The Streetsboro Economic Development Department prides itself on finding creative avenues to complete deals that generate jobs and investment for the city.  Since 2020, there have been multiple projects both domestically and internationally that have added to the manufacturing base.  In 2021, the Economic Development Department was recognized with a national award from the Mid-America Economic Development Council for its creative approach to deal making.  In 2024, the Streetsboro – Shalersville Economic Development District won a CiCi Award in the Community Impact category from Trade and Industry Magazine.  No matter what your challenge is, if there is a way for your business to work in Streetsboro, we will find a way to help.

Some recent successful international projects include:

• German based Viega, a manufacturer of press fittings for the plumbing industry purchased 80 acres within the Streetsboro-Shalersville Joint Economic Development District to create a new manufacturing, distribution and customer care center. A real property tax credit, through the Portage County Enterprise Zone was paired with assistance from JobsOhio and Sales Tax Exemption Certificate from the Portage County Port Authority to attract the investment.  Read more.
• Swedish based automotive fastener manufacturer, Bulten AB, selected Streetsboro, Ohio over a competitive offering in South Carolina to take advantage of the existing Northeast Ohio supply chain for automotive companies. A real property tax credit was offered on the building through the Portage County Enterprise Zone.  Read more.
• Existing Streetsboro corporation, Hiab, was searching for a location to bring it’s Ireland-based forklift business, Moffett, to America. Research on workforce skill and availability, supply chain synergies and ease in redesigning the existing building helped Hiab realize that they could bring a new business line to Streetsboro with little hassle.  Read more.
• German based Gebhardt Intralogistics was searching for a new American facility that could serve as a corporate headquarters and manufacturing hub after outgrowing their space elsewhere in the market. Management was concerned about employee attrition if they moved too far from their existing space and Streetsboro’s direct access to the Ohio Turnpike and I-480 helped show how most employees could still easily make the commute and open Gebhardt up to a larger labor supply.  Read more.

 

Some recent successful domestic projects include:

• PVC compounder and plastic manufacturer, Aurora Plastics, debated on whether to reinvest in Streetsboro or its Houston, TX plant. A sales tax exemption from the Portage County Port Authority was paired with a CRA real property tax abatement to help bring construction costs inline to facilitate a 25,000 SF expansion.  “You don’t normally equate Texas with high taxes, but we found that our tax burden, and the cost of living for employees, was considerably less in Northeast Ohio.  Streetsboro was generous with tax abatement but, more importantly, are consistent advocates for our business,” said Matthew Kuwatch, Senior VP of Aurora Plastics.  Read more.
• Restaurant Depot was in search of a greenfield opportunity to construct a new 153,000 SF cold and dry goods distribution facility to fill the shelves in the surrounding states. Finding a site that was pad ready and held sufficient infrastructure to meet power needs of cold storage was challenging at first.  To help offset costs, the company was granted a CRA real property tax abatement and the Portage County Port Authority offered a sales tax exemption form.  The company agreed to make a donation to the schools and park system as well as protect the nearby neighborhoods of Camelot Village and Tinker’s Creek from noise pollution.  Read more.
• Simplay3 was established in 2016 by CEO Tom Murdough, who was also the founder of nationally known plastic children’s toys manufacturing companies Little Tykes and Step2. Simplay3 is the 2^nd time that Mr. Murdough invested in Streetsboro, choosing the city as the HQ of Step2.  When Simplay3 needed to expand its manufacturing capacity, the City of Streetsboro authorized a CRA tax abatement to help offset the costs of the new construction.  Simplay3 demonstrated that it was a good corporate citizen by installing an earthen mound and fence to minimize noise impacts on a surrounding residential development, Hickory Ridge.  Read more.
• The department also gets creative when it comes to working with developers. To help bring a 434,000 SF industrial speculative building to market, the city and the Geis Companies entered into a deal that created new park land and donations to the city and schools in return for advanced tax abatement with specific metrics.  The city and the Geis Companies also partnered with the neighboring Shalersville Township to create a joint economic development district to bring nearly 475 acres of new industrial space to the marketplace and the construction of a 1,000,000 SF building.