Portage County leaders said 2017 was generally a good year for the local economy and business community.
Investment in industrial property had a strong year with $86 million in investment in the county compared with investments of $19 million to $50 million over the previous three years, according to Portage County Development Board President Brad Ehrhart.
“You have to go back to 2012 for a bigger year,” he said. That year, $129 million was invested in property. It was the year Rubbermaid built its 815,100-square-foot distribution facility on Progress Boulevard in Brimfield.
“Compared to past years, we had an outstanding year” in 2017, Ehrhart said.
One company that is doing well is Natural Essentials of Aurora, which is planning to purchase another industrial building in Aurora.
In addition to his own workforce, Natural Essentials President Gary Pellegrino Sr. said he credits regulations governing his industry, which includes packaging and suppling a range of natural ingredients to a variety of companies, with creating an environment where the company could thrive.
The company also has facilities nearby in Streetsboro and anticipates continued growth over the next year.
Officials in Kent, Aurora, Streetsboro and Ravenna all said their local economics had a good year.
Kent Economic Development Director Tom Wilke said the city has little empty retail, commercial or industrial land, which is both good news and a challenge.
“We have limited space available for new companies to come into,” he said. “We have to grow more organically, bringing in new businesses and companies.”
Of the 1.65 million square feet of retail space in the city, Wilke said 96,644 square feet are vacant, and “about half of that is in University Plaza.”
Wilke said it’s a “far cry from five to seven years ago when there were a number of vacant buildings.”
“I think we’re cautiously optimistic about the economy,” he said, adding that income tax revenue is up while unemployment is down.
“Our unemployment has gotten down into the low 4 percent range, and many economists consider that to be full employment,” he said. “That’s great news for our wage earners in the city of Kent. If they have a job, it’s likely wages are going to continue to rise. The downside is that our employers are working very hard to attract and retain employees because of that low rate.”
Streetsboro Economic Development Director Rob Peters said one of the city’s big highlights was KidsLink School moving into the former Wait Primary School on Frost Road.
“It’s a good employment base,” he said, adding about 50 employees work there. It’s also a use of the former school property supported by the community.
Other highlights included Stainless Works bringing about 50 jobs to the city. The company manufactures aftermarket car parts, primarily mufflers and headers, out of stainless steel.
“Right along the same lines, Blackburn Wheels bought the old Tinkers Creek Building and moved in while maintaining the other existing clients,” said Peters.
Peters said the city was disappointed when Air Enterprises and Yarde Metals closed Streetsboro facilities, costing the city about 250 jobs last year.
In 2018, Peters said he anticipates development near the corner of routes 43 and 14, as well as several properties across from the Home Depot.
He agreed with Wilke that finding a quality workforce is industry’s biggest challenge.
“Unfortunately, it’s not just Portage County,” he said. “I think it’s probably regional and statewide, but that’s something we hear from almost every company locally.”
Ravenna Mayor Frank Seman said some of Ravenna’s biggest companies, such at UH Portage Medical Center, grew in 2017.
“The importance of UH can’t be underemphasized,” he said. “They continue to expand out there. They’ve added a number of different specialties, and they’re not done.”
Growth of Sirna’s, Ray Harner’s development at the old GE Lamp Plant, Smithers Rapra and other locations should help the city improve its bond rating, Seman said.
“It’s starts with a ‘B,’ and it needs to start with an ‘A,” he said. “The health of downtown is also going in the right direction. Construction of the theater is under way as we speak.”
The new movie theater on Chestnut Street should open in late summer or early fall, he said.
“We know the theater is going to bring people downtown,” he said. “We’re starting to get inquiries about shops.”
Community leadership aimed at bringing business and shoppers to downtown continues to coalesce as the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce, The Chestnut Street Arts Group and the CORE Group, which started a Main Street Ravenna group, work together to create a vibrant downtown.
In Aurora, Economic Development Director Jack Burge said the construction of Liberty Ford’s new campus at the corner of Route 43 and Squires Road is coming along well.
“We anticipate that they’ll probably be able to take over the facility in the late first quarter or early second quarter,” he said. “That’s a lot of jobs, approximately 100 jobs, they’ll be adding.”
He said he hopes development of the car dealership provides a catalyst for additional development on the former Sea World and Geauga Lake property. Discussions with Bainbridge about developing a joint economic development district have died down.
Job-wise, the biggest impact in the coming years will likely be Piping Rock, which plans to bring 175 jobs initially to Aurora this year and grow to 350 to 400 jobs by its fifth year. That would result in a payroll of about $12 million a year.