West Carrollton vies for $16M expansion
Misumi USA expansion would protect jobs; city to offer tax incentives.
The parWEST CARROLLTON — ent company of West Carrollton’s largest employer is deciding if it will build a $16 million facility in the city, a move that would help protect more than 500 local jobs.
Misumi USA Inc. is looking at West Carrollton and sites in Illinois and Michigan for a 55,000-squarefoot logistics/distribution center to house 20 employees supporting other subsidiaries.
But the company seems to be leaning toward 3 acres on the Dayton Progress Corp. campus on Progress Road, home to 530 workers for the manufacturer, city officials said.
While a commitmentmay come next month, the city is already working with Misumi on the project, coordinating economic incentives.
The site plan was set to go before the West Carrollton Planning Commission on Wednesday night, and the city is set to offer a tax incentive package to land the
center, local officials said.
“This facility is not directly involved with Dayton Progress,” West Carrollton Economic Development Director Michael Lucking.
“But it’s a substantial investment in that campus, which we believe is a demonstration of their commitment to that location going forward.”
Attempts to reach Misumi officials Wednesday were unsuccessful. But Lucking indicated the city and the factory automation machine industry supplier were close on a deal.
Misumi USA Inc. is a subsidiary of Misumi Corp., a 54-year-old company that makes automated machine parts for clients worldwide, according to its website.
One of its subsidiaries is Dayton Progress, also known as Dayton Lamina, which makes and sells products through a global network of distributors, according to its website. It also operates multiple manufacturing/engineering facilities in North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim.
To help secure the deal, West Carrollton plans on applying for $200,000 in Montgomery County Economic Development/Government Equity funds.
The Dayton Progress site is also on land which, through the Community Reinvestment Act, makes new construction eligible for a 15-year real estate tax abatement, Lucking said.
Pending city council’s approval, he added, West Carrollton is prepared to offer Misumi a 35 percent income tax abatement over five years.
The distribution center would serve to consolidate shipments for other Misumi divisions, said West Carrollton City Councilman Jim Folker, who works at Dayton Progress. It would be nearly fully automated, improving operational efficiency, he said.
Of the $16 million projected investment, about $8 million pay for equipment and $4 million for the building itself, Lucking said.
The center is proposed to sit on 3 acres just west of the Dayton Progress building, a spot currently used as a parking lot, Folker said.
The distribution facility would be more than half the size of the Dayton Progress building, which occupies nearly 93,000 square feet, city records show.
If a decision is reached in November or December, Lucking said he would like to see construction begin next spring.