The Elkhart plants of Conn-Selmer Inc. were awarded a Skills Enhancement Fund grant in the amount of $47,500.00 in May of this year by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The grant was provided to Conn-Selmer based on an application for assistance to the organization, which includes a proposed investment of $1.1 million in capital improvements at the facility over the next two years.

    The driving force behind these many of these improvements is the need for additional manufacturing capacities as the Company brings product lines to Elkhart from other facilities.  The Elkhart South woodwind facility is expanding and is the only manufacturing facility in the United State dedicated to the manufacture of the complete line of woodwind instruments.  The Elkhart North “Bach Plant” continues to expand its role as the leading professional trumpet and trombone producer in the world.

    The Skills Enhancement Fund provides financial assistance to businesses committed to training their workforce. SEF reimburses eligible training expenses over the term of the agreement and trainees must be Indiana residents. “Skills that enhance an employee’s general knowledge, employability and flexibility in the workplace are eligible for the grant,” says Sherry Buss, regional human resources manager for the facility. “Company specific skills, those that are unique to our individual company are also part of the total program with SEF”.

    The total amount of grants awarded by the IEDC are based in part on a series of criteria including; quality of jobs, including skill and wage levels, quality of the training program and the past record of commitment of the company, number of workers to be trained, capital dollar investment to be made with the program and the financial strength of the company. The IEDC is most concerned about the economic needs of Indiana communities and is dedicated to assisting all businesses that meet their guidelines.

    Of the total grant funds, $26,000.00 may be used to train 75 new Indiana resident employees and $21,500.00 may be used to train 250 current Indiana resident employees.

    Conn-Selmer manufactures and distributes instruments from facilities in Elkhart, Indiana; Cleveland and Eastlake, Ohio; Monroe, North Carolina; and LaGrange, Illinois. It also enjoys an extensive relationship with a variety of suppliers from around the world.

Conn-Selmer, Inc., the largest manufacturer of band and orchestral instruments and accessories in the United States, is a subsidiary of Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. To contact Conn-Selmer, write to P.O. Box 310, Elkhart, IN 46515-0310 U.S.A. or visit www.conn-selmer.com.