. Martin Enterprises has a strong foundation here in Michigan City and has been a central component of the steel industry since 1975, with decades here in our city,” said Nelson Deuitch. “To have a multigenerational company continue to cultivate roots in Michigan City signifies how we continue to provide a strong base for our business community.”
Economic Development Corp. Michigan City Executive Director Clarence Hulse said DME's plans could provide the spark for more innovations in the Region.
“The value of a longstanding family-owned business expanding in our city is immeasurable,” Hulse said. “Retaining and helping our core companies level up is just as important as welcoming new businesses and impactful projects.”
Martin Graham said growth in Michigan City is an added perk to their decision to expand.
“While Michigan City’s proximity to major freeways, Chicago and Midwest steel mills has been integral to our business' success, we also love that the growth we’ve seen around us has created a community that we enjoy being a part of whether it’s lunch at one of the local restaurants or a stop off at the lake on the way home to relax after work,” she said.
The company also takes advantage of higher education opportunities in the Region.
“We recruit employees locally and participate in mock interviews at A.K. Smith Career Center and provide continuous learning for our teammates at Ivy Tech,” she said.
The EDCMC is a private nonprofit working to build economic opportunity in Michigan City.
Caption: D. Martin Enterprises Vice President of Operations Cassie Martin Graham speaks to the Michigan City Council to discuss the company’s expansion while EDCMC Executive Director Clarence Hulse stands by. (Provided by EDCMC)
