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Jupiter Machine Tool plans to add jobs and space at Galesburg plant

“We’re creating lucrative and rewarding jobs that have a greater impact on the surrounding community,” said Andrew Heath, Jupiter’s vice...

GALESBURG, Illinois -

A Galesburg business will ask for city incentives to expand its plant and add jobs.

Jupiter Machine Tool is calling on Galesburg's manufacturing past to build its future.

The business, which makes custom parts for high-profile clients, will appear before the Galesburg City Council on Monday, April 2.

It wants to build a $2.75 million, 10,000 sq. ft. addition to create space and opportunities for growth.

In return, the company will nearly double its workforce to about 100 employees over the next three years. Many of the jobs will pay between $40-80,000 per year.

"We're not creating 10,000 jobs, but we're creating lucrative and rewarding jobs that have a larger impact on the surrounding community," said Andrew Heath, Jupiter's vice president of international operations.

Their work literally jumps off the page. Augmented reality gives a new look to assignments with clients.

"We've got a lot of graphic arts applications," said Ray Whitehead, Jupiter's co-owner.  "The jobs are being created on a national basis."

This company will build on Galesburg's tradition of making things, but it will do it in a much different way for a global marketplace.

"Once we prove that it can be done here, you can be high-tech in the Midwest, globally competitive, we'll start having people pop up around here like mushrooms," Heath said.

The company also praises the community for working together on regional economic development.

"All of those folks have come together to actually unite as a combined team, and that's pretty rare," Whitehead concluded.

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