Swiss-Based dormakaba to Expand Indiana Manufacturing Footprint

The Swiss security and access solutions company, which purchased the Mechanical Security businesses from Stanley Black & Decker in early 2017, will make significant investments to expand and nearly double the size its state-of-the-art facility in Indianapolis. Located on a 50-acre site at 6161 E. 75th St., dormakaba will construct a 200,000-square-foot addition, increasing its manufacturing footprint to 430,000 square feet once complete. The expansion will allow dormakaba to grow its production of secure locks and access control solutions for markets, including schools and universities, airports, stadiums, healthcare and retail, government and commercial facilities. 

“dormakaba is proud of our heritage in Indianapolis,” said Michael Kincaid, chief operating officer of dormakaba Access Solutions Americas. “We know that this is a great place to attract a talented workforce, allowing us to grow our business, better serve our customers and enrich the lives of our employees. We are excited for what’s ahead.”

dormakaba will break ground on the expansion later this year, with plans to be fully-operational at the expanded site within three years. This will allow the company to meet the demands of its customers by diversifying operations to include products currently manufactured in several facilities. As part of its expansion, the company plans to hire for front office and finance positions now and for manufacturing and assembly positions in one to two years. New positions are expected to offer salaries well above both the state and Marion County average wages. Interested applicants may view open positions and apply via the Careers link at dormakaba.com/us/en.

“Today’s announcement reinforces the status of Indianapolis as a global leader in manufacturing,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “I am thrilled that dormakaba has chosen our community for its North American headquarters by expanding its current footprint on Indy’s north side. I am particularly excited that dormakaba’s growth will provide more high-wage opportunities for our citizens to join in their success.”

dormakaba got its start as a locksmith and cash register factory in 1862 and has since grown into an approximately $2.8 billion (2.8 billion CHF) company after the merger of Dorma and Kaba in 2015. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, solutions and services for everything related to doors and secure access to buildings and rooms. 

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered dormakaba up to $2.4 million in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation and investment plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Indianapolis will offer up to 10 years of real and personal tax abatement pending approval from the Metropolitan Development Commission per the recommendation of Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber. 

Indiana is home to 38 Swiss business operations across the state, including dormakaba, Nestlé, Roche, Kuehne + Nagel, UGN and Autoneum. Switzerland was the seventh largest source of foreign direct investment in the U.S. in 2016, with Swiss companies supporting more than 468,200 U.S. jobs, including more than 11,300 in Indiana.