4 March 2024
WELLINGTON, Kan. (KSNW) — A company is investing $14 million in Wellington and creating 110 new jobs for the area.
Elite Harness plans to refurbish an existing facility at 1515 North A Street on the north side of town. The goal is to make it into a 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.
“We have a sister company that is located in Tulsa, so we considered building there, but the State of Kansas and Sumner County really stepped up to the plate and made Wellington a wise choice for us,” Elite Harness President Nathan Smith said in a news release.
The company will make wiring harnesses and custom cables used in the automotive, industrial, agricultural, and aerospace industries and any others needing electrical connections.
Elite says the wiring harness and custom cable market is a $90 billion industry poised for significant growth over the next 10 years.
Smith says Stacy Davis of the Sumner County Economic Development Commission was instrumental in getting Elite to choose Kansas.
“The Sumner County Economic Development mission is to grow communities through business activity with innovative economic development programs,” Stacy Davis, commission director, said. “Having a company like Elite Harness expand their company in Wellington underscores the value of investing in rural Kansas towns.”
“Kansas has developed a reputation as the go-to state for new and expanding major businesses,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.
“The additional high-tech manufacturing jobs and opportunities are further examples that our world-class workforce, and strong infrastructure makes Kansas the best state to start or expand a business” Governor Laura Kelly said.
Elite plans to hold an open house in June.