GREATER FINDLAY BUSINESS GROWTH IN TOP 10 FOR 2007
Greater Findlay Ranked Sixth Best in U.S. for Micropolitan Communities Economic Development by Site Selection Magazine
Findlay, Ohio ranked the sixth best micropolitan community for new and expanding facilities by Site Selection Magazine, the official publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council. The region has been placed in the magazine’s top 20 for the past ten years and jumped 11 spots from last year’s 17th placing.
The Greater Findlay area had an excellent year in 2007, with a total of 12 projects and total new capital investment of $114 million. These projects will result in the creation of 430 new jobs and the retention of nearly 3,000 jobs.
“New capital investment is critical to the long term future of our community’s companies,” said Douglas S. Peters, GreaterFindlayInc. President and CEO. “We are grateful for the efforts of our community’s business leaders and economic development teams that strive to make Greater Findlay a great place to live and work.”
An excess of $50 million was invested among the companies that expanded or reinvested in new equipment. In addition, the region welcomed several new companies to the community, including A. Schulman Company and its new polybatch processing system.
Greater Findlay’s manufacturing base continued to focus on technology intensive industries and is now home to top industry award winner, Advanced Cerametrics, Inc. (ACI).
Among the many manufacturing related projects, the region also added economic diversity with the addition of a mixed use development known as RiverPlace, a $90 million project.
One of the most important projects for the area was the investment of a new 40,000 sq. ft. facility for The RightThing, Inc. valued at $6 million.
Over the past year, Greater Findlay has shown a significant increase in job retention and growth, nearly doubling its 2006 statistics.
“The development of GreaterFindlayInc. has allowed us to streamline previous efforts and enhance our focus on economic development throughout the region,” said Randy Lohoff, GFI Chairman of the Board. “With an increase of investment projects from six to 12 and a twofold increase in new capital investment from $48 million to $114 million, GFI’s new structure has been deemed successful.”
GreaterFindlayInc. is grateful for the efforts of the facilities managers and board members that promote the Greater Findlay community within their companies. GreaterFindlayInc.’s Board of Directors include representatives from Marathon Petroleum Company, LLC, Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, Blanchard Valley Health Association and more. The board members not only contribute hundreds of hours to identifying and addressing issues important to the community, but also share their business expertise in helping Greater Findlay prepare to be globally competitive.
Over the past three years, GFI has assisted with 28 projects that created nearly 800 jobs with a total of $217 million in new capital investment. For more information, please contact GreaterFindlayInc. at 419-422-3313 or visit www.greaterfindlayinc.com.
GreaterFindlayInc. (GFI) is a public-private partnership bringing growth and prosperity to the Greater Findlay region. Through a strong economical focus, leadership programs, business building initiatives and volunteer opportunities, GFI helps position its community among the best micropolitan communities in the United States. Nearly 1,000 members strong, GFI is a blend of the area’s best resources including the Findlay•Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, Findlay Hancock County Community Development Foundation and the Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
