Fostoria official hopes to attract out-of-state companies

By Jefferson Wolfe

Staff Writer

jwolfe@advertiser-tribune.com

FOSTORIA -- For the next year, the Fostoria Economic Development Corp. is going to try to make more face-to-face contact with out-of-town companies in an effort to being more jobs to Fostoria.

Tony Allen, executive director, also wants to meet with site consultants, who typically are hired by companies interested in expanding. The consultants become familiar with different areas, and can show companies what Fostoria has to offer.

Allen is hoping to attract mainly companies from outside Ohio.

Fostoria offers an available workforce with lots of instutional knowledge about manufacturing and people experienced working with their hands. The city offers outstanding railroad service, and is within three hours of 80 percent of the country's auto assembly plants.

Although two plants closed in the last year, costing the city about 400 jobs, things weren't as bad as they could have been, Allen said.

Quality Stores closed its doors in February, and Excel Logistics closed in July. Quality employed about 260 people, and Excel 130.

Allen is hopeful the two buildings may be occupied soon. Both are in good shape, although the Quality building is much newer.

While Excel's building may be limited to a shipping, warehousing, or distribution operation, Quality's facility is more versatile.

The Quality building could be divided into three or four smaller units, with separate utilities, Allen said. This would make the structure suitable for manufacturing businesses, and the owners are open to the possibility.

Helping offset the closures was than announcement in September that Alpha Coatings bought the FEDC shell building in 23 Corporate Place. The building was built about six years ago, to have something ready to go for a business that wanted a new facility, Allen said.

Alpha Coatings applies frictionless coatings to parts for the automobile industry.

The new building is good for the company, he said. It gives them 40,000 square-feet of space.

The move and expansion will create about 50 jobs. Alpha Coatings will still keep its North Street building, but will move out of its North Main Street facility.

Allen hopes to attract another business to the North Main Street building. He hopes to find something related to Alpha Coatings' business.

Another expansion will be Ameri-Kart, 425 S. Countyline St. The city is to make water line and fire hydrant improvements in the area to help that business grow.

The expansion of Fostoria Community Hospital will also help the community, Allen said. The two-story plus basement addition will be attached to the south side of the hospital's emergency room.

Construction is to be complete by March 2003. The cost is estimated at $5 million, and the project is being funded through an agreement with ProMedica Health System. Fostoria Community Hospital became a member of ProMedica two years ago.

The project will be completed in two phases.

The first phase will include the building's construction. The second floor will be a new surgical department with two general operating rooms, two minor procedure rooms and a recovery room.

The first floor and the basement will be shelled space to accommodate future needs.

The North Countyline Street will help the retail businesses along that corridor, Allen said. Some have suffered during the construction, but the area will be more appealing to new business. It will look better, and offer a better traffic flow.

Countyline Street from the SR 199 split to Jones Road is being resurfaced and a turn lane is to be added. The intersection with SR 199 and Stearns Road are being re-aligned as well.

"It's been a long time coming," Allen said.

The city has been looking to attract more retail, he said. While FEDC has recruited industry heavily, it has been very active in trying to convince some new retail stores to come to Fostoria.

Some businesses won't even consider Fostoria because of the size of the community, but others will. Some retailers have a cutoff and simply won't look at a community unless it reaches a certain population. Others, however, will.

Retailers, including some bigger department stores, could be attracted by the amount of traffic that flows through town, he said.

"I really do think there's some opportunities for some select companies to expand their operations," Allen said.

FEDC has created a plan that could be used if the lot at the intersection of Independence Road and Findlay Street on the city's southwest side is ever developed. It calls for two large spaces for retail stores and other smaller buildings in the area.

While it is only a plan, it is being used to show developers what could happen there.

Ameri-Kart Corp.
425 S. Countyline St.
P.O. Box 885
419-35-1811
Product: Manufacturer of rotationally molded plastic parts

TKA Atlas, Inc.
901 US 23 S.
P.O. Box 846
419-435-8531
Product: Diesel engine components-crankshafts and camshafts

Filmtec, Inc.
1120 Sandusky St.
419-435-1819
Product: Machinery for wire companies, sheaves

Fostoria Industries, Inc.
1200 N. Main St.
P.O. Box 986
419-435-9201
Product: Electric and gas infrared comfort heating systems electric infrared snow and ice control systems,, industrial lighting fixtures, gas and electric process heat ovens and controls, custom sheet metal fabrication (Pro Metal)

Honeywell
1600 N. Union St.
P.O. Box 880
419-435-6655
Product: Spark plugs and oxygen sensors

Indalex Aluminum
930 Sandusky St.
(419) 435-8581
Product: Aluminum extrusions

Intermetro Industries Corp.
1150 State St.
P.O. Box 229
419-435-5937
Product: Plastic injection molding and rotational molding

Machine Tool & Fabrication, Inc.
1401 Sandusky St.
P.O. Box 1083
419-435-7676
Product: Custom automation machinery, tools, dies, jigs, fixtures, and CNC millwork.

Special Products Division: Bottom roll fabric doors for aviation and industrial.

The Mennel Milling Co.
128 W. Crocker St.
P.O. Box 806
419-435-8151
Product: Wheat flour and byproducts

National Electrical Carbon Corp.
200 N. Town St.
P.O. Box J
419-435-8182
Product: Specialty carbon graphite products

Noguska Industries
735-741 N. Countyline St.
P.O. Box 1004
419-435-0404
Product: Computer software and hardware

Norton Manufacturing Co.
110 W. Jones Road
P.O. Box 528
419-435-0411
Product: Crankshafts, housings, tools, dies and special machinery

Oberfield Building Materials Co.
912 Sandusky St.
(419) 435-3655
Product: Concrete block, versa lox retaining walls, pavers, brick

Roppe Corp.
1602 N. Union St.
P.O. Box 1158
419-435-8546
Product: Rubber and vinyl flooring products

Seneca Precast Co.
10833 W. TR 112
419-435-0844
Product: Precast concrete

Seneca Wire & Manufacturing
319 S. Vine St.
419-435-9261
Product: Wire

J.F. Swinehart Co., Inc.
1370 N. Main St.
P.O. Box 510
419-435-6013
Product: Gas and electric infrared and convection ovens, glass tempering furnaces and systems