Development group hits $100 million milestone

CHILLICOTHE – The recent announcement of YSK Corp.’s decision to expand its operations in Chillicothe became a watershed moment for a regional economic development organization that has only been in operation since 2013.

The $12.5 million investment into a 50,000-square-foot die-cast manufacturing facility announced by YSK in mid-June, bringing an estimated 40 jobs over the next three years, helped the Joint Economic Development Initiative of Southern Ohio exceed the $100 million plateau in terms of direct investments to the local area it has played a part in attracting.

“This is a remarkable achievement,” said Jason Kester, executive director of the Southern Ohio Port Authority. “Successes like these continue to motivate us as we continue our work to develop shovel-ready sites and assets to support economic development and business expansion in the region.”

JEDISO is a nonprofit association serving Ross, Pike, Jackson and Scioto counties that receives funding from the Fluor-B&W Community Commitment Fund. Fluor-B&W is the lead site contractor involved with decontamination and decommissioning work at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon.

By JEDISO’s count, it has been instrumental in helping attract 10 new businesses to the area and helping with 16 business expansions. That has meant 700 new jobs and retention of about 1,500 more across the four counties.

Held up as the perhaps its most significant success story to date is the landing of Rural King’s nearly $13 million investment in a warehouse, distribution center and retail store in Waverly that opened for business earlier this year which will end up creating at least 160 new jobs in a community hit hard when Mill’s Pride left town in 2011. The Rural King project received $100,000 in local grant incentives, including $50,000 from the Fluor-B&W Opportunity Fund and $50,000 from the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative. It also received an income tax break from the Village of Waverly.

“Landing a project like the Rural King distribution center was a tremendous win for not only Pike County, but the entire region,” said Gary Arnett, Pike County economic development director. “The support we received from the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, our JEDISO partners, SODI and the Fluor-B&W community commitment fund helped bring this project to southern Ohio.”

Among the more significant Ross County projects toward the $111.8 million total investment JEDISO is including in its count include a $1.3 million investment by Consolidated Metco in Ross County creating 55 jobs, a $1.2 million investment by Vitatoe Industries in Ross County involving 25 jobs and an $11.8 million investment by Southland Truck Center Inc. involving 50 jobs. Other Ross projects involving Tykma Inc., Mancor Industries and Hostetler Truss also make the list.

The projects, according to JEDISO, all fall within target industries for the four-county region, including automotive supply, forestry and wood products and transportation and logistics services.

Growth across the area is attracting attention elsewhere. In a 2014 ranking of the best micropolitan communities for economic development done by Site Selection Magazine – a publication for the real estate and economic development industries – Chillicothe comes in tied for 74th out of 576 such communities nationwide.