<p>Two tax breaks worth nearly $1 million were approved to facilitate a $7.8 million expansion of Aisin’s Franklin manufacturing facility.</p><p>The Franklin City Council this week unanimously approved the incentive package, including a 10-year real property tax abatement for Franklin Tech Park worth $935,000, and a five-year personal property tax abatement worth $26,700 for Aisin.</p><p>Aisin USA Manufacturing, 187 Bartram Parkway, was the first company to open in Franklin Tech Park, a Dennison Properties-owned 345-acre industrial park comprising multiple buildings east of Interstate 65, also including Interstate Warehousing and Energizer.</p><p>Aisin, which is based in Seymour, has manufactured car door components in Franklin since 2005.</p><p>To facilitate Aisin’s planned expansion, Dennison plans to more than double the square footage of the building to 299,000 from 146,000, said Mac McNaught, Dennison Properties president.</p><p>Aisin will expand its current operations and hire 20 new employees at a base pay of $15 per hour plus benefits, according to city documents.</p><p>The addition will likely be fully occupied by Aisin, but could also be subdivided for another business, depending on the company’s future growth, McNaught said.</p><p>A previously issued abatement on the property expired in 2017.</p><p>The city will collect about $1.1 million in real property taxes during the course of the 10-year abatement, and $17,300 in personal property taxes during the life of that abatement, according to tax estimates.</p><p>Aisin may bring more than 20 jobs. The number listed on the abatement documents was a conservative figure, McNaught said. The company has 49 employees in Franklin.</p><p>New jobs would start at less than the company’s average of $17.60 per hour, according to city documents. The wages are also lower than the city’s average hourly wage of $19.60.</p><p>Aisin and Franklin Tech Park will continue to pay taxes on the existing building and equipment at the current rate, as abatements only apply to new construction and new equipment.</p>
