Lewco, Inc. looking to expand

ERIE TWP. — Lewco, Inc. plans to add 163 new jobs to the area by expanding into a second facility. The manufacturer, which makes conveyor equipment and industrial ovens, announced the search for a second facility following a rapid boost in business. "Our conveyor business has experienced an explosion in growth because of its use in e-commerce," Lewco president Ron Guerra said. With the new facility, Lewco will add an additional $8.4 million in annual payroll and increase its total number of employees to 331. Guerra said the new jobs will include professional positions, including engineers, project managers and customer service, as well as skilled and unskilled jobs. Lewco received offers to place a second facility in other states, including Georgia, but the company, founded in Sandusky in 1917, wants to keep the jobs in the area. "We have history here. Our family is here, and we have a lot of long-time employees who reside in the area," Guerra said. "So we had a strong desire to remain in Northern Ohio." State Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, who represents Erie and Ottawa counties, advocated for JobsOhio, the state's economic development arm, to get involved. Liquor sales fund JobsOhio, and Erie and Ottawa counties are in the top five for liquor sales in the state. "We raise a lot of money for JobsOhio, and one of my goals has been to advocate for more of that money to go back into our community," Swearingen said. The state's willingness to work with Lewco and offer incentives to stay in the region solidified the company's decision. Lewco narrowed its search to two possible expansion sites. One is a portion of the former KBI building on Hayes Avenue in Perkins Township, which it already uses on a temporary basis. The other is a historic building in the Lake Erie Business Park near Camp Perry in Port Clinton. Guerra said Lewco is still in discussions with property owners but they had to file for the state's incentives with the new year approaching. They filed for the Port Clinton location. The Army built the 756,000-square-foot building in 1942 to house tanks and large equipment. The building has been home to several manufacturing businesses since the government sold it. Lewco would have to invest millions to revitalize the location. The expected move-in date is in mid-2021. JobsOhio will offset the cost by providing grants for the renovation and new equipment once a final agreement is reached, JobsOhio spokesman Matt Englehart said The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved Lewco for a 1.197% job tax credit for the project based on its projected new payroll.