Seiler uses Mo. incentives to grow
St. Louis Business Journal
Friday, June 5, 2009 | Modified: Monday, June 8, 2009
Seiler Instrument and Manufacturing Co. Inc. is growing, and it plans to boost employee know-how by using the Missouri Quality Jobs Program.
After outgrowing its Webster Groves headquarters, the company recently moved to combine its operations into one 148,000-square-foot facility at 3433 Tree Court Industrial Blvd. The company is celebrating the move with an open house Friday and Saturday.
Seiler has applied, and expects to be approved, for reimbursement of 50 percent for training through the state incentive program, said Seiler's director of human resources, Dan Ranson. He said the training would include new employees as well as improving the skill sets of current employees for the fiscal year beginning next month.
Seiler is a contract manufacturer, specializing in fire-control equipment, and a distributor of surveying instruments, microscopes and Zeiss planetaria. The manufacturing division produces optical fire-control equipment and components, such as periscopes, telescopes and gunsights, primarily for the military. The division accounts for about half of Seiler's revenue, which was nearly $50 million in 2008.
St. Louis County is providing Chapter 100 tax abatement for the new headquarters, said Seiler Executive Vice President Rick Seiler. The company bought its new building in October for $5.8 million, moving about 150 employees from three previous buildings to the new Kirkwood address.
Rick Seiler said Friday that in exchange for the tax incentives, the company committed to add at least 25 jobs and maintain them for 10 years.
At the time the move was announced, President Tom Seiler told the Business Journal that the company plans to add between 30 and 40 employees over the next four to five years, mostly in manufacturing.
Seiler Instrument was founded in 1945. It's owned by Tom Seiler; his father, Eric; and his brother, Rick.
