Unison Comfort Technologies, a manufacturer of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems for the commercial sector, is expanding its facilities in north Minneapolis and will add 75 jobs. The company, headquartered at 60 28th Ave. N., said it is expanding because of increased demand for its HVAC products, which include air handling equipment, rooftop units, energy recovery systems, dehumidification units, and heating and cooling coils. The company plans to invest $627,000 in the expansion and will create jobs paying an average salary of $16.90 an hour.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is assisting with the expansion with a $400,000 grant from the Minnesota Job Creation Fund. The company will receive the funding after meeting its hiring and investment commitments.

The Job Creation Fund, which was first proposed by Governor Mark Dayton to encourage job growth in Minnesota, will award $24 million in business incentives that were approved in the 2013 legislative session. Officials said the program is helping the state to compete for new jobs and businesses.
"The Minnesota Job Creation Fund is working, helping businesses expand and create thousands of new jobs across Minnesota," said Governor Dayton. "I congratulate Unison Comfort Technologies for their success, and thank the company for the 75 good-paying jobs this expansion will create."

"Unison Comfort Technologies is the third major HVAC company to announce expansion plans in Minnesota in the last year, joining Daikin Applied Americas Inc. in Owatonna and Price Mechanical in Maple Grove," said DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben. "This is a growing industry that is bringing high-wage jobs to the state, and we congratulate Unison Comfort Technologies on their success."

Unison President Jay Althof said, "We are pleased to secure this funding, which enables us to continue expanding our operations in Minnesota and revitalizing our north Minneapolis industrial neighborhood."

Unison Comfort Technologies has more than 500 employees and annual revenue exceeding $100 million. Along with its headquarters and manufacturing facility in north Minneapolis, the company has a training and product center that opened in that part of the city last year. The company also has manufacturing facilities in Sacramento, Calif., and Brownsville, Tenn.
The Minnesota Job Creation Fund is a new pay-for-performance program that provides up to $1 million to businesses after they meet certain criteria, including minimum requirements for job creation and private investments. Under the program, businesses must create at least 10 full-time jobs and invest at least $500,000 to be eligible for financial assistance.

The program is available to businesses engaged in manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, technology and other eligible activities. Companies must work with the local government (city, county or township) where a project is located to apply to DEED to receive designation as a Job Creation Fund business.
Since the Job Creation Fund was launched in January, DEED has awarded $13 million to 22 companies in Minnesota. Those companies have committed to creating more than 1,400 new jobs and investing $236 million to expand.