Reno, NV (Aug. 13, 2015) – The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) is pleased to announce four new companies that recently relocated to the Reno area. Collectively, they will add up to 55 new jobs to the local economy.

Among the reasons for choosing the Reno area to relocate were lower operating costs, business-friendly environment and proximity to large West Coast customer base.

Meri Meri – designs and distributes design led party supplies, stationery, greeting cards and gift items that are sold worldwide to individual consumers and the finest retail stores. Meri Meri is opening a new distribution center on Aircenter Circle in Reno and expects to hire 10 employees.  The company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay area and operates its European sales and design office in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. merimeri.com

“Meri Meri outgrew its current distribution facility in Silicon Valley a few years ago. In looking at options that included many different parts of California as well as Las Vegas and Reno, we decided on moving our distribution center to Reno to realize a significant cost savings over all of the sites in California,” said Jeff Schalk, CEO. “Some of our employees plan to make the move to Reno along with our new facility, motivated by a better standard of living compared to the Bay Area”.

Business partners involved in this project include, Dickson Commercial Group, Scott Shanks and Joel Fountain, ITS Logistics, Kasia Wenker and Ken Tavener, Nevada Job Connect, John Parel.

Indy Hanger – a manufacturer of high quality, “no rust”, industrial grade, galvanized hangers that are environmentally-friendly fabricated. Their dedication to quality has earned them a loyal consumer and industrial market base. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indy Hanger will be opening its doors on Spice Island Drive in Sparks and plans to begin shipping in September. The company expects to hire 20 employees. indyhanger.com

Business partner involved in this project is NAI Alliance, Dan Oster.

eTailer – provides online sales of popular ice creams, gelatos, sorbets, pies and accompaniments. eTailer is also a wholesaler of popular brands of micro-small conveniences stores. The company began in 2002 in Door County, Wisconsin and continues to grow its services by adding a West Coast distribution center on Sutro Street in Reno. The West Coast center will also be using its 125,000 cubic feet freezer for a frozen storage rental business.  eTailer is hiring up to 15 employees at their new location. icecreamsource.com

Business partner involved in this project is NAI Alliance, Dan Oster.

Southern Prosthetic Supply (SPS) – is the world’s largest distributor of orthotic and prosthetic supplies that stocks more than 330,000 products. The company provides fast service with standard one or two day delivery to the majority of its U.S. clients and will be moving into its new distribution center on Aircenter Circle in Reno and shipping its first product from this location in September. SPS is headquartered in GA and will continue to operate at five existing sites in the U.S. They plan to hire up to 10 new employees. spsco.com

Business partners involved in this project include, University of Nevada Reno, Business Environmental Program, John Handzo and Nevada Job Connect, John Parel.

“These four new companies are small individually but collectively, they create 55 new jobs to the region and provide an array of diverse opportunities to job seekers in the area,” comments Mike Kazmierski, President and CEO, EDAWN. “It is no surprise that these distribution and manufacturing companies are finding the Reno-Sparks area as the best place to be for operations in the West.”

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About EDAWN:

The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada is a private/ public partnership established in 1983 committed to recruiting, expanding and supporting newly forming quality companies that bring jobs to the region and have a positive impact on the quality of life in Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe.

Contact:

Norma Yamaji, EDAWN Marketing Coordinator,775.829.3768, yamaji@edawn.org