Shutterfly will invest more than $23 million over three years to enhance product offerings at its Galion, OH location. The personalized photography product company, which already employs nearly 200 people at the Crawford County site, expects to add another 100 new jobs through this expansion project.
“Our business is deeply connected to the local labor market and the Galion community, and we’re pleased to provide stability for current employees while expanding in the future,” said Dave Bull, Shutterfly Inc.’s Vice President of Manufacturing.
Shutterfly acquired Lifetouch in 2018 and with it, the Galion Lifetouch plant. Since 1995 when Lifetouch had taken over a former photo studio, the Galion site has been producing Lifetouch photography products for church communities, and over the past several years expanded to include preschool and studio photography.
Now, the company will be supporting not only multiple Lifetouch product lines, but also include Shutterfly brand products, including personalized photo books, calendars, cards and wall art.
“Shutterfly’s decision to make a major investment in our community is excellent news,” said Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary. “The company’s commitment to the Galion area and its workforce is greatly appreciated.”
Shutterfly has corporate headquarters locations in Redwood City, CA and Eden Prairie, MN, and since its founding in 1999 has expanded to more than 10,000 employees with manufacturing locations across the U.S. and Canada. In selecting its Northwest Ohio plant for this expansion project, Shutterfly officials recognized the region’s competitive business climate and highly skilled labor pool as significant factors in the site selection process. Additionally, the location puts production even closer to customers in the Northeast corridor of the U.S., improving efficiencies and speed for customers in the region.
“Shutterfly is global leader in digital photo products manufacturing that will expand with Ohio’s exceptional talent and supply chain,” said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “This investment will bring 100 new jobs and new production lines to this growing facility.”
JobsOhio awarded the company a grant to support the expansion of the facility. In addition, the Ohio Development Services Agency approved a Job Creation Tax Credit. Both the Regional Growth Partnership and Grow Crawford worked collaboratively with JobsOhio throughout the process in securing the project for Galion.
Expansion efforts are expected to begin immediately, with production of Shutterfly products scheduled to start at the facility next spring.
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