FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2006

Columbus, OH -- Governor Bob Taft today announced that the Ohio Tax Credit Authority has approved Job Creation Tax Credits for ten companies involved in business location or expansion projects that, if located in Ohio, are expected to create 811 jobs and retain 7,310 positions.

Clopay Building Products Company, headquartered in Mason (Warren County), has been awarded a 65 percent tax credit for an eight-year term to rationalize its building products manufacturing operations at an existing facility in the state of Ohio. The value of the tax credit would be $2,210,856 million over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 16 years. Clopay manufactures and distributes residential and commercial garage doors and peripheral building products. The more than $60 million project would include $9.5 million for the purchase of land and a building in the city of Troy (Miami County), $5.1 for renovations to the facility and $46 million for manufacturing machinery and equipment. The facility will be used by Clopay Building Products, Inc., a subsidiary of Clopay Corporation, for the manufacture and distribution of residential and commercial garage doors and peripheral building products. Ohio is in competition with the States of Indiana, Washington, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Oregon, Florida, New York, and Wisconsin for this project, which is expected to create 400 jobs and retain 155 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Citigroup Technology, Inc., located in Liberty Township (Delaware County), has been awarded a 50 percent tax credit for a five-year term to establish a regional data center. The value of the tax credit would be $179,203 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 10 years. Citigroup is the technology division of its parent company, Citigroup, Inc., a diversified global financial services holding company with businesses that provide a broad range of financial services to consumer and corporate customers. The $471 million project would include an investment of $6 million in land acquisition, $140 million in new building construction and $325 million for new machinery and equipment. Ohio is in competition with several for this project, which is expected to create 25 jobs within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Brush Wellman, located in Elmore (Ottawa County), has been awarded a 35 percent, seven-year tax credit to expand manufacturing operations. The value of the tax credit would be $120,596 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 14 years. Brush Wellman is a manufacturer of beryllium, beryllium oxide, beryllia ceramics and beryllium alloys for use in the aerospace, automotive, defense, telecommunications, electronics and high performance automation industries. The company, headquartered in Cleveland, is the only fully integrated producer of beryllium oxide in the world. Brush Wellman owns 425 acres at the proposed project site and will construct a facility separate from its existing plant for the development of a new manufacturing process. Ohio is in competition with Utah for this more than $11.5 million project is expected to create 25 new jobs and retain 118 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

NDI Medical, LLC (NDI Medical), located in Warrensville Heights (Cuyahoga County), has been awarded a 50 percent tax credit for a ten-year term to establish a new research and development facility. The value of the tax credit would be $509,824 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 20 years. NDI Medical started with a single technology for treating urinary incontinence based on research conducted at the FES Center at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). NDI built on that initial success by further collaborating with CWRU and Cleveland Clinic Foundation researchers to form the Ohio Neurostimulation and Neuromodulation Partnership (ONNP) to commercialize neurostimulation technologies. NDI's role in the ONNP was to evaluate, develop and commercialize technologies derived from research conducted by the partnership. The facility will be approximately 15,000 to 20,000 square feet, and will house NDI Medicals research and development activities, including research, prototype development, testing and pre-production manufacturing, as well as the companys executive, administrative and marketing/sales personnel. The project is expected to create 26 jobs and retain 15 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

New Era Ohio, LLC (NEO), located in Bryan (Williams County), has been awarded a 45 percent tax credit for a seven-year term to establish a new manufacturing facility. The value of the tax credit would be $42,913 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 14 years. NEO manufacturers diaphragm and piston fluid handling pumps and sells them to Ingersoll Rand Corporation for distribution throughout the world. The project includes the addition of new product lines in a 469,000 square-foot facility and a fixed asset investment of $1.5 million, including $300,000 in building renovations and $1.2 million in new machinery and equipment. The project is expected to create 25 jobs and retain 164 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Progressive RSC, Inc., located in Mayfield Village, Highland Heights and Mayfield Heights (Cuyahoga County), has been awarded a 75 percent tax credit for a 15-year term to expand its national headquarters facility. The value of the tax credit would be $17,375,040 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 30 years. Progressive is an insurance holding company that provides personal automobile insurance and other specialty property-casualty insurance and related services sold both through independent insurance agents and directly to consumers. The project would include the creation of the companys Campus III facilities, which would consist of two office buildings, a common area that will have a cafeteria and other amenities and two parking garages. Ohio is in competition with Florida, Colorado, Texas, New York and Arizona for this $161 million project, which is expected to create 1,000 jobs and retain 6,398 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Reading Rock Incorporated (Reading), located in West Chester Township (Butler County), has been awarded a 55 percent tax credit for a seven-year term to expand operations and for the acquisition of machinery and equipment. The value of the tax credit would be $120,223 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 14 years. Established in 1947, Reading specializes in the design, manufacturing, and sales of a complete line of brick pavers and masonry products. The company will lease an additional 40,000 square feet of space to manufacture custom designed paving stones and make a fixed-asset investment of at least $4.5 million in machinery and equipment. Ohio is in competition with Illinois for this project, which if located in Ohio, would create 50 new jobs and retain 187 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Right Thing, Inc. (RTi), located in Findlay (Hancock County), has been awarded a 20 percent tax credit for a seven-year term to expand operations. The value of the tax credit would be $306,076 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 14 years. RTi is a Recruitment Process Outsourcing, or human resource outsourcing business, which provides clients with scalable solutions in the hiring process to help identify quality, retainable candidates. The $3.6 million project includes the purchase of a building, fixtures, furniture and equipment. The facility will would serve as the companys headquarters operation. Ohio is in competition with Indiana for this project, which, if located in Ohio, is expected to create 84 jobs and retain 49 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Cincinnati Sub-Zero, located in Sharonville (Hamilton County), has been awarded a 45 percent tax credit for a seven-year term to expand operations. The value of the tax credit would be $107,742 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 14 years. Sub-Zero is a private company that develops and manufactures temperature management and therapy products, as well as controlled test chambers for purchase. Sub-Zeros divisions include Industrial, Medical, and Testing. The project would include an investment of $780,000 in new machinery and equipment and $680,000 in building renovations at its current 160,000 square-foot facility to allow for additional manufacturing, testing and office space. The company is also considering sites in Michigan and North Carolina, as well as offshore outsourcing. The $1.4 million project is expected to create 35 jobs and retain 225 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operation.

Leedsworld, Inc., to be located in Warren (Trumbull County), has been awarded a 65 percent tax credit for a six-year term to establish a new production and distribution facility. The value of the tax credit would be $476,180 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 12 years. Leedsworld is a leading supplier in the promotional products and advertising specialty industry. The company customizes a complete line of corporate accessories, including: bags, writing instruments, portfolios, insulated items and gift sets. The company proposes to lease a 256,000 square-foot facility to be used for the production, processing and distribution of its promotional goods and products. Ohio is in competition with Pennsylvania for this $4.4 million project, which is expected to create 241 jobs within the first three years of the project's initial operation.


The Job Creation Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit against the business corporate franchise or income tax. The credit equals a percentage of new state income tax withheld on new, full-time employees in Ohio.