News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2007

Columbus, OH -- Lt. Governor Lee Fisher today announced that more than $10 million in business development grants have been awarded to companies and communities to aid in the growth and development of businesses and the creation and retention of jobs in Ohio. The grants, administered by the Ohio Department of Development, were approved today by the State Controlling Board and are expected to create 5,005 and retain 9,418 jobs for Ohioans.

"The grants approved today will help Ohio's communities and businesses to thrive by meeting their immediate needs for resources to create and retain jobs for Ohioans, and grow the state’s economy," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "We are pleased that companies are recognizing the many benefits of doing business in Ohio and will continue these partnerships to create a cycle of success that ensures Ohio has the best opportunities for new business expansions."

Ford Motor Company (Ford), located in Sharonville (Hamilton County), will receive an $850,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support expansion of operations. Ford is one of the world’s largest producers of cars and trucks and sells vehicles in more than 200 countries and territories around the world, operating manufacturing facilities on six continents. Headquartered in the City of Dearborn, Michigan, Ford began its "Way Forward" six-year plan in 2006 to restructure and strengthen the company’s position in the world economy. Ford proposes to expand its manufacturing operations in order to add manufacturing capacity for its new rear-wheel drive, six-speed automatic mid-range transmission that will replace the current four- and five-speed automatic transmissions. The project will allow the Sharonville facility to continue as a Ford "Center of Excellence." Ford will invest in new machinery and equipment including final assembly systems, test systems, valve body and plate machining equipment, main control assembly systems, case machining equipment, gear machining equipment, heat treatment systems, planetary assembly systems, Information Technology (IT) systems, and related equipment. Ohio is in competition with the City of Chihuahua, Mexico for this $200 million project, which is expected to retain 1,400 positions within the first three years of the project’s initial operation.

Village of Leipsic (Putnam County) will receive a $130,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the Iron Highway Industrial Park. The Village is making improvements necessary to attract further development to the 1,300-acre Park, which is part of a larger 7,000-acre undeveloped area identified in the Village’s comprehensive plan for industrial development. The Village has fielded several inquiries from business prospects expressing interest in the location and the Broin Companies recently committed to constructing a $100 million dry-mill ethanol plant in the Park if necessary rail improvements are made. The Village will improve the roadway and install railroad warning signs where the railway crosses State Route 65 in the Park. The Park requires significant investment to allow for dual mainline rail access connections and CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern and Rail America all intersect within the Park but do not connect with one another. The roadwork to be completed includes removal of old pavement, grading, base, pavement, installation of crossing signals and related construction. The project is expected to create 171 jobs and retain the 447 existing positions within the Park.

Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority (Port Authority) will receive a $500,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of AVON Products, Inc. (Avon) proposed new distribution facility. Founded in 1886, Avon is the world’s largest direct seller of beauty products. The global manufacturer and marketer carries three categories of products including cosmetics, skin care and fragrances; fashion jewelry and accessories; and home, gift and decorative items. The public company employs 40,000 people worldwide. The company proposes to construct a new 590,000 square-foot facility to accommodate distribution for 50 percent of its U.S. sales and replace facilities in the cities of Glenview, Illinois and Newark, Delaware. The Port Authority will construct a public roadway to provide access to Avon's proposed new facility. The roadwork to be completed includes: excavation, grading, base, pavement, storm sewer construction within the road’s right-of-way, and related construction. Additionally, the Port Authority will receive a $150,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with infrastructure improvements in support of Avon's proposed project. Infrastructure work involves extensive site work that needs to be completed to prepare the site for construction, including excavation, grading and related construction. Ohio is in competition with Kentucky for this $114.75 million project, which is expected to create 450 positions within the first three years of the proposed project's initial operations.

City of Beavercreek (Greene County) will receive a $420,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of Computer Sciences Corporation's (CSC) expansion. CSC is the world's third largest provider of Information Technology (IT) services. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, CSC provides outsourcing and technology services, system design and integration, and IT and management consulting services. CSC serves a wide range of industries including aerospace and defense; chemical and energy; financial services; government; health services; retail; and travel and transportation. CSC will lease a 135,000 square-foot facility at the intersection of New Germany-Trebain and Grange Hall Roads to expand operations. The City will widen New Germany-Trebain Road from three to five lanes to accommodate business traffic. The roadwork to be completed includes acquisition of the right-of-way for the expanded road, engineering, excavation, grading, base, pavement, construction of storm sewers within the road's right-of-way and related construction. This more than $6.6 million project is expected to create 350 jobs and retain 200 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Clermont County will receive a $200,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the new Batavia Industrial Park. The creation of the Park is expected to facilitate development of one of the last remaining large industrial parcels in Clermont County. In January 2006, Ford Motor Company announced plans to close its Batavia Transmission Plant, the County's largest employer with 1,700 full-time jobs. Additionally, 3M closed its cathode tube manufacturing facility in 2006 that employed 1,500 people in 2002. The new Park will help soften the impact of these major closures and job losses. Clermont County will construct a 1,235 lineal foot extension to Armstrong Boulevard to provide access to the new Park. The road will extend southwest from Taylor Road and will open 86 acres for development in an industrial area south and southwest of the Clermont County Airport. Clermont County believes this roadwork will lead to the creation of 275 new full-time jobs during the first three years from the project's start date. An additional 75 to 100 jobs will be created each year for the first 14 years of the Park’s development.

Jackson County will receive a $1 million Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the Salt Creek Industrial Park. The County will build a two-span bridge across U.S. Route 35 in order to provide access to the Park. The Ohio Department of Transportation's District 9 recently completed a traffic study of the intersection of County Road 9 and U.S. Route 35 and determined this to be the most dangerous crossroads in its region. In order to maintain access to Salt Creek, the County will construct a 200 foot bridge over the four-lane U.S. Route 35 in order to connect McCarty Lane to County Road 9, also known as Keystone Furnace Road. Approximately 1,100 lineal feet of approach roadway will also be constructed. The roadwork to be completed at the site includes: excavation, embankment, grading, base, pavement, bridge construction, and related construction. Roadwork is necessary to provide safe access to Salt Creek, as well as to nearby Vets Industrial Park and Sara James Industrial Park, and allow for future development. The project is also expected to retain 1,117 existing positions in and around Salt Creek.

Village of Glenwillow (Cuyahoga County) will receive a $500,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the Diamond Business Park. The new park, which is rail served and zoned as industrial, is located adjacent to the now-closed BFI landfill. The land is jointly-owned by Broad Oak Development, Ltd. and Weston Glenwillow CD, Ltd. Under the umbrella of the Geis Companies (Geis), these two owners plan to develop the new Park. The park is expected to allow for the development of 2 million square feet of business space. The Village will construct a 4,400 lineal foot roadway to provide access to the new Park and open 212 acres to new development. Geis will construct a 400,000 square-foot speculative building and a 122,000 square-foot spec warehouse and distribution facility to attract prospective tenants. The buildings are slated to be available for occupancy by fall 2007. The Village will construct the roadway as well as install storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and potable water lines. Geis anticipates the $24 million project will lead to the creation of at least 700 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

City of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) will receive a $530,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the Elmwood Industrial Area. The lack of access in the Elmwood area has been an ongoing issue for the area companies that will not expand if roadwork improvements are not made. The area accommodates 500 employee vehicles and 300 trucks per day, causing safety concerns and traffic problems with only one entrance and exit to the main roadways. Businesses located on the dead-end section of West 121st Street, north of Elmwood Avenue, have numerous transportation problems as the intersection cannot accommodate trucks making the turn to and from Elmwood Avenue. Additionally, emergency vehicle access and access to public transportation are limited by the dead-end street. The City of Cleveland will invest $1.9 million in the roadwork, which includes: excavation, curb removal, grading, base, pavement, storm sewer construction, water line construction, and related construction. All improvements will be installed within the road right-of-way. Upon completion of the roadwork, several companies expect to expand, creating at least 270 positions.

City of Fostoria (Seneca County) will receive a $150,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of Fostoria Ethanol LLC's new facility. Fostoria Ethanol is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Poet LLC (Poet), formerly known as Broin Companies. Poet is an ethanol engineering, management and construction firm that has designed and constructed 22 operating ethanol plants, with nine more currently under construction. The company has been in business over 20 years and has built ethanol production facilities in five states. Poet currently manages, produces and markets nearly 1 billion gallons of ethanol annually, making it the second largest ethanol producer in the United States. The company proposes to construct a 50,000 square-foot, 60 million-gallon ethanol facility on 250 acres. The City of Fostoria will add acceleration and deceleration lanes as well as a turning lane to State Route 12, also known as Sandusky Street, at the site. The City will invest $1.965 million to extend water, sewer, and natural gas, electric and rail lines to the site. Ohio is in competition with the States of Indiana and Michigan for this more than $116 million project, which is expected to create 41 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

City of Gahanna (Franklin County) will receive a $1 million Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of a new business park called Central Park of Gahanna. The City is approaching built-out status and is virtually land-locked by surrounding communities. With uncertainties about the potential of brownfields in its previously developed areas, especially in the industrial district, Gahanna cannot effectively retain and recruit new development when new greenfields are readily available in other areas of Central Ohio. Creation of the business park will help Gahanna and neighboring Cities of Columbus and Whitehall recruit new development. Gahanna will construct an expansion to Tech Center Drive to provide access to the 192-acre Park. When complete, the Park could comfortably host almost 1.2 million square-feet of Class-A office space that could employ an estimated 4,000 people. The $14.9 million project includes new building construction and the extension of Tech Center Drive from its current eastern endpoint to Science Boulevard. The roadwork to be completed includes: excavation, grading, base, pavement, storm sewer construction within the road's right-of-way, and related construction.

G&M Media Packaging (G&M), located in Bryan (Williams County), will receive a $50,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company’s new facility. Glud & Marstrand AS, the parent company of G&M Media, is a metal packaging company for the food and media industries and employs more than 1,200 worldwide. The company is establishing G&M Media in the United States as a strategic move to locate manufacturing near its customer base. Glud & Marstrand AS is 100% stake owner of G&M Media Packaging. The company is establishing G&M Media in the United States as a strategic move to locate manufacturing near its customer base. G&M Media will establish a U.S headquarters and initial manufacturing operation. The company will invest in new machinery and equipment and leasehold improvements to a 25,000 square-foot facility that will be used to establish the headquarters and operations, as well as manufacture metal DVD and video game containers. Ohio is in competition with Illinois, Indiana and the country of Denmark for this more than $10 million project, which is expected to create 40 jobs and within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Greater Marion Community Area New Development Organization, Inc. (Marion Can Do), located in Marion (Marion County), will receive a $1 million Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with infrastructure in support of the Dual Rail Industrial Park and Altra Inc's (Altra) new ethanol facility. Altra is a developer of renewable fuel products, specifically focused on the production and sale of ethanol and biodiesel. In business since 2004, the company is currently constructing a 600 million gallon ethanol facility in the City of Coshocton through its wholly-owned subsidiary Coshocton Ethanol, LLC. It also owns and operates California's only large-scale operating ethanol plant. Marion Can Do was created in 1993 by a group of Marion citizens wishing to rejuvenate the economy of their city. As a non-profit economic development organization, Marion Can Do has been involved in numerous development projects including the creation of the Dual Rail Industrial Park. Marion Can Do will make improvements to rail infrastructure and install a gas main alongside Northwest Industrial Bypass Road and Marion-Williamsport Road from the Columbia Gas transmission sub-station to the project site. The infrastructure to be completed includes: excavation, grading, laying of rail and ties, installation and burial of gas main, and related construction. Ohio is in competition with Indiana and Nebraska for Altra’s more than $174 million project, which is expected to create 50 jobs within the first three years of the project's initial operations. The project is also expected to retain 530 positions at four businesses currently located in the Park.

Cardinal Health (Cardinal), located in Columbus (Franklin County), will receive a $750,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company’s major expansion. Cardinal provides products and services to health care providers and manufacturers. Founded in 1979, the company is headquartered in Dublin and provides a range of health care services to hospitals and physicians offices. Cardinal will expand its corporate headquarters with the construction of a new building and renovation of its existing 250,000 square-foot building to create space for administrative and information technology operations. The company will invest in the new building construction and renovation of the existing buildings, as well as infrastructure, and new machinery and equipment. This $50 million project is expected to create 675 jobs and retain 1,194 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Golden Heritage Foods, LLC (Golden Heritage), located in Van Wert (Van Wert County), will receive a $50,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company's expansion. Golden Heritage processes, packages and sells honey products to retail, food service and industrial customers. In 2002, Barkman Honey Company of Hillsboro, Kansas, joined with Stoller's Honey of Latty to form Golden Heritage and produce honey under the "Busy Bee Honey" brand name. The private company is headquartered in the city of Hillsboro, Kansas and employs 100 people between its Kansas and Ohio facilities. Golden Heritage proposes to expand its operations in Van Wert with the construction of a 32,000 square-foot manufacturing facility attached to its finished goods warehouse. Operations will be moved from Latty to the expanded Van Wert facility two new specialty bottling lines will be added. The company will make invest in land acquisition, building construction and renovation and machinery and equipment. This $3.5 million project is expected to create 20 jobs and retain 41 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Continental Airlines (Continental), located in Cleveland (Cuyahoga County), will receive a $900,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company’s expansion. Continental is a major U.S. air carrier engaged in transporting passengers, cargo and mail. The company is the fifth largest air carrier in the nation based on scheduled miles flown by revenue passengers and has over 2,700 daily airline departures, including flights to China, Guam, Japan, Mexico, Central America and Europe. Ohio is in competition with existing Continental hubs in the Cities of Houston, Texas and Newark, New Jersey for this project. Continental proposes to expand its flight operations hub at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport with the construction of new ticketing and passenger reception areas and the renovation of existing ones. The expansion will increase flights and destinations from Cleveland Hopkins and allow for a greater number of passengers to use the airport as a connection point. Continental will invest in new construction, renovation, on-site infrastructure and machinery and equipment. Ohio is in competition with existing Continental hubs in the cities of Houston, Texas and Newark, New Jersey, for this $45 million project is expected to create 711 jobs and retain 3,200 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Logistics Support Management Group, LLC (LSMG), located in Mad River Township (Clark County), will receive a $50,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment in support of the company’s new facility. Established in 2004, LSMG focuses on professional engineering for the design, testing and fabrication of prototypes for manufactured parts. As a General Services Administration contractor, LSMG’s primary focus is on military hardware, particularly for the U.S. Air Force's propulsion systems, avionics and modifications of aircraft systems. The company has a GSA contract for laboratory testing, a pending contract for professional engineering services testing and evaluation, and has also identified several industrial customers for which it can perform testing and laboratory services. The company proposes to invest in new machinery and equipment and construct a new facility that house its research and development, engineered testing and material laboratory testing divisions. Ohio is in competition with Alabama and Oklahoma for this more than $5 million project, which is expected to create 125 jobs and retain six positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Village of Brookville (Montgomery County) will receive a $500,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the construction a new facility at the Brookville Industrial Campus. The new facility will be used by a national retailer that operates approximately 4,600 stores, mostly in the United States but also in Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Japan and Puerto Rico, and employs more than 27,000 people worldwide. The Village of Brookeville will construct a 1,600 lineal foot public roadway in the Campus to provide access to the proposed facility and open additional acreage for future development. The roadwork involves re-routing a previously constructed partial roadway at the Campus to provide access to the new facility as well as installing sanitary sewer and water lines within the road's right-of-way. Ohio is in competition with Indiana and Kentucky for this $65 million project, which is expected to create 300 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS), located in Portsmouth (Scioto County), will receive a $100,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment in support of the company’s expansion. NS provides comprehensive transportation and logistics services and is a major freight railroad operating 21,500 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada. Norfolk Southern Corporation, a Norfolk, Va.-based company, is the parent of NS. NS proposes to invest in new machinery and equipment, facility improvements and on-site rail infrastructure improvements to reopen its car repair shop, which will be used to repair the company's railcar fleet. Portsmouth was selected over sites in other states for this more than $2.8 million project, which is expected to create 77 jobs and retain 247 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Acuity Brands, Inc. dba Holophane (Holophane), located in Granville (Licking County), will receive a $50,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment in support of the company’s expansion. Holophane is a division of Acuity Brands, Inc., and is a leading manufacturer and marketer of lighting fixtures for the commercial, industrial, retail, municipal and utility markets. Holophane also manufactures glass components for use in other Acuity Brands Lighting products in the United States and Europe. Products are sold in both national and international markets. The company proposes to invest in building renovation, on-site infrastructure/site preparation, and new machinery and equipment to establish a new customer training/education center and relocate existing administrative positions to Granville from an antiquated facility in Newark (Licking County). This $2.7 million project is expected to create 56 jobs and retain 140 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

City of Perrysburg (Wood County) will receive an $800,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of Owens-Illinois, Inc.'s (O-I) world headquarters. O-I is the world's largest maker of glass containers, manufacturing bottles in a range of shapes and sizes that are used to hold soft drinks, alcohol and other beverages. The company also manufactures plastic health care packaging items such as prescription bottles, tamper-proof closures, and plastic medical devices. Fort Meigs Road experiences heavy daily traffic volume from the O-I headquarters, the Levis Commons Town Center and a residential community. Perrysburg will reconstruct a portion of Fort Meigs Road, the main access road for O-I, which is currently a two-lane road with poor quality pavement that continues to deteriorate. Perrysburg will widen the road to three lanes, with a center two-way turn lane and reconstruct the CSX railroad crossing at the road to provide better grading and a smoother pavement transition. This $2.8 million project is expected to retain 800 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Southeastern Ohio Port Authority (SeOPA), located in Washington County, will receive a $200,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the new Washington County Business Park located in Marietta Township. The creation of the new park is expected to facilitate development of one of the only parcels of relatively flat land in Washington County not located within the 100-year flood plain. Washington County has suffered from numerous job losses over the past several years including layoffs at Degussa Corporation, a reduction in force at Kraton Polymers LLC, and facility closures for Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Alliance Data Systems Corporation, and Magnetic Specialty LLC. The SeOPA will construct an access road with a cul-de-sac to provide access to the new park. The road will open 27 acres on farmland located adjacent to the Ohio River for development. An additional 24 acres are located within the 100-year floodplain and could be utilized to store raw materials that would not be damaged by water or could be easily moved. The SeOPA will run sanitary sewer and water lines along the right-of-way of State Route 7 to reach the new roadway, install a sanitary sewer lift station within the Park and complete the necessary engineering work. This $298,760 project is expected to create 20 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Miamisburg Mound Community Improvement Corporation (MMCIC), located in Montgomery County, will receive a $60,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of Prime Technology LLC (Prime). Prime is a Massachusetts-based spin-off of NCR Corporation (NCR) that invests in technology research and development in many areas including currency recognition and authentication. It has developed a luminescent identifier for security marking of currency, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, as well as for use in national defense. NCR is headquartered in the City of Dayton, and wishes to locate Prime in the area. The company proposes to lease a 10,000 square-foot facility to be used for administrative functions and to develop and manufacture the company's security marker technology. The MMCIC will construct a foot roadway and cul-de-sac in the Mound Advanced Technology Center to provide access to Prime’s new headquarters, manufacturing facility and wet chemistry and electronic authentication lab. The roadwork to be completed includes: excavation, grading, base, pavement, storm sewer construction within the road’s right-of-way, and related construction. Ohio is in competition with Massachusetts for this more than $2 million project, which is expected to create 25 jobs and retain three positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Tipp City (Miami County) will receive a $211,386 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of the Northgate Commerce Center expansion. The expansion of Northgate is believed to be vital to the economic health of Tipp City and the greater Dayton region. The region has suffered numerous job losses over the past few years including the closures of Panasonic Corporation of America's (MT Picture Tube) manufacturing plant, United Parcel Service's hub at the Dayton International Airport, and General Motor Corporation lay-offs. The Northgate expansion will help soften the impact of these major closures and job losses. Tipp City will extend Kinna Drive to provide access to 87 additional acres at Northgate and extend 12-inch water lines, 15- and 8-inch sanitary sewer lines and 18-inch storm sewer lines for the length of the new public roads. This extension of Kinna Drive is noted on Tipp City's 2003 Comprehensive Master Development Plan, and will open up acreage that is zoned as Light Industrial. Tipp City will purchase the land and right-of-way and extend electric, cable, broadband, telephone and gas service to the project site. This project is expected lead to the creation of 600 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Socar, Inc. dba New Millennium Building Systems (New Millennium), located in Continental (Putnam County), will receive a $50,000 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company’s expansion. New Millennium fabricates non-standard roof systems for the construction industry. Socar Incorporated (Socar) began operations in 1966 in South Carolina and opened a second location in the Village of Continental in 1971 to serve the wtates of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. In April 2006 Socar’s parent company, Roanoke Electric Steel Corporation, was purchased by Steel Dynamics, Inc. (Steel Dynamics) and the Continental facility came under the management control of Steel Dynamic’s New Millennium Building Systems division. The company proposes to expand its operations in the Village of Continental with the purchase of machinery and equipment, the renovation of its 60,000 square-foot warehouse and manufacturing space as well as the construction of a new adjacent 12,000 square-foot administrative building. The expansion is intended to increase production and improve economies of scale. Ohio is in competition with Butler, Indiana for this $9.3 million project, which is expected to create 24 jobs and retain 93 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

The Rapid Outreach Grant (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 highway and road projects related to job creation and retention. The 629 Program is funded with gas tax dollars and is restricted to public road projects only.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Maria Smith at (614) 466-2382