Posted Thursday, June 23, 2011 --- 9:25 a.m.

BELOIT, Wis. (AP) -- A company that makes isotopes used in medical imaging plans to build a $194 million production plant in Beloit.

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes of Madison expects to break ground by mid-2012 in Beloit and employ about 150 people by 2016.

NorthStar President George Messina says the specialized jobs will be filled by scientists and engineers. Messina says there will also be accounting, customer service, sales and shipping positions.

The Beloit Daily News (http://bit.ly/kwPWuT ) says one of NorthStar's key investors is Diane Hendricks of Beloit.

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Information from: Beloit Daily News, http://www.beloitdailynews.com

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.