WINCHESTER, Ind. (April 19, 2007) - Governor Mitch Daniels and community leaders from East Central Indiana joined executives from Tomasco today to break ground on the expansion of the company''s manufacturing facility here.

The $29 million project will nearly double the company''s Indiana workforce and add a parts manufacturing line that will supply the new Honda plant near Greensburg.

"We emphasize small town participation in our economic development activities, and Winchester and New Castle have taken positive steps forward to join our comeback," said Governor Mitch Daniels.

Construction of the 127,000-square-foot expansion project will begin later this month, and the company officials expect to begin full production at the site in late 2008.

"Honda''s announcement of its Greensburg plant created a great opportunity for Tomasco to grow in Indiana," said Tim Peterson, Tomasco''s vice president of manufacturing. "With our existing facility in Winchester and our excellent team of associates, this is a great growth opportunity for Tomasco and the economy of East Central Indiana."

Tomasco currently employs more than 130 in Winchester and produces a myriad of metal hinges, locks and brackets for Honda.

"The City of Winchester is pleased to be one of the first to benefit from Governor Mitch Daniels successful effort to attract the new Honda Manufacturing Plant to Indiana," said Winchester Mayor Steven D. Croyle. "The people of Winchester thank Governor Daniels for creating this opportunity and Tomasco for being a part of and growing in Winchester."

Indiana''s economy continues to feel the positive impact of Honda''s decision to build a new production facility in Decatur County near Greensburg. Interior parts supplier TS Tech announced in March that it would locate a new production facility in New Castle to support the new Honda plant.

"Indiana was the only state in the nation to welcome three new major automotive plants in 2008," said Nathan Feltman, Indiana Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. "We are now seeing the further economic impact of last year''s successes."

In 2006, Toyota announced it would build its Camry in Lafayette, and Cummins announced its plans to build its new family of light-duty clean-diesel engines in Columbus. Collectively, the three manufacturers expect to create more than 3,800 jobs and invest more than $1 billion in their Indiana operations.