FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) – A Fort Wayne-based manufacturer has announced plans to expand and nearly double its employee base. Faztek Industrial Solutions, which designs, fabricates, and installs a variety of custom industrial equipment, said it will break ground Tuesday on a new $9 million headquarters and production facility.

The project is expected to result in up to 24 new jobs by the end of 2026, adding to the company’s existing 25 employees.

Faztek was founded in 2001 as a supplier of aluminum framing, specifically building safety guards for machines in the factories. The company expanded its offerings in 2019 to specialize in custom industrial products, including material-handling carts, work stations, safety guarding and aisle containment.

The company’s products serve a variety of industries, including aerospace, manufacturing, information technology, and food service.

The new facility will be located just north of 13101 Bluffton Road in Fort Wayne, near Fort Wayne International Airport, with an initial capacity of 60,000 square feet, double the size of the company’s current facility. However, the plant will have the potential to expand to 100,000 square feet.

“We’re excited to continue expanding our business in the community where we were born and raised,” Derek Melchi, chief operating officer at Faztek, said in a news release Monday.

Construction is expected to be complete by the spring of 2024.

Faztek said individuals interested in the new jobs can find more information here.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. is providing Faztek up to $130,000 in conditional tax credits, which the company will not be eligible to claim until Hoosier workers are hired for the new jobs. Additional incentives and training assistance have been approved by Northeast Indiana Works and the Allen County Council.

The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday.