Hynes expands, centralizes operations in Austintown

By KALEA HALL

khall@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

When the opportunity arose to relocate its operations to one location, Hynes Industries leaders realized the unique advantage they had in front of them.

With a new, state-of-the-art, roll-forming line ordered to increase product capabilities, the leaders of the metal-processing company realized they needed more floor space to handle the growth with its 50 percent increase in sales in the past three years.

And now the company is preparing to relocate its operations to a Hendricks Road facility where it has invested approximately $3 million to modernize the more than 290,000-square-foot complex that is known as the former Wean United building.

“To have the entire management team and salary staff [under one roof] is a huge communication and teamwork asset,” said D.R. Golding, vice president of strategic development for Hynes. “Operationally, it is going to allow us to better balance our workforce.”

The preference was to keep the Youngstown-based company in Youngstown, but at the same time the leaders had to look at it from an economic standpoint.

To make sure Hynes stayed where it was started, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber worked with the company.

In May, it was announced Hynes Industries received a seven-year, 40 percent job-creation tax credit from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority for 42 new jobs and a potential $6.5 million expansion project.

The company’s tax credit also led to the retention of 140 current workers and the creation of the new jobs over a three-year period.

Hynes must remain in operation for the next 10 years in Austintown.

Hynes was founded in 1925 in Youngstown on a foundation of the highest level of quality and service with on-time delivery and a commitment to innovation — a foundation the company has remained true to throughout its 88 years.

Today, Hynes ships anywhere from 105 million to 110 million pounds of steel each year nationwide and in Canada and Mexico.

“We have added a lot of new customers,” Golding said. “One area growing rapidly is the solar power.”

Rooftop installations and solar power-plant materials are some of the products Hynes makes for that industry.

Additionally, the company produces materials for the truck-and-trailer industry, metal service centers and the list goes on to make the company “very diversified in the industries,” Golding added.

Hynes operates plants on Oakwood Avenue in Austintown, Industrial Road, Four Mile Run Road and a space in McDonald. The company hopes that all of these plants will relocate to the Hendricks Road location by the end of this year, and production at the plant will begin next month when the new line comes in.

“It made the most sense to consolidate all of our Youngstown-area activity under one roof,” Golding said.

The structure of the building, which was built in the early 1960s, will serve the company well and includes 24 cranes. The exterior and some of the interior will be modernized. Hynes will systematically empty each plant for the move.

“There are a number of things that need to be done,” Golding said. “The plan is getting the office space replanned, redesigned and brought up to par.”

The company’s current buildings are going to be put up for sale, with some other companies already interested in the properties.

“If we are going to continue to grow, we were going to have to add some additional space,” Golding said. “The cost savings are quite significant to do this rather than start up another satellite.”

The new $2.5 million line the company has coming in will help the company compete.

“We are bringing on new customers targeted on that specific line,” said Michael Giambattista, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Hynes.

The Hendricks Road location gives the company 25 percent more floor space and sits on 33 acres for the company to consider future growth.

“If you don’t have it [space], you can’t compete with this segment of the business,” Golding said. “We felt confident enough in the market and our ability to capture fair share. If we are going to capture that growth, we simply need more room for everything.”