Recycler Redoing Former Manufacturing Site

Scrap metal handler OmniSource Corp. plans to finish renovations on its Bourbon, Ind., plant within three months, and expects to begin shipping product by the first quarter of next year, a company spokesman said.

"We're probably a quarter of the way there," said Ben Eisbart, executive vice president of administration at OmniSource, based in Fort Wayne.

One of America's largest ferrous metal recyclers, the company announced in August plans to renovate and occupy the former Lear Corp. plant.

When all is said and done, the project will represent a $5 million to $6 million investment and initially will provide jobs for up to 20 people, Eisbart said.

Eisbart hopes the total number of employees will increase to between 45 and 60 within three years.

The response from job applicants from the greater Bourbon area has been very good, he said.

The company is searching for factory workers, as well as mechanics, an accounting manager and a lab technician, Eisbart said.

At the new Bourbon location, OmniSource will compress iron waste into cinderblock-sized briquettes for foundries and steel mills.

"We take scrap metal which otherwise might find its way in a landfill," Eisbart said.

Eisbart said the location and size of the 174,500-square-foot plant will greatly aid production.

"When you add all those factors, plus when you have the building structure as it is, it all fell into place," Eisbart said.

OmniSource has been renovating the Bourbon plant for about two months. South Bend (Indiana) Tribune