Mid-November is now the projected starting date for operations at the Hydro-Gear plant in Princeton, as contractors work to get the factory building ready for the manufacturer’s expansion from its Sullivan, Ill., headquarters.
Company officials joined representatives from Innovative Staff Solutions, a firm that handles Hydro-Gear’s preliminary hiring, in Princeton Thursday for a career fair and recruitment session at the fire training center on U.S. 62 West.
Mike Todd, Hydro-Gear’s vice president of operations, said work on the building was not coming along at the pace they expected, and the company’s target date for beginning production had been pushed back to mid-November.
Labor crews continue to work on the plant facility, located in the Princeton-Caldwell County Industrial Park spec building.
Todd said work on the building’s infrastructure — mechanical systems, plumbing and electricity — was continuing.
Princeton Electric Plant Board crews installed a large transformer at the plant Wednesday, and Princeton Water and Wastewater Commission crews, assisted by Public Works laborers, recently completed the installation of water and sewer lines to the building.
By March, Todd said, Hydro-Gear expects to have about 160 people employed at its Princeton plant. Most will be full-time employees, he said.
One of the goals at Thursday’s job fair, he added, was to find people willing to start around the first of November.
A group of 20 or so employees would make the trip to the company’s Sullivan plant for about a week to gain experience and learn the workings of the equipment used in the plant’s operation, for the manufacture of parts and equipment used in the lawn and garden industry.
About 12 people from the Sullivan plant are also being selected to relocate to Princeton and help with the local plant’s startup. Those selections are almost complete, Todd said.
Those employees hired through Innovative Staffing Solutions (ISS) will be 90-day employees. After that trial period, those employees may be considered for full-time employment.
Denise Smith, director of operations for ISS, said the company has been working with Hydro-Gear for the past nine years in Sullivan and would be responsible for hiring most of the company’s entry-level production positions.
Hydro-Gear officials were also screening and interviewing candidates for other mid- and upper-level positions.
ISS will begin accepting applications at its temporary office in Princeton later this month.
The office, located in the former Boggess auto dealership office at 1310 U.S. 62 West, will be staffed by two employees hired from the area: Manager Kim Jones and Assistant Manager Melissa Lawson.
Hydro-Gear’s move to the area means ISS, a separate business, is also expanding its operations here, for potential use by other industries.
Todd said two other companies would also probably be expanding or locating in the area to offer additional services, relative to Hydro-Gear’s manufacturing efforts.
Both Hydro-Gear and ISS officials said the county had continued to be receptive and cooperative as the companies launch their new facilities.
“Princeton has been so welcoming to us,” said Smith. “The generosity and the graciousness is astonishing.”
ISS plans more career fairs and recruitment efforts as the company gets off the ground here, she added.
Todd also announced the hire of Scott Laffoon as Hydro-Gear’s Princeton plant manager.
Laffoon, who previously served as production manager at AFCO Manufacturing and chairs the Western Kentucky Industrial Training Consortium, had approached the company as it looked to fill leadership positions and is now assisting in the hiring process for other positions.
“We think he’s a good fit for what our needs are,” said Todd.
Laffoon officially started as plant manager Tuesday, Sept. 6, and recently returned from close to two weeks in Sullivan to get a feel for the factory’s operation and procedures, as the company prepares for its local arrival.
