Music technology retailer Sweetwater will move to a new 150,000-square-foot campus on 44 acres of land in Fort Wayne, Ind. Sweetwater founder and CEO Chuck Surack was joined on May 3, 2006, by state and local economic development officials for a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the company’s new location.
The relocation project involves a projected investment of $27 million in building improvements, including $2.5 million in machinery, equipment, furniture and fixtures. Construction is expected to take up to one year, though parts of the company will begin relocating to the new facilities as soon as this fall.
The new facility is designed to support Sweetwater’s projected growth. The company currently has more than 220 employees and expects to reach $180 million in annual sales and 450 employees by 2010.
Sweetwater’s new facilities will include a state-of-the-art distribution center and a greatly expanded retail store. Studio designer Russ Berger will design a media-rich auditorium and technical training center, as well as a new multi-room recording studio.
The new Sweetwater campus will be one of the first LEED-certified facilities in the region. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program promotes facility design that practices environmental awareness and conservation, while simultaneously achieving economical performance.
For more information, go to www.sweetwater.com/feature/expansion.
