Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc., a manufacturer of windows and doors, is expanding its facility in Park Falls—$3.6 million project expected to create 40 jobs over the next three years.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is supporting the project by authorizing up to $225,000 in state income tax credits over the next three years. The actual amount of tax credits Weather Shield will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created and the amount of capital investment during that period.
“This investment by Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc. solidifies the company’s continued commitment to Wisconsin and is a testament to the strength of our manufacturing industry,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC. “In addition to the jobs created by this project, this expansion allows Weather Shield to take advantage of a growing market and position itself for future growth.”
“We are excited to expand our operations in Park Falls,” said Mark Schield, president of Weather Shield. “The greater Park Falls community has a tremendously talented workforce who are skilled, experienced and highly capable of supporting Weather Shield’s growing business. We look forward to welcoming new associates to our work family.”
Weather Shield plans to expand its operations at its Park Falls location to support the addition of a new product line of windows and specialty patio doors that targets the luxury custom home and premiere hospitality markets. These products are highly engineered and require skilled employees who have strong technical capabilities and the ability to operate automated equipment such as five-axis CNCs.
The company will invest more than $3 million in new equipment and special tooling to be able to produce the new product line. It will also spend an additional $381,500 in training costs to train the new and current employees on using the equipment for the new product line.
“I’m pleased that the State of Wisconsin is making a significant investment in the Park Falls area though the authorization of $225,000 in state income tax credits for the expansion of Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc.,” said state Rep. Beth Meyers. “This expansion exemplifies the commitment that Weather Shield has made to the community, and I am delighted that this project will create good-paying jobs for northern Wisconsin.”
In addition to the 40 jobs expected to be created by Weather Shield, an economic modeling study estimates the project could indirectly generate 23 additional jobs in the region. The 63 total new jobs are expected to generate $106,579 in state income tax revenue annually.
“The backbone of the economy in northern Wisconsin is built on relationships and growth. It is great to see WEDC, Weather Shield Manufacturing, the mayor of Park Falls and the entire community come together on this expansion project,” said state Sen. Janet Bewley. “Park Falls is growing, and the possibilities are endless. I’m grateful to WEDC for recognizing the potential for growth and the investment in the community, which will help bring more jobs and prosperity.”
Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc. was founded in 1955 by Edward Schield, who produced aluminum doors and windows in a garage in his hometown of Medford, Wisconsin. Schield assembled aluminum extrusion parts, by hand, into storm doors and sold his products to homeowners in central Wisconsin. Today, Weather Shield remains family-owned, with three generations actively involved in the day-to-day company operations. Weather Shield now has 865 full-time employees, with 827 of them located in Wisconsin across their three locations in Medford, Ladysmith and Park Falls. The company offers its comprehensive products and services to more than 600 dealers nationwide, has registered over 33 patents and has designed more than 3,000 products.
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