Baraboo News Republic Article

August 31, 2006
08/31/06 DOYLE KICKS OFF TEEL EXPANSION

By Christina Beam
Baraboo News Republic

Baraboo Mayor Pat Liston quipped Wednesday that every time Gov. Jim Doyle comes to town he brings a check, so he ought to come more often. Such was the case again at the groundbreaking for Teel Plastics' 150,000 square-foot headquarters on Highway W, where Doyle presented a $626,000 Transportation Economic Assistance grant to the city to support the company's expansion.

"The growth of this company has been great for this region — it's been great for the state of Wisconsin," Doyle said. "This is an example of how when a community comes together, it gets things done."

Teel, which has been in Baraboo for 55 years and was bought by Jay Smith and family in 1999, specializes in custom plastic tubing and other plastic products. The company employs 270 people and expects to add 75 new jobs once the new headquarters are complete, Liston said.

The Highway W exit near Teel's headquarters will be "the gateway into Baraboo" when a four-lane expansion of Highway 12 from Madison is finished, Smith said.

"We hope there will also be eating and shopping facilities here," he said. "We want to keep the standard very, very high because for our future visitors here to Baraboo, that will be their first impression."

Teel will benefit from a Tax Increment Finance district the city established for the future Gateway Business Park where the company will build, Liston said. Wednesday's grant will foot half of the $1.25 million bill for constructing Mine Road to access Teel's site, Liston said, with the city picking up the balance.

Teel has been integral in developing a "plastics cluster" in the state, Doyle said, "something not recognized by people who think of us as machinery and beer and agriculture."

As outsourcing threatens the nation's work sector, investing in skilled jobs will benefit Wisconsin, Doyle said. "We're not going to compete with China for those low-wage, very simple jobs," he said. "Where we're going to compete is at the high end."

TEA grants are awarded to local communities, businesses and consortiums for transportation projects that attract employers to Wisconsin or encourage businesses to expand in-state. Since it was created in 1987, the TEA grant program has invested more than $68 million in 259 projects, helping create 63,000 jobs in Wisconsin.

Back to Newsroom