Dialum buys land for new glass manufacturing plant in Ave Maria. See how many jobs it could create

Laura Layden | Naples Daily News

Ave Maria will soon be home to another large manufacturer.

On Tuesday, Barron Collier Cos. announced the sale of a 10-acre plot in the burgeoning town to Dialum, a Chilean-based glass manufacturer.

The manufacturer specializes in glass processing for commercial and residential applications. The new plant would serve as its U.S. headquarters.

The TALBA Group acted as Dialum’s broker for the transaction. The choice to locate in Ave Maria followed a year-long search across the state, noted Roberto Alvarez Vela, the group’s CEO.

Ave Maria emerged as the “clear winner” due to its location, the local workforce, the university – and the overall community, according to a press release by Barron Collier Cos.

The collaboration with Collier County’s economic development team and the support of Barron Collier Cos. also influenced Dialum’s final decision.

Barron Collier Cos. is the force behind the town, in partnership with Tom Monaghan, the creator of Domino’s Pizza and founder of Ave Maria University.

Plant to be built in Innovation Zone
The finishing plant for Dialum would be built within Ave Maria’s Innovation Zone. The company has been awarded $1.5 million in county incentives, which would come from property taxes generated in the zone.

The county created Innovation Zones in 2010 to promote economic development and diversify the local economy by encouraging the construction of corporate headquarters and manufacturing plants. There are three such zones.

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