Sensible Development

23. March 2008 by Greg Kelver.

It is always nice to see sensible economic development and the LaPorte County Herald Argus nicely summed it up in their editorial welcoming Xenerga/Indiana Flex Fuels to LaPorte County.

http://www.heraldargus.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=2971&SectionID=8&SubSectionID=9

Unlike some of the supersized development proposals being hyped for Union Mills,  there is a lot to like about what Xenerga/ Indiana Flex Fuels is doing:

• It is an obviously green company that helps to reduce dependence on foreign fossil fuels while offering an opportunity to recycle a waste product for beneficial reuse.
• It has chosen to locate in an area that is prime for industrial development (Kingsbury Industrial Park) and already has infrastructure in place instead of requiring a large greenfield site that is being used for agricultural production. As Mr. Zeedyk pointed out, LaPorte County already offers the rails, roads, and feedstocks - everything they need to build a successful business.
• Instead of a huge plant with the problems that can accompany it, Indiana Flex Fuels is starting with relatively small facility that can be an excellent example of the benefits of Micro-Manufacturing. The Herald Argus editorial pointed out that Xenerga CEO Jason Sayers explains on the firm’s Web site www.xenerga.com :

“Many of the plants being built today are (large) plants that require a huge investment and have complicated logistics. We’ve taken a different view. We’ve cut out the logistical problems, and we distribute the biodiesel locally without a lot of the distribution costs.” 

 That is exactly the kind of smart, sensible development that LaPorte County needs to build a healthy, economically sustainable future.

As long as they can properly contain any odors or emissions that may be associated with their process, Indiana Flex Fuel could very well serve as the model for the type of future economic development that should occur in LaPorte County.  As a small business owner who makes energy efficient heating equipment that can utilize the product that Indiana Flex Fuel will offer, it is genuinely exciting to see this type of WIN-WIN-WIN development happening here.

Welcome to LaPorte County Mr. Zeedyk and Indiana Flex Fuels!  Thank you for choosing to grow your business here and making LaPorte County the first of many successful operations that Xenerga has planned.

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