FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Wednesday afternoon, two companies announced plans to expand their operations in Fort Wayne, creating 52 new jobs.

“Indiana is a state of builders,” said Eric Doden, president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “Companies like American Sealants and Ward Corporation help keep water flowing into our homes and build the products that fuel our engines. They play a critical role in advancing not just their supply chains, but advancing our Indiana economy.”

Homegrown-Hoosier company American Sealants, a family-owned sealant and adhesive manufacturer and provider, announced expansion plans to add 10 jobs by 2017 and invest $3.3 million in a new facility on the south side of town. The new facility will house additional equipment. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with the facility slated to be fully operational in 2016. It'll begin hiring additional maintenance workers, machine operators and general production associates this April.

Aluminum castings producer, Ward Corporation, will invest $6.2 million to expand operations at the company’s 300,000 square-foot Fort Wayne facility. Ward officials expect the new space to be operational by the end of the year and the Corporation has already begun hiring to expand its workforce of 215 Hoosiers, with plans to create up to 42 new jobs by 2017.