The Whiteland Town Council at its April 18 meeting first considered a $260,000 real property tax abatement for Axis Group LLC to build a new location for Axis Fiber Solutions to move from Greenwood.
Emily Ketterer | Daily Journal
A Greenwood-based fiber solutions company is making a move to Whiteland.
Axis Group LLC, a land holding company created to buy land for Axis Fiber Solutions in Greenwood, purchased two plots of land on Graham Road in Whiteland totaling around six acres for $80,000 in 2018.
The company plans to build a 13,600-square-foot facility on two acres of the property to relocate its operations there, and eventually expand more. With that, Axis asked the Whiteland Town Council for a $260,400 real property tax abatement, which the council approved unanimously Tuesday.
Axis Fiber Solutions installs high-speed fiber internet for nearby providers Johnson County REMC and MetroNet, and the company also does directional drilling underground.
The property the company purchased on Graham Road is south of Whiteland Road, just across the street from the industrial section of the Gateway at Whiteland mixed-use development. In total, Axis is spending $2.1 million on improvements to the property, including the building, parking lot and green space. Work has started at the site, and the company plans to move in by November, according to the abatement application filed to the town of Whiteland.
With the move, Axis will retain its 50 existing employees and plans to add at least 10 new jobs. Salaries range between $20 to $30 an hour, depending on the job position, owner Kevin Kissick said.
The real property abatement approved is a standard 10-year abatement. Axis will not pay any real property taxes in the first year, and then gradually pay a higher percentage over 10 years until it is paying 100% in taxes. Over the 10 years, Axis will pay roughly $310,000 total in real property taxes with the tax break, and also around $170,000 in personal property taxes.
For the future, Kissick said there is possibility for expansion on that property in Whiteland. He said the company wants to eventually build small warehouse and more offices.
“We have quite a big area, it’s almost six acres over there,” Kissick said. “We don’t know yet, but we plan on having quite a big presence.”
Council members voted unanimously in favor of the abatement over two readings in April and May. Joe Sayler, council president, said this is the type of local business the town should support.
“I love when local businesses want to stay around here,” Sayler said. “I think they bring what I consider very good jobs.”
