MOUNT VERNON — Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland was “very impressed” during his tour of Sanoh America Inc.’s new facility Friday afternoon. Sanoh recently received more than $680,000 in investments from the state to create 50 new jobs at the facility. Accompanying Strickland on the tour was U.S. Rep. Zack Space.
The investment includes $275,000 in Roadwork Development, $200,000 in Economic Development Contingency, $96,752 in Job Creation Tax Credit, $80,000 in Rapid Outreach Grant, and $9,000 in Ohio Workforce Guarantee training. The impact will be a 25 percent increase in production jobs.
Sanoh’s parent company is based out of Japan and has U.S. headquarters in Findlay. The new 200,000-square-foot facility was finished in the beginning of 2009.
“This new building is great,” said Randy Gore, plant manager, adding the heating and lighting system is more efficient than in the old building. With the plant being all one facility, instead of three, operations are able to run more smoothly, he said.
During the company’s improvement process, Sanoh also invested $2 million in new machinery and equipment. The company specializes in corrosion-resistant tubing, tubular brazed assemblies, plastic tubing assemblies and stainless steel tubing assemblies. Products are supplied primarily to Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Ford and Hyundai.
Viewing materials, machines, and employees at work during the visit, Strickland and Space made inquiries about Sanoh’s manufacturing processes, procedures and even transportation. According to Gore, the majority of products are shipped throughout Ohio and the nation; only a small amount of products are exported.
Strickland was impressed by the facility itself includeing the cleanliness and organization of the facility as well as the “self-directed work force.”
“This is what I want to see happen in Ohio — Ohio making things,” Stickland said. “It is a part of our heritage and we have the work force, right here, with the capability of doing it.”
With his push to see more jobs in Ohio, Strickland believes manufacturing will “most likely” lead the state out of the recession.
“We need to get the economy back on track. ... [And] manufacturing is doing better than any other industry,” he said.
Strickland and Space stopped by one of the machines to see nylon tubes being formed, and were equally impressed to hear 90 percent of the machines in the facility were made in Ohio.
Space is currently working with Stickland on expanding access of broadband Internet to citizens in rural areas. With Sanoh being located “off the beaten path,” Space asked Gore about the company’s accessibility to Internet access.
“If Sanoh didn’t have high-speed Internet, it would definitely affect operations of the plant,” said Gore.
“It was great of the governor and Congressman Space to take the time to come see our facility. I’m pleased to have them here,” said Gore. “I can see they are really interested in creating jobs in Ohio.”
