(AP) – An Illinois company that makes items for trade shows is moving to Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker announced Thursday.
Catalyst Exhibits, Inc., will be moving from Crystal Lake, Ill., to Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and bringing with it 105 jobs, the governor said. It will occupy a 144,000-square-foot facility and invest $2.5 million in the state, Walker said.
Catalyst Exhibits is a trade-show marketing company whose clients include TiVo, Siemens, Abbott Labs and Nokia.
The company’s move comes after the Wisconsin legislature passed a law in January that forgives for two years the corporate and personal income taxes of companies that relocate to Wisconsin.
It also follows a decision by Illinois’ Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn to raise corporate taxes as part of efforts to plug a budget hole in that state that could hit $15 billion this year.
Republican state Sen. Van Wanggaard said this shows the new law is working.
To qualify for the tax break, companies must not have been located in Wisconsin for at least two years, and must locate at least 51 percent of their workforce or have at least $200,000 in wages in Wisconsin.
Walker said the company will receive a $500,000 state grant to relocate to Wisconsin and the Kenosha Area Business Alliance is providing a $1.25 million low interest loan for building renovations.
