8 Toledo, area firms awarded grants for expansion, start-ups

6/13/2006

COLUMBUS - Eight Toledo-area businesses are among those to receive a share of $14.1 million in state grants awarded yesterday by the State Controlling Board for companies locating or expanding in the state.

The following northwest Ohio companies were chosen for business development grants:

Whirlpool Corp. will receive $3 million to expand its facility in Clyde, in Sandusky County, and buy machinery and equipment. Expansion there and at the firm's Marion facility is to create 1,147 jobs and retain 6,100.

FDS Coke Plant LLC, to locate in Toledo, will receive $150,000 for machinery and equipment at its new 140,000-square-foot facility. The project is to create 140 jobs.

Brush Wellman Inc. will receive $100,000 for site improvements as part of a planned expansion in Elmore that is to create 25 jobs and retain 118.

A. Schulman Invision Inc., to be located in Hancock County, will receive $25,000 for machinery and equipment. The project is to create 43 jobs.

Lear Operations Corp., will receive $100,000 for machinery and equipment for its expansion in Huron, in Erie County. The project will create 220 jobs and retain 778 within the first three years.

Heartland Healthcare Services, Toledo, will receive $25,000 for machinery and equipment as part of expansion of its institutional pharmacy operations. The project is expected to create 75 jobs and retain 187 positions within the first three years of the project's initial operations.

Highway Composites LLC, to be located in Norwalk in Huron County, will receive $50,000 for machinery and equipment for the consolidation and expansion of its two subsidiaries, Monroeville Industrial Moldings Inc. and PIPO Inc. The project is to create 69 jobs and retain 52.

Spring Valley Turf Products, to be located in Washington Township in Hancock County, will receive $25,000 for machinery and equipment at a fertilizer and ice melter bagging and distribution facility. The project is to create 32 jobs.