Development funds linked to 230 new jobs

$1.3 million requested through Montgomery County program.

Companies in Englewood, Dayton, Kettering and elsewhere are asking for Montgomery County development dollars to fuel business expansions that will create or protect more than 400 jobs in the Miami Valley.

Twelve businesses with proposed expansions have requested $1.3 million in development funds through the county’s Economic Development/Government Equity or ED/GE program, which has more than $2.1 million in available funds, according to Erik Collins, the county’s development director.

Twice a year, Montgomery County government considers applications from local communities for the development funds, which are created through sales tax revenue. Monday was the deadline to apply for the funds. Local governments want the money to help businesses within their borders expand or relocate.

Altogether, there are 230 new jobs proposed and 209 existing jobs protected in the proposals.

“It’s a broad range of types of projects, a good representation of projects,” Collins said. “We’re happy with that.”

The biggest proposed project is a new auto parts manufacturer considering locating in Englewood, creating 100 new jobs there.

Englewood is seeking $400,000 in ED/GE funds to help Canada- b ased Hematite build a 106.000-square-foot building at Lau Parkway. The site would become the company’s first U.S. location and its American headquarters.

The Dayton Daily News has previously reported that Hematite is looking at an 18.45 acre location

at 300 Lau Parkway for the project.

The company expects sales growth of $10 million to $28 million over the first 36 months of its operations at the site, the city’s application says.

Also, Englewood is asking for $200,000 to help Value Added Packaging expand, also on Lau Parkway.

The $2 million project would add 40,000-squarefeet to the company’s building and increase employment from 40 to 65 over the next three years, the application says.

The city of Miamisburg seeks $225,000 to help Cornerstone Research Group, a defense contractor currently based in Beavercreek, move to that city in a $5.5 million project, creating 68 jobs that are new to Miamisburg.

The new payroll in Miamisburg would be $5.3 million.

The city’s application said the company’s current loca

tion on Indian Ripple Road lacks sufficient manufactur- ing space. Other projects include:

In Kettering, city government is asking for $100,000 in a $602,000 renovation of Millat Industries’ Croftshire Drive building.

The project would retain 127 existing jobs — the largest number of current jobs among the proposals the county saw Monday — and create nine new jobs, Ketter- ing’s application says.

Dayton applied on behalf of three companies, two of them shielded by code names to protect their identities. In a $16 million pro

ject,”Project Zebra” would create 36 new jobs in Dayton. The city is asking for $250,000.

And “Project Epsilon” concerns an unnamed existing manufacturer, one that wants to create 29 new jobs in a $150,000 project.

The third Dayton project: Production Design Services Inc. wants to buy the former ATW building at 313 Mound St., in a $4.1 million project, Dayton’s application says.

The company is currently found at 401 Fame Road.

That project would create 30 new jobs and protect 90 current ones, Dayton said.

■ From Huber Heights come two requests: One for $50,000 in an $600,000 expansion that would create 10 new jobs at MegaC- ity Fire and Security. That company and its 40 employees are out of room in their current 40,000-square-foot building at 8210 Expansion Way, according to its application.

The other application from Huber Heights asks for $100,000 to fuel a $460,000 expansion that would create three new jobs and retain 21 current jobs at KE Rose.

Described in the application as a company that “spe- cializes in custom installa- tion, fabrication and service of construction equipment and public safety vehicles,” KE Rose is located on Cham

bersburg Road. This project would expand its current building.

■ The city of Trotwood had two applications, one for Epix Tube Co., which wants to build a new production line at its Wolf Creek Pike location, creating 25 additional jobs.

The second Trotwood request is for Alliance Torque Converters Inc., also on Wolf Creek Pike. That company wants to boost production of remanufactured transmission torque converters, boosting employment from five to 12 people at an average salary of $31,000.

■ Vandalia says an unnamed “local company” wants to expand om an existing facility, and is asking for $100,000 in that project. Thirty-five new jobs would be created while 168 existing jobs would be protected, the city said in its application.

An ED/GE committee will hear presentations on the applications May 3, with funding recommendations being made May 12. Commissioners will vote on the recommendations May 16.