A Milwaukee-based investor has purchased the current headquarters of Splat! Digital Printing Inc. in the Menomonee Valley.
A subsidiary of Splat! sold the building at 254 N. Emmber Lane to 254 North Ember Lane LLC for $1.25 million, according to state records.
The LLC is registered to Hunt Properties LLC, registered to Nicholas Hunt, the owner of Nova Energy & Automation, which makes power distribution panels for medical imaging equipment.
One of Nova’s clients is Standard Electrical Supply Co. 222 N Emmber Lane.
“Right now this was a strategic purchase,” Hunt said. “(Splat!) hasn’t broken ground yet, so they will lease back the building for 12 to 24 months and then we will decide what to do.”
Splat!, a large-format digital printer, has purchased 2 acres on West Wheelhouse Road in the Menomonee Valley Industrial Center, where it will build a new facility to house its commercial printing operation. The move will allow the company to house large pieces of new equipment, owner Jeff Gregg said earlier this year.
Nova Energy & Automation’s current corporate headquarters is in Milwaukee’s Harbor District at 1745 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Hunt is planning to keep that property.
Hunt had a 2.3 acre redevelopment site along the Kinnickinnic River under contract to purchase, but dropped the option and bought the Splat! property. The riverfront property, at 1958-1970 S. First St., is currently under contract with Wangard Partners.
Nova Energy & Automation currently has 20 to 25 employees in Milwaukee and a metal fabrication plant near Birmingham, Alabama. Hunt said depending on space, he would like to expand the Milwaukee operations.
