In the city of Westfield’s third jobs announcement this month, a CBD oil producer reported it will be building a facility in the city, bringing more than 40 new jobs to the area.
BDX-Indiana, the sister company of the largest hemp grower in Indiana, plans to invest $50 million in Westfield with average annual salaries at approximately $70,000. CBD oil is extracted from hemp, marijuana’s non-psychedelic cousin.
According to the city, BDX-Indiana is poised to become one of the largest CBD oil extractors in the county in the first three years of operation. Production is slated to start in December.
City Council voted last month to offer the company a 5-year personal property tax abatement.
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This month alone, the city has announced nearly 300 jobs will be coming to the area.
Last week, Aptiv — a tech company that specializes in self-driving vehicle technology — announced it will be opening an engineering lab in Westfield, bringing 50 high-paying jobs to the city. Earlier this month, Gordon Food Service released plans to build a new distribution center in Westfield, creating hundreds of jobs.
“We have all seen the growth and innovation of the CBD oil industry and now Westfield will play a major role in its future,” Mayor Andy Cook said in a statement. “BDX-Indiana brings a lot of opportunity to our city.”
Lawmakers at both the state and national level made changes in the last year allowing farmers to grow hemp for the first time in decades. Previously in Indiana, it could only be grown for research purposes.
Already, Indiana is considered an ideal place to grow hemp because of the climate and soil and could be a major grower in years to come.
Call IndyStar reporter Kaitlin Lange at 317-432-9270. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange.