Water-line upgrade allows label business to shift sites

8/26/2004

The city will spend $93,000 to upgrade a water line to enable a label manufacturer to move into a larger plant in West Toledo.

Mayor Jack Ford yesterday announced plans to use money provided in the water and sewer fund to replace an 8-inch line with a 12-inch line on Kane Street to serve a fire-suppression system at True Label Inc.

The company, which makes 50 million labels a year, plans to move from an 8,000-square-foot building off South Avenue into a 16,000-square-foot building at 946 Kane, near Lewis and Sylvania avenues.

The utility infrastructure funding program is funded with 2 percent of the money paid by water and sewer customers. Each year, the city sets aside $490,000 for sanitary sewer projects and $380,000 for water projects. To qualify for 2 percent funding, projects must create or retain jobs or enable new housing.

True Label owner Bob Napierala said he is a part owner in the building, which is undergoing a $700,000 renovation. The company plans to move nine full-time jobs and two part-time jobs, with plans to add 10 to 15 production jobs and up to five salaried positions.

The company makes pressure-sensitive labels used mainly in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and consumer products industries, the mayor's office said.