April 15, 2014

Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, Inc. on Tuesday announced a 3,600-square-foot expansion to its facility on South Limit Avenue to make room for new state-of-the-art equipment.

The expansion, which is slated to begin this week, will include a new painting system allowing the company to paint large signs. The expansion will also add between two and four manufacturing jobs with an average wage of $40,000, said Owner David Goodson during an announcement hosted by Economic Development Sedalia-Pettis County.

“We’re very proud to announce this expansion,” he said. “This is going to allow us to be a regional sign company with national capabilities.”

Goodson said the Pettis County’s Enhanced Enterprise Zones were the main reason the company has stayed in the area, noting in 2006 he and his wife Julie were thinking of moving Impact Signs to another county. After speaking with EDSPC Director Linda Christle, who explained the benefits of an EEZ, they located on north U.S. 65 Highway.

“The local and state tax credits available to us through the zones made the decision to expand here easy,” Goodson said.

“Sedalia is also home,” Julie added.

Tuesday’s expansion announcement wasn’t the first for the company. In 2008 they expanded the Impact Outdoor Advertising Division with the facility at West 32nd Street and South Limit Avenue and the next year announced a 7,500-square-foot expansion. In 2012 they acquired a competitor business from Jefferson City and will soon move into a new facility in Columbia.

“Opening a facility in Columbia and acquiring the competitor in Jefferson City has really opened up our services available from Columbia to St. Louis,” Goodson said. “Our headquarters will remain here in Sedalia. This is our home.”

“We’re glad to see any business expand,” said EDSPC Board of Directors President Rusty Kahrs. “And it’s even more special when that’s a local business owned by someone raised in this community.”

Kahrs said promoting EEZ and its benefits is a key part in attracting businesses to locate or expand in the area.

“There’s a lot of paperwork involved to be eligible, it’s a process that takes a while, but the benefits outweigh all that,” he said. “It’s one more way to get government out of the way of business. By having fewer taxes business owners can plow that money back into the business, and back into its employees.”

Christle agreed, saying the zones are just part of the way Sedalia and Pettis County take care of its business.

“We want new businesses to come in but, just as important, we want to keep the businesses we have,” she said. “For a local company to stay here in the area and expand, that’s really the best compliment we can get. We really strive to make sure we’re doing our best to work with owners and take care of their needs.”

Impact Signs’ expansion is scheduled to be complete in about six weeks.