MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced a $232,360 Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant to the village of Milltown, which will help RockShield Rubber Company expand into a new industrial park in Polk County.

“This is an exciting project in Northwestern Wisconsin that will create new jobs and establish a new industrial park for future expansion,” said Gov. Evers. “By working closely with our local partners and communities, we’re ensuring our infrastructure is ready for the 21st century, helping to move our economy and our state forward.”

The project builds two roadways that establish a new industrial park and creates sites for business expansion. RockShield Rubber Company, a manufacturer based in Milltown since 2015, is outgrowing its current site and will construct a new $4 million, 42,000-square-foot facility at the industrial park.

“TEA grants have helped economic expansions all across Wisconsin, and we encourage local officials to work with us to identify opportunities,” said WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson. “We are excited to see Milltown succeed with this project and thank all involved for their hard work.”

Community and company leaders celebrated the announcement and the future expansion.

“The Village of Milltown truly appreciates being awarded the TEA grant,” said Milltown Village President LuAnn White. “We try very hard to make our community a great place to live and work. Thanks to this grant, we are able to acquire another new business and possibly one more. We couldn’t have done this without your assistance. Thank you.”

“The improvement and expansion of the infrastructure surrounding the new Milltown industrial park will allow us to nearly double the footprint we have now. It will also guarantee room for future expansion as our young company continues to grow, which will result in more job creation for this rural area of Wisconsin,” said Gabe Feuerhelm, president of RockShield Rubber Company. “Because of the support we’ve received, we plan to stay in the area for a very long time.”

The TEA program provides financial assistance to communities to support transportation infrastructure improvements that will help attract new employers or encourage existing employers to expand. A municipal or county unit of government must sponsor a TEA application and it must benefit the public. Since 2019, the Evers Administration has awarded more than $10.1 million in TEA grants, contributing to an estimated more than 1,900 new jobs. More information about the program, including instructions to apply for a grant, can be found here.