By Joshua Burd
Three manufacturers could be moving to New Jersey from New York City’s outer boroughs, following the approval of incentives for the firms by the state Economic Development Authority.
The EDA last week offered a combined $22.1 million in tax credits to the three firms — Schuster Meat Corp., Gourmet Nut Inc. and Elite Décor Inc. — which have identified industrial buildings in Lodi, Perth Amboy and Clifton as possible locations for their operations.
Schuster Meat, currently based in the Bronx, would purchase a 53,000-square-foot facility at 60 Industrial Road in Lodi, according to the EDA. The manufacturer is in need of additional space but is also considering an alternative location that would allow it to stay in the New York City borough.
The project would result in the creation of 40 new jobs and private investment of more than $8.9 million.
Gourmet Nut is contemplating a move from Brooklyn to Perth Amboy, where the manufacturer and distributor of nuts, dried fruits and trail mixes would acquire a 61,950-square-foot facility at 144 Grant St. to increase cost-effectiveness and expand into other retail channels. The company expects to create more than 110 new jobs and invest more than $6.4 million if it picks New Jersey over a location under consideration in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
“New Jersey has a long, rich history in the food industry, and is home to many leading food companies,” said Melissa Orsen, authority’s CEO. “The state holds a special appeal for food manufacturers based on its logistical advantages and highly skilled labor pool.”
Meantime, Elite Décor, Inc., a custom window treatment manufacturer, has told the EDA it has outgrown its headquarters and production facility in Brooklyn and is considering relocating to Clifton. The company has identified a 78,000-square-foot facility at 140 Delawanna Ave. that it would purchase, which is in contention with a facility in Middletown, New York.
The move would create more than 100 new jobs and more than $2 million in investment in Clifton, the EDA said.
