By Greg Haas, KLAS, November 20, 2023
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A company that plans to make medical and industrial gloves in Pahrump leads the list of eight companies that will get a combined $7.2 million in tax abatements, according to a Monday news release from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).
The companies are expected to make capital investments of more than $72 million and generate $65 million in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period. GOED expects the companies to create 533 jobs in the first two years of operation.
Alka Products, LLC has secured $1.92 million in tax abatements for its planned facility, which will bring 240 jobs with an average wage of $29.36 per hour. That’s expected to grow to 270 jobs within five years.
“The near-term benefit of Nevada’s incentive program is that it is creating good jobs that wouldn’t otherwise come here,” Gov. Joe Lombardo said. “One of these companies alone will create 270 jobs in Nye County and two others in Clark County will create more than 300 positions combined over the next five years outside of the hospitality and leisure sector.”
Abatement agreements are typically reached between the state and a company it’s trying to attract to Nevada. The companies sometimes weigh offers from more than one state. The deals allow the companies a break on taxes they would normally pay. The biggest deals — such as the $330 million abatement that recently went to Tesla in Storey County — have been controversial, with politicians pointing out that the very communities where the companies operate are left to find other sources for money to pay for roads, schools and other services.
But jobs and long-term tax revenue usually carry the argument.
“Since January, we have assisted 25 companies that will create 5,208 jobs in their first five years of operation. They have invested more than $4 billion in capital investment and will generate more than $1 billion in new tax revenues,” Lombardo said.
The eight companies, ordered by the amount of the abatements approved by GOED:
- Alka Products, LLC ($1,923,558) plans to establish a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacturing facility in Pahrump. Alka Products plans on building a 107,000 square foot manufacturing plant specializing in medical and industrial gloves. It is projected to create 240 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $29.36. It is projected to grow to 270 jobs in five years. This company will make $22,800,000 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $15,264,659 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, Inc. ($1,511,089) plans to establish an Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAS) and operations and testing in its location within the Reno Stead Airport. The company develops the world’s longest endurance fully electric Group-2 UAS systems. It is projected to create five jobs in the first year of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $48.60. It is expected to grow to 10 jobs in five years. This company will make $7,280,000 in capital equipment investment in the first year of operation and generate $1,859,717 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Bauderer Packaging LLC ($1,407,419) plans to establish a new food packaging production facility in North Las Vegas. Bauderer is a newly created division of Contract Packaging Associations that will be focused on filling lines of snack products for a major manufacturer. It is projected to create 89 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $29.33. It is expected to grow to 104 jobs in five years. This company will make $13,025,000 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $10,019,837 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Agru America, Inc. ($1,383,440) plans to expand its current Lyon County manufacturing plant by 102,000 square feet. Agru is a plastics manufacturer and the company’s Fernley facility produced premium geomembrane liners used to control fluid migration in a manmade project. It is projected to create 17 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $28.62. It is expected to grow to 20 jobs in five years. This company will make $20,872,500 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $6,608,894 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Chameleon Beverage Company ($582,846) plans to establish up to a 25,000 square foot plastic bottle manufacturing facility in Clark County. It is projected to create 20 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $29.58. It is expected to grow to 23 jobs in five years. This company will make $5,611,430 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $2,391,576 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Thrill One Events LLC ($214,473) is considering Clark County for its new corporate headquarters. Thrill One was formed in 2020 by uniting industry leading brands Nitro Circus, Nitro Rallycross, Street League Skateboarding and Thrill One Media to become the world’s leading producer of action sports events and original content. It is projected to create 52 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $55.37. It is expected to grow to 67 jobs in five years. This company will make $1,041,100 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $7,512,309 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Elite Sales Solutions ($128,302) plans to expand its existing headquarters and back-office operations in Las Vegas to 12,000 square feet. Elite Sales is a full-service Tax Boutique Law Firm. It is projected to create 80 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $36.22. It is expected to grow to 200 jobs in five years. This company will make $374,000 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $19,086,129 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.
- Warby Parker Inc. ($98,073) plans to expand its optical lab and manufacturing facility in Clark County. It is projected to create 30 jobs in the first two years of operation at an average weighted hourly wage of $25.37. This company will make $1,326,344 in capital equipment investment in the first two years of operation and generate $2,370,563 in new tax revenues over the 10-year abatement period.