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Ribbon-cutting ceremony held for Laird plant
WARREN
The welcome mat was officially rolled out for a global company relocating to the Mahoning Valley.
“We’re really proud to call Warren our new home,” said David Lockwood, chief executive of Laird, a global company in the wireless electronic- component manufacturing industry.
The London-based company had its ribbon-cutting Thursday for its new plant at 655 N. River Road NW. Officials from JobsOhio, the state’s private, nonprofit organization that promotes job creation and economic development; the city and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber attended the ceremony after a tour of the facility.
“This is the best part of my job,” said Mayor Doug Franklin. “It’s welcoming a new business to the community.”
Laird’s products range from joystick and toggle controls to collision-avoidance systems, and communication products for the mining, rail and industrial markets.
The plant relocated from its facility in Sharpsville, Pa., in Mercer County, which was 32,000 square feet, to the new, 80,000-square-foot site. The Warren plant produces wireless communication and remote-control products. It also includes research and development and after-market customer support.
Rick Morse, senior vice president of wireless automation for Laird, said the plant had outgrown its original location, and additional space was needed.
“We had big ideas, big innovations, just not enough space,” he said. “We’re doing amazing things at this [new] location.”
The plant employs 160 people, with 145 employees who transferred from the older plant.
Morse said half the current workforce is from Pennsylvania with the remainder from Ohio.
Sarah Boyarko, the chamber’s vice president of economic development, said part of the incentives for Laird was to create at least 55 new jobs within three years, however.
“I would be disappointed if that’s what we achieved in three years’ time,” Lockwood said.
Laird received a variety of incentives. Franklin said the city offered 6 acres for expansion if needed and would waive fees associated with it. The city also provided a 75-percent property-tax abatement and also plans to waive $37,000 on net income tax for new employees. Laird also received a 55-percent nine-year job-creation tax credit from the state.
“It’s really a win-win for Warren and Trumbull County,” said Kristi Tanner, Jobs-Ohio managing director. “It was truly a team effort.”
Laird has a global footprint in 18 countries and employs about 9,000 people in operations in North America, Europe and Asia. The company also operates in Cleveland and Akron.