The Delaware Council on Development Finance will review $5 million in grant requests from two corporations at a meeting next week.
Solenis, LLC is seeking a $3.9 million grant from the state’s Strategic Fund for growing its headquarters and research and development operations in New Castle County.
The grant would be for capital expenditures in the amount of $763,050; a $1.98 million grant for the retention of 323 jobs; and a performance grant for $1.17 million to create 92 new jobs
Solenis, which is owned by private equity interests, acquired operations of Ashland Inc., formerly Hercules and opened a headquarters in north Wilmington near the Pennsylvania line.
Dot Foods is seeking $1.1 million for a new redistribution center in New Castle County. Illinois-based Dot is listed as the nation’s largest redistributor of foods. It buys foods from manufacturers and then resells to customers in less than truckload quantities.
DOT Foods plans to expand into Delaware with a new redistribution center in Bear that would employ 201 workers within three years.
“We look forward to seeing this great project move ahead,” said Damian DeStefano, Director of the Delaware Division of Small Business. “DOT Foods’ choice to locate its new facility in Delaware is a testament to the state being an excellent place for businesses to grow and thrive.”
The grants typically go to companies that agree to retain or bring jobs to Delaware.
Members of the council will meet behind closed doors to consider actions regarding an unidentified company that is moving into the collections process on not paying off state obligations The agenda cites the need to meet with legal counsel to formulate a strategy.
The council will meet at 9 a.m. Monday at the Buena Vista conference center south of New Castle.
The council, which is made up of government and private sector members, makes recommendations on the funding to the state.
The council is now under the state Delaware Division of Small Business, which is part of the Delaware Department of State. This followed the restructuring of the Delaware Economic Development Office by Gov. John Carney and the General Assembly.
Other functions of the former DEDO are now under the Delaware Prosperity Partnership, a private entity with state and private sector funding.
