Region sees $12B+ in new investment

Over last four years, NW Ohio outperforming other areas of the State

In 2018, Ohio was again one of the leading states in gaining new investment from corporations, with the results to be released soon. In 2017, Ohio ranked in the number two spot overall for total projects for the fourth consecutive year and was third in projects per capita in the country in the competition for critical new investment in corporate facilities and equipment.

An important factor in Ohio’s success is that again, northwest Ohio has won new investment projects at a rate much above the relative size of this area versus other parts of the state.

In 2018, northwest Ohio gained close to $3.2 billion of new investment, which economic development professionals around the region track by project. In 2017, northwest Ohio won over $4 billion of new investment. This represented 42% of Ohio’s $9.6 billion of new investment that was placed in 272 projects that occurred during 2017. For the four year period from 2015 through 2018, over $12 billion of new investment has been placed in northwest Ohio.

Historically, northwest Ohio has won 10 to 15% of the state’s total new investment dollars. The 17 counties in northwest Ohio represent 10.4% of the population in the state. Northwest Ohio’s performance the last several years at winning new investment much above its relative size continues to assist the state in placing toward the top of this ranking in the country.

2018 projects

A number of notable projects during 2018 were part of the economic development success in the region that is resulting in the creation of 5,736 new jobs.

First Solar is planning a new solar module manufacturing facility near its flagship Perrysburg plant. The 1.2 gigawatt factory is expected to create 500 new jobs in northwest Ohio, and will produce the company’s advanced technology Series 6 thin film photovoltaic (PV) module.

The expansion plan calls for a one million square foot facility located in Lake Township, Ohio, with construction that began in mid-2018 and plans to enter full production mode in late 2019. First Solar will spend an estimated $400 million on this major project.

NSG is working to construct a $260 million plant in Troy Township in Wood County. The company is a supplier to First Solar and the new facility will manufacture specialized glass sheets for First Solar’s panels to be produced at its new facility in Lake Township. The new NSG plant will be 511,000 square feet and will have an estimated 150 employees.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) Jeep Plant in north Toledo is being retooled for the production of the new Gladiator pickup truck with an investment of $273 million. The Gladiator will be built in the updated south plant of the Toledo Assembly Complex. Work should be completed by 2020 and an additional 94 new employees will be added to the production facility.

Hyundai Mobis, a supplier to the Jeep plant that is located adjacent to the assembly complex, is investing an estimated $50 million in its facility to support the new Gladiator. The facility assembles the chassis, axles, and power train for the vehicles manufactured at the large complex. Mobis shut down in early 2018 and furloughed employees as it worked to modify its operations in order to produce Jeep pickup trucks.

Rendering of Walgreens Perrysburg Township facility expansion to over 1,000,000 square feet

Walgreens will add 350 new jobs with a 380,000 square foot expansion of its current facility located in Perrysburg Township on Route 795. The company is investing $80 million for the project, adding to its existing 650,000 square-foot building. When completed, the facility will be over one million square feet.

Walgreens opened the warehouse distribution center in 2003 and currently employs approximately 680 people.

Johns Manville (JM) will make an estimated $50 million investment to expand capacity at its Defiance, Ohio manufacturing facility. The expansion will allow JM to increase the production of its fiberglass pipe insulation products: Micro-Lok® HP and Micro-Lok® HP Ultra.

JM will begin the capacity expansion project in early 2019 and anticipates the completion of the first new production line in 2020.

Tower Automotive is investing $29 million in its Bellevue plant. The project will expand the facility with the construction of a 73,000 square foot addition. The investment is for an e-coating system that will be used on the next generation Ford F-150. The plant currently employs 360 people and there will be 16 new employees hired after the expansion project is completed.

Nox US located in Fostoria is investing $25 million to double the capacity of its manufacturing plant. The facility makes vinyl flooring tiles and the project will expand the building and install new machinery. The building will increase 60,000 square feet and the project will result in 50 new employees to take the plant’s personnel to over 150.

Logistics wins

The region has been successful in winning significant new investment in major logistics projects. The Walgreens expansion in 2018 to take the facility above one million square feet is an example. Construction of a Home Depot fulfillment center in Troy Township in Wood County is an example of another logistics facility with over one million square feet that has been placed in the region. Duke Realty, a large warehouse and logistics developer, has been working to place another large 700,000 square foot logistics facility in the area, speculated to be an Amazon fulfillment center. Duke Realty is working to develop a site in the Golden Triangle in Rossford for this project. This planned logistics facility is not included in the 2018 project list for northwest Ohio, but instead would be an important win for 2019.