Firstenergy investing over $83m in area grid

Software company relocates to Toledo
page 13
InSource invests $2.4M in
Paulding County
www.toledobiz.com
November 2013
Hospitals set joint
venture project
page 3
Vol. 29, No. 11 •
$1.75
FirstEnergy investing over $83M in area grid
PJM placing strategic bet on distant generation capacity and demand response
Significant changes are taking place
in the utility industry in the US Regulatory requirements out of Washington are
forcing the reduction of coal-fired generation capacity, limiting the growth of
nuclear power, and increasing renewable
energy sources.
A number of regional grid operators
or RTOs (Regional Transmission Organizations) around the country work to manage a complex network of electric power
generation and distribution in an effort
to balance customer demand with utility supply. PJM Interconnection is the
RTO that manages the electricity grid
(…continued on page 5)
Firelands Regional Medical Center and The Bellevue Hospital recently announced a joint venture between
the two hospitals, which will bring urgent care services to Clyde. The new
$1.3 million urgent care will serve the
healthcare needs of residents in the
Clyde, Bellevue, Fremont, and surrounding areas. The project did not
receive any local or State incentives
(…continued on page 7)
INSIDE:
Business List...........................................30
Development News...................................2
Estate & Financial Planning....................25
Products, Services, Tech........................ 13
Several counties in northwest Ohio
celebrated Manufacturing Day in October by sponsoring events. The events
were organized to raise awareness of
the shortage of skilled workers and
to inform school administrators and
guidance counselors of the opportunities and requirements for manufacturing jobs today.
According to the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership, 77% of skilled
baby boomers will leave the workforce
by the year 2030. The loss of these
workers and the increased activity in
(…continued on page 32)
Wood County tour participants outside of the Walgreens facility
$25M elementary school planned for Bath
Bath Local School District is planning
a new K-5 elementary building, with completion anticipated for December 2014.
This project includes the construction
of a new playground area and two parking
lots, one for cars and one for buses. There
will also be separate entrance roads for
visitors and buses.
Superintendent Dale E. Lewellen stated that part of the need for the new elementary school is that the current building is antiquated, with one section dating
back to 1936.
The 106,000 square foot facility has
(…continued on page 20)
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Skilled workers
…Continued from page 1
the industrial sector in the region is placing pressure on area manufacturers.
Williams County
Williams County Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) – in cooperation with the US Route 6 Roundtable
– hosted a bus tour to boost interest and
awareness in the manufacturing industry.
“The purpose of this event was to increase awareness of the manufacturing opportunities and improve general public perception of manufacturing and its value to
Williams County, the State of Ohio, and
the US economy,” stated Diamond Zimmerman, WEDCO coordinator. “The tours
were being conducted in an effort to raise
awareness among our local youth of the local jobs available in the skilled trades.”
According to Zimmerman, seven
manufacturing companies offered facility tours and attendees were also given a
“sneak peek” tour of the Menards Distribution Center. The participants met at
the Northwest Ohio Job Center in Bryan.
Area school officials, guidance counselors, and teachers participated in the tours
of the manufacturing facilities and also
heard presentations on the types of products that each facility manufactures, the
skills necessary to use machinery / produce the products, and the salary and benefits for such positions.
The Williams County bus tour included
Williams County bus tour particpants
representatives from Bryan, Edgerton, Pioneer, West Unity, Montpelier, Northwest
State Community College, Four County
Career Center, Job Works, Northwest Ohio
Job Center, JOB1USA, and Ohio District 1
Senator Cliff Hite.
Richard Conrad, chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Winzeler
Stamping was the tour moderator throughout the day.
Williams County toured the following
manufacturing companies:
• Airmate Company: specializes in
producing custom plastics products, located in Bryan.
• Power & Sons LLC: specializes in
steering linkage and suspension products
for the automotive industry, located in
Montpelier.
• 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics, Ltd.:
provides structural foam molding for large
components, located in Holiday City.
• Menards: provides home improvement products, manufacturing, and distribution, located in Holiday City.
• Kamco Industries: provides product
design and is a manufacturer of injection,
sheet molding, and formed fiber felt products, located in West Unity.
• Arrow Tru-Line Inc: provides engineering and manufacturing capabilities including stamping, plastic injection, fabrication and welding, aluminum die-casting,
and more, located in Bryan.
• Altenloh, Brinck & Co., Group:
manufactures and distributes TRUFAST
and SPAX brands of engineered fasteners for the construction market, located
in Bryan.
“Across the country, the demand for
skilled labor is increasing at a dramatic
pace. The increase is due in large part to
the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age,” Zimmerman noted. “It is
also due to more technical knowledge and
training being required by manufacturers
as their methods and processes continue
to become more innovative and dependent
upon improved technology.”
According to Zimmerman, it is estimated that locally, over 40% of the skilled
workforce will reach retirement age within 10 years.
“Currently, there is not an adequate
supply of students from our schools and
community colleges that are enrolled in
skilled labor education programs to replace this generation of retirees. Without
an increase in our youths’ awareness of
the opportunities available, the lack of new
skilled laborers will have widespread economic consequences,” she stated.
She added that because of this gap in
skilled workers, today’s youth has many opportunities available to them, and in many
cases can come without a four-year degree.
There are a number of skilled labor positions that only require a two-year associates degree and often have starting salaries
in excess of $40,000 and full benefits, according to Zimmerman.
(…continued on page 33)
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Skilled workers
…Continued from page 32
Wood County
Wood County also hosted a tour event
for Manufacturing Day. The Good Jobs
Committee of Wood County hosted the
event. Participating in the tour was a group
of approximately 20 guidance counselors and school administrators from Penta Career Center, Bowling Green City
Schools, Anthony Wayne Schools, Eastwood Schools, Maumee City Schools,
Otsego Schools, Perrysburg Schools, and
Rossford Schools. The tour also consisted of area representatives such as Mark
Schoenlein, board of education member at
Perrysburg Schools and Penta Career Center; and Wade Gottschalk, executive director of the Wood County Economic Development Commission (WCEDC).
“For several months before, the Good
Jobs Committee of Wood County planned
an activity to generate awareness in the
community, as well as among school counselors and administrators, about the importance of directing high school students
into manufacturing careers,” stated Monica Dansack, public information officer for
Penta Career Center.
The Good Jobs Committee of Wood
County is comprised of representatives
from the Wood County Commissioners,
WCEDC, City of Bowling Green Economic Development, Northwest Ohio
Building Trades, Mechanical Contractors
NOVEMBER 2013 · TOLEDO BUSINESS JOURNAL · 33
Association of Northwest Ohio, Penta CaAccording to Penta Career Center, Nareer Center, Owens Community College
tional Manufacturing Day statistics show
(OCC), and Bowling Green State Univerthat only 30% of parents encourage their
sity (BGSU).
children to enter manufacturing and apThe event began at Penta Career Cenproximately 17% of people view manufacter, located on Buck Road in Perrysburg.
turing as a top career choice.
From there, participants were taken to two
“Manufacturing Day is designed to
facilities. The tour visited First Solar, Inc.
improve the general perception of man“They encourage their employees…
ufacturing careers among students, parto take additional adents, educators, and the
vantage of educationcommunity,” Dansack
al opportunities and
stated. “The educators
training,” Penta Career
who participated in the
Center superintendent,
event got a personal
Ron Matter stated about
look at what manufacFirst Solar.
turing facilities are reHe noted that toally like these days.”
day’s manufacturing
Matter stated that
companies are looking
the Good Jobs Comfor people with math
mittee of Wood County
skills, problem solving
would like to follow-up
skills, and teamwork
this event with a comskills. Matter stated
munity forum that will
that many of the needed
be open to parents and
skill-sets for these poyoung adults to discuss
sitions can be obtained
Kay E. Reiter,
career opportunities.
through career centers,
SCEDC director
“We need to get
community colleges,
the conversation startand certification programs.
ed at the dinner table at home,” Matter
“A four-year degree is not the anadvised.
swer for every student and it not required
He noted the committee would like to
for every job. We see so many jobs go unhold similar events in the future focusing
filled in the manufacturing industry beon manufacturing and other career fields in
cause they can’t find those skill-sets,” Matneed of skilled individuals such as health
ter explained.
and technology.
The group then traveled to WalSandusky County
greens distribution center, also located in
Sandusky County Economic DevelopPerrysburg.
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annual Manufacturing Showcase event for
Sandusky County high school and middle
school counselors on October 25. According to Kay E. Reiter, executive director of
SCEDC, the manufacturing bus tour focused on the necessary skill-sets needed in
today’s manufacturing workforce.
“Some of those skill-sets include measurement-visual inspection, robotics, computer skills, CNC, tool and die, quality
problem-solving skills, and teamwork,”
Reiter noted.
Over 37 professionals, high school and
middle school counselors and superintendents attended.
School districts who participated in
the event included: Bellevue City Schools,
Clyde-Green Springs Schools, Fremont
City Schools, Bishop Hoffman Catholic
Schools, Vanguard-Sentinel Career Center, and Woodmore Schools.
The tour consisted of the following
facilities:
• Amcor Rigis Plastics – North America, located in Bellevue.
• Fisher and Paykel Appliance, Inc, located in Clyde.
• Whirlpool – Clyde Division, located in Clyde.
• Cent u r y Die, I nc., located in
Fremont.
• Heinz-NA, located in Fremont.
According to Reiter, the Manufacturing Bus Tour Committee anticipates a similar touring day in spring 2014.
“Multiple other local manufacturers
have expressed their desire to participate
in future planning,” Reiter stated.