The city of Jacksonville would offer Eckart Supply, an Indiana-based wholesale products distributor, $67,500 in public incentives to expand into Northeast Florida under a request approved Nov. 25 by the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee.
Ed Randolph, CEO of the city Office of Economic Development, said Eckart LLC plans to invest $1 million to “establish a Southeast beachhead” in Jacksonville.
The company plans to create at least 45 full-time jobs paying an average annual wage of $79,960, Randolph said.
According to a staff summary of the incentives request, the company plans to invest $1 million over the next two years on build-out of a 150,000-square-foot building at 5400 W. 12th St.
The city would provide Eckart with a Local Targeted Industry Employment Grant of $1,500 for each newly created job. The grant would be paid out in 25% increments over the next four years.
Randolph said Eckart considered at least two other locations for its Southeast expansion.
Eckart says it is a full-service distributor of electrical, lighting, plumbing, HVAC and data communication products.
The company, based in Corydon, Indiana, employs 385 people.
With the MBRC’s approval, the proposed incentive will be written into legislation for introduction to the Jacksonville City Council.