KANDU Industries Purchases Blackhawk Foundation's Advanced Manufacturing Training Center

The Blackhawk Technical College Foundation has sold its Milton property at 15 Plumb St. to KANDU Industries Inc., a Janesville-based non-profit that provides programs and services to people with disabilities and disadvantages.

The 110,000-square-foot facility is home to Blackhawk Technical College's Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. The College had been leasing the property from the Foundation and will now lease the property from KANDU. Classes for the 2023-2024 academic year will still be held in Milton, and Blackhawk faculty will work closely with KANDU to share space for the spring 2024 semester.

The sale will benefit the Blackhawk Technical College Foundation, which helps to transform the lives of Blackhawk students and the college through scholarships, innovative learning opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities.

“This opportunity will have a rippling effect on how the Foundation can impact and shape the future needs of our students, our college, our community and the region,” said Lisa Hurda, Blackhawk Director of Advancement & Foundation.

The facility also offers benefits that will enhance KANDU’s client experience through a completely accessible layout, spacious rooms, large windows and updated technology. The building will also provide KANDU with an additional 30,000 square feet and the opportunity to bring all KANDU operations under one roof, including its client service programs, administrative offices, catering and rental business, and the merging of two production facilities where KANDU employs people with disabilities in a work-safe environment. 

“We have a dedicated staff and board, a supportive community, and the best clients – and now we have the space to continue to do our remarkable work and serve more families in Rock County and the surrounding area,” said KANDU Executive Director Kathy Hansen.

About KANDU: KANDU Industries is a 501(c)(3) organization serving Rock County that provides opportunities to people with disabilities and disadvantages. For more than 60 years, these work, social, and daily activities enable KANDU clients to achieve their maximum potential and enjoy the dignity of being productive citizens. Today, KANDU impacts the lives of over 200 clients along with a staff of over 100, and partners with a number of community and governmental agencies to ensure that individual choice and personal development are nurtured in the work environment as well as in other aspects of life.

About the Blackhawk Technical College Foundation: Established in 1978 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Blackhawk Technical College Foundation is the bridge between the generosity of philanthropic donors to our students, faculty, and the College by providing resources necessary to make college possible for all. The Foundation provides student support through scholarships and student emergency assistance awards as well as through investment in facilities and resources that enable student success.