11-5-13 fdl county board to consider loan for mercury marine

Fond du lac’s Mercury Marine is asking the county for financial assistance to help complete another expansion project at the plant that could add as many as 300 new jobs.  The Fond du lac County Board is expected to consider a $10 million loan for Merc at their meeting Tuesday night.  County Executive Al Buechel says Merc has already spent $100 million to upgrade and expand its facility and is looking to accelerate the process.  Buechel says the loan would be added to the balance of the loan approved four years ago to keep the company in Fond du Lac.  Buechel says he is in support of the loan package.  The deal with Merc follows another economic incentive package approved last month for an expansion at Alliance Laundry Systems of Ripon.  Buechel stresses the fact that both of these deals were reached at nearly the same time is strictly a coincidence.