“It is because of businesses like Autokiniton that we continue to see economic growth within Sandusky County,” said Beth Hannam, executive director of Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation. “We are excited to see their continued success for years to come and thank them for their continued investment in their Bellevue facility.”
Church & Dwight Invest $50M in Northwest Ohio
Elsewhere in Northwest Ohio, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., will move forward with an expansion project at its facility in the village of Old Fort. The project will create at least $50 million in new investment and 80 new jobs. This follows a fulfilled commitment in 2020 to invest $38 million and create 60 jobs. The Old Fort facility currently has 309 employees.
The project is expected to be completed in 2024 and will make Church & Dwight one of the top 10 employers in Seneca County.
New Jersey-based Church & Dwight is the leading U.S. producer of sodium bicarbonate, otherwise known as baking soda. The company’s ARM & HAMMER brand is one of the nation’s most trusted trademarks for a broad range of consumer and specialty products.
The expansion project is being driven by growing demand for the facility’s cat litter manufacturing capacity, and will include new manufacturing equipment, packaging machinery, and rail line improvements. The Old Fort location was in competition with other Church & Dwight facilities in Pennsylvania and California, in addition to other greenfield locations in the U.S.
“I’m so pleased that Church & Dwight has chosen our facility as the site of this major investment,” said David Johnston, plant manager at Church & Dwight. “It’s a testimony to our employees and the trust Church & Dwight has in our facility’s ability to produce great products consistently and efficiently.”
Johnston cited plant employees’ work ethic and commitment to excellence, along with the regional transportation network as local assets. “Northwest Ohio is a great location from a distribution standpoint with major highways providing for the efficient movement of product,” he said.
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Collaboration among regional and statewide economic development groups, including the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, the Regional Growth Partnership, JobsOhio and the Ohio Rail Development Commission, were also critical to the project’s success.
“Church & Dwight’s continued expansion in Seneca County demonstrates the company’s confidence in Northwest Ohio’s manufacturing talent,” said JobsOhio’s Nauseef. “This was a highly-competitive project that brings 80 new jobs to a facility that produces and distributes some of the country’s most recognizable brands.”
