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Data Dimensions growth could add 250 new jobs

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Photo by Kyle Bursaw

Corporate Contractors works on the early stages of construction to build a new Data Dimensions building, right next to the current one (seen in background). The project is scheduled for completion in late February.

JANESVILLE — A well-established Janesville business that specializes in document conversion and management has launched an expansion that will start with 50 new jobs in a 20,000-square-foot expansion on the city's east side.

Data Dimensions Chairman Mark Bush said the company's new facility on Midland Court could reach full capacity in two to five years and employ up to 250 people.

"Our history has been that we fill our space," Bush said.

Data Dimensions is a second-generation, privately held company. It serves a variety of industries with digital conversion; data capture, imaging and indexing; electronic and physical storage and retrieval; medical records retrieval; transcription, and digital voice recording and retrieval.

In 2004, Data Dimensions moved from the corner of Palmer Drive and Midland Road to 16,000 square feet of space on nearby Midland Court. The new facility will be next to the company's headquarters.

"The addition will significantly increase our operation's capacity, enabling us to better serve our clients, meet the demands of the continued growth we are experiencing, expand our workforce and continue to contribute to the community," Bush said.

"Although initial employment numbers will be around 50, we are building the facility with the intention of filling it."

Data Dimensions has about 75 employees between its headquarters on Midland Court and its records management center on South Jackson Street. The company has two facilities in Iowa that push its total employment to 250.

Bush and his wife, Kathy, also own Home Entry Services on Kennedy Road. The data entry business employs about 225 operators who work from their homes.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mark and Kathy in deciding to do this here," said John Beckord, president of Forward Janesville. "They had options, and Iowa has very competitive incentive packages, but they chose to do it here, in part I believe, to help change the trajectory of this community.

"Their business operates in a hyper-competitive, global environment, and they figured out a way to be innovative and do this in Janesville, Wisconsin. It shows that it can be done in Rock County."

Because of the sensitive nature of Data Dimensions' business, the new Janesville facility will employ 10 people in high-tech positions, Bush said. Other jobs will be in supervision, customer support, document imaging and material handling.

The lowest-paying jobs likely will pay between $10 and $15 per hour, he said, adding that the company hasn't ever had a problem filling open positions.

Bush said the company likely will spend $3 million to build the new facility, which on a per-foot basis is high because of the building's infrastructure. The company will not use any government incentives for the project.

The building will house a state-of-the-art data center and will be capable of withstanding an F5 tornado, he said.

Angus Young Associates of Janesville designed the building that Corporate Contractors of Beloit will construct. Its opening is expected in February.

Jon Boumstein, Data Dimensions' president and chief executive officer, said the new data center will combine with the recent acquisition of Olim Technologies Group to enhance operations and provide new opportunities.

Despite the economic downturn, Bush said Data Dimensions has been able to pick up new business, particularly in the medical sector, which is rapidly automating its records.

"That's what we do," Bush said. "We take paper and make it digital."