CITY COUNCIL Tax break allows Brilex Industries to plan $1.85 million expansion

The expansion will create 10 jobs averaging $40,000 a year.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Brilex Industries seemingly has found its niche in the volatile metals industry, enough to invest nearly $2 million more here.
The company, which makes equipment for steel and other metals industries, is planning an expansion at its Crescent Street plant.
A $450,000 building addition, paired with new equipment such as an overhead crane, will total a $1.85 million investment.
On Wednesday, city council approved a 10-year, 75 percent abatement for the company on real and personal property taxes.
More jobs
The expansion will create 10 jobs over the next three years that will average $40,000 a year, and more with overtime.
The new jobs could be created sooner than three years depending on business, said Alex Benyo, who owns Brilex with his brother, Brian.
The expansion lets the company get into larger markets do bigger machine assemblies, Benyo said. Brilex does machining, manufacturing and assembly for equipment used by the metals industry.
The expansion is expected to be finished by year's end, he said.
The industry is capital-intensive and it's not hard to spend $1 million doing an upgrade, Benyo said.
Earlier this year, Brilex installed a quarter-million dollars' worth of new equipment, for which the city also granted a tax break.
Brilex has grown steadily despite the sometimes unstable nature of the metals industry because of its quality, service and investment in equipment, Benyo said.
The company opened in 1997 with about eight employees, which will climb to 50 with the expansion.
"It's been one of our success stories," said Jeffrey L. Chagnot, city development director.
Benyo credited the city for being easy to do business with, citing the availability of several types of loans and tax breaks.
rgsmith@vindy.com