Today's Journal....
Middletown seeks to entice company to expand in Ohio
MIDDLETOWN — Pilot Chemical will decide next month if it will invest $42 million to expand its Middletown facility — which would add more than 20 jobs — or take the investment and those jobs to Texas.
The city has proposed giving Pilot Chemical a 10-year, 65 percent tax abatement on a new building and an eight-year, 15 percent Job Creation Incentive Grant if company officials choose to expand its facility at 3439 Yankee Road.
The expansion would include spending $42 million by adding machinery, equipment and real estate over the next five years. The project would also create 23 new jobs with a payroll of $955,000.
This project is very important to Ohio as an expansion would retain and strengthen ties to a company headquartered in Ohio,” said Denise Hamet, acting Middletown economic development director. “Securing this significant investment in human and financial capital would enhance the long-term viability and growth opportunities for all of Pilot’s corporate and manufacturing facilities.”
WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR THE COMPANY IS NICE,BUT WHAT ABOUT MIDDLETOWN? WHAT WOULD IT DO TO STRENGTHEN REVENUE FOR THE CITY?
Pilot Vice President of Manufacturing Susan Leslie said a decision on the location to expand will be made in April, but admitted she’s emotionally invested in Middletown
However, Middletown is centrally located to its customer base, and there are a number of places to expand in Middletown, Leslie said.
“Middletown is a great central, Midwest location for our customers,” she said. “Most of our customer base is out in the Midwest.”
IF THAT'A TRUE, WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME ATTRACTING MORE COMPANIES LIKE THIS?
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