November 24, 2000
Tiffin Loader Crane move is good news for Hopewell-Loudon
By Erik Burriss
Staff Writer
When Tiffin Loader Crane moves into its new facility on SR 18, not only will the company be expanding their space, they will almost double their work force.
The company, which installs hydraulic cranes on tractor trailers, hopes to have construction at the new site -- about 2.5 miles northeast of their current location -- complete by July, 2001, Steve Irving said.
Tiffin Loader Crane plans use the new, 60,000-square-foot facility at the site to expand its crane assembly operations, according to a tax abatement agreement filed by the company with the Ohio Department of Development. In exchange for a 100 percent abatement of taxes on the new construction and inventory for 10 years, the company will agree to add 20 employees to the 33 currently employed.
Additionally, the Austrian crane-manufacturing firm Palfinger A.G. plans to lease space at the new facility in order to relocate their U.S. distribution center from Ontario, Canada to Seneca County, bringing three more jobs to the area, Irving said.
The new employees will have an estimated annual payroll of $510,000, according to the application.
An exact dollar amount of abated taxes is hard to compute, Seneca Regional Planning director Paul Harrison said. However, one of the conditions the county commissioners have put on the abatement is that the company agree to donate 40 percent of the abated amount to the Hopewell-Loudon School District.
While lawyers for the company and school district have not yet put an agreement in final form, Jane Fruth, the school district's treasurer is hopeful one will be ready to be approved at the school board's Dec. 13 meeting.