$223M Silfex plant, 400 jobs in Springfield: 3 things to know

The Silflex company held an open house at the new 350,000 square foot facility on Titus Road. The company held an open house to allow the community to view the space before they invest over $200 million to covert the empty warehouse into a state of the art manufacturing facility. Bill Lackey/Staff

The Silflex company held an open house at the new 350,000 square foot facility on Titus Road. The company held an open house to allow the community to view the space before they invest over $200 million to covert the empty warehouse into a state of the art manufacturing facility. Bill Lackey/Staff
Business
By Keisha Rowe
Feb 22, 2018
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Silfex, an Eaton-based manufacturing company that has pledged to bring 400 jobs to Springfield, will start construction on its new $223 million plant, possibly as early as next week.

Here are three things to know about the manufacturer and its pledge to bring more jobs to the region.

» READ MORE: Construction to start on $223M Springfield plant, hiring 400

1. Construction, hiring to begin soon

On Tuesday, company leaders hosted a project preview and open house at their new property on Titus Road. The site is now a vacant 350,000-square-foot warehouse near the PrimeOhio Industrial Park that previously housed the former Thirty-One Gifts plant.

Company officials said they expect the plant to be up and running by Jan. 1 but hope it’s ready sooner. The company is working with OhioMeansJobs and the Chamber of Greater Springfield to find skilled workers for the new plant. Construction efforts are anticipated to start as early as next week.

» RELATED: Silfex buys Springfield manufacturing plant for $11M, adding 400 jobs

2. Wide variety of jobs available

Jobs available at the plant will include CNC machinists and operators, crystal growing technicians, engineers, and administrative and support staff.

To fill those positions, Silfex plans to host career fairs, recruit local workers with experience in manufacturing and partner with entities like Clark State Community College and Wright State University to attract skilled employees. It also plans to host a job fair in Springfield in April.

3. Springfield chosen for its workforce

The city wasn’t initially near the top of the company’s list of finalists, said Mike McDorman, president and CEO of the Chamber of Greater Springfield. But local leaders provided research that showed the region’s workforce was awash in skilled workers with experience in manufacturing in a variety of other industries.

» MORE COVERAGE: State tax credits to bring 400 jobs, $223M project to Springfield

Springfield has a long history in manufacturing, said Tom Franzen, assistant city manager and director of economic development. But the kind of products Silfex produces are different from the city’s traditional manufacturing base that includes automotive and other industries more prone to boom and bust.

“It’s an additional reason why we’re optimistic about the impact this is going to have on our economy going forward,” Franzen said.

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About the Author

Keisha Rowe