TAFT ANNOUNCES ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES
State Assistance Will Help Create 320 Jobs for Ohioans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2006

Columbus, OH -- Governor Bob Taft has announced that $1.05 million in State assistance has been awarded to assist in the growth and development of Ohio businesses and the creation and retention of jobs in Ohio. The grants, administered by the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) and approved by the State Controlling Board today, are expected to create 320 jobs and retain 2829 positions.

ERICO International Corporation (ERICO) will receive a $50,000 Business Development Grant for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment. ERICO will expand their manufacturing operation in Solon (Cuyahoga County) where they primarily produce a broad range of specialty metal products. The $14.5 million investment by the company is expected to assist in the creation of 50 jobs and the retention of 473 jobs. Ohio was in competition with North Carolina for this project.

JLG Industries, Inc. (JLG) will receive a $150,000 Business Development grant for the costs associated with acquisition of machinery and equipment. JLG wishes to reopen the Gradall’s vacant facility in Orrville (Wayne County) to accommodate a new distribution, manufacturing, and engineering operation. The site will contain JLG’s new Service Parts Distribution Center, JLG telehandler products, and JLG manufacturing. JLG’s $8.7 million investment will assist in the creation of 150 jobs and the retention of 130 jobs. Ohio was in competition with Maryland and Pennsylvania for this project.

Powertrain Division of General Motors (GM) will receive a $100,000 Business Development Grant for costs associated with acquisition of machinery and equipment. GM wishes to increase its iron engine block production capacity at their Defiance (Defiance County) facility. The project will involve relocating all of the current iron production from GM’s existing Powertrain facility in Saginaw, Michigan to Defiance. GM’s $109.5 million investment will assist in the retention of 2,100 jobs. Ohio was in competition with Indiana and Michigan for this project.

City of Brook Park (Cuyahoga County) will receive $500,000 in Roadwork Development funds to complete public roadwork in support of Amros Inc.’s and Enerco Industrial Products Inc.’s facilities. This roadwork involves the reconfiguration of 2,300 lineal feet of West 150th Street from Brookpark Road to Industrial Parkway to improve the flow of goods and services to key commercial and industrial corridors. The $3.75 million project is expected to result in the creation of 30 new jobs in the region.

City of Lima (Allen County) will receive$200,000 in Roadwork Development funds to complete roadwork in support of Greater Ohio Ethanol LLC’s facility. This funding is in addition to $250,000 already approved by the Controlling Board. The increase is requested due to increased material costs, increasing gas costs, and a need for a stoplight that was not included in the original engineers’ estimates. The roadwork involves 1,500 lineal feet of Hanthorn Road to be widened and an additional 1,400 lineal-foot public road, Houx Parkway, to be built. The $3.5 million project is expected to result in the creation of 35 new jobs in the region.

Harrison Township (Hamilton County) will receive $100,000 in Roadwork Development funds to complete public roadwork in support of the Harrison Commerce Center. The roadwork involves construction of a 600 lineal-foot roadway, to be called Dole Drive, in order to open up a 20-acre section of the center for five light industrial building sites. The $325,000 project is expected to create 55 new jobs and retain 126 existing jobs in the region.


The Business Development Account (412) is a grant program to assist companies and communities that are creating or retaining jobs in Ohio. The Roadwork Development Account (629) provides grant assistance to communities for public highway and road projects related to job creation and retention.