The 30 middle school students who will tour NSG Group and Principle Business Enterprises, Inc. next week
may be those companies’ future employees.
A manufacturing camp, put on by Wood County Economic Development, is full, according to the commission’s
director.
Wade Gottschalk gave his quarterly economic development report Thursday to the Wood County Commissioners.
“We’re trying to raise awareness for modern manufacturing jobs that are out there,” he said.
With 2,500 jobs coming to the county, every outreach program possible is needed, Gottschalk said.
First Solar in Lake Township is gearing up for the new facility opening this fall, and has 1,300
employees currently.
“Their employment numbers are way up from where they were last year,” Gottschalk said.
Wood County’s unemployment rate is 3.4 percent, Gottschalk said.
“That’s probably below full employment. That’s a pretty good number to be at,” he said. “The jobs we
attract are going to pay more, so that’s a good thing.”
Gottschalk recapped some of the county’s bigger campaigns, including Project Freddie, an Amazon
fulfillment center in the Crossroads area of Rossford.
A 15-year tax abatement, which is standard in the county, has been approved, Gottschalk said. There is a
$50 million minimum value of the building.
Rossford schools is “quite pleased” with the $550,000 per year that it is getting from the deal, he said.
“That’s a pretty big number for Rossford schools to get,” Gottschalk said. “It was pretty standard
abatement, not a special deal.”
Penta Career Center is expected to receive $28,000 annually.
Commissioner Ted Bowlus asked if the three years of manufacturing camps have led to any employment
opportunities for the students.
Gottschalk said that had not panned out, because it’s geared toward middle school students.
“We really have no way of tracking any of that information,” he said, adding that he hoped that parents
were being reached about the opportunities and also changing their mindset about manufacturing work.
“Modern manufacturing has changed a lot … not just in working environment, but in terms of pay and
benefits,” Gotttschalk said. “There’s a lot of room for advancement.”
The economic development office is also working on a couple other smaller projects that are in the early
stages, he said.
“We’ve been busy, but it’s been several of those large projects that are wrapping up,” Gottschalk said.
