MANSFIELD — Major Metals Co. plans another 48,000 square-foot expansion at its 844 Kochheiser Road facility, adding 16 new jobs and an additional $800,000 in payroll over the next three years.
Richland County commissioners on Tuesday approved a 15-year, 50-percent tax abatement for the project at the Washington Township site, located just outside Bellville and within the Lexington Local School District.
It’s the second 48,000-square foot addition in the last five years for the welded steel tube manufacturer near the intersection of Ohio 97 and I-71, incorporated in Ohio in 1973 by its founded, Jack Mason, to consolidate its activities.
According to the company website, Jack Mason began withdrawing from day-to-day activities in the mid 1980s and his son, Jeff Mason, purchased the business on Jan. 1, 1985.
In June 1992, the company purchased two welded steel tube mills. An 8,000 square foot building on Kochheiser Road was purchased in December 1992 and the first tube mill was in production in August 1993. The building was expanded by 12,000 square feet in September 1996 and an additional 4,000 square feet was added in September 1998.
The second mill started operations in December 2000 and expansions of the company’s operations have continued. After graduating from Xavier University in Cincinnati with a degree in finance, Sam Mason became the third generation to join the company in June of 2014.
In June of 2014, Major Metals purchased the assets of a tubing operation in Kings Mountain, N.C. A 48,000-square foot free standing expansion was completed in June of 2016 and the North Carolina assets were relocated to the Kochheiser Road operation.
“We are a family owned-and-operated company based in Mansfield, Ohio. We have clients nationwide with orders being delivered to Texas, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and everywhere in between,” the company website said.
Barrett Thomas, director of economic development at the Richland Community Development Group, said Sam Mason has taken over most of the day-to-day operations.
“Sam has done a really good job of breathing new life into the operations,” Thomas said, adding the 16 new positions are expected to be filled within the next three years.
Also on Tuesday, commissioners announced they are ready to hang a “help wanted” sign for economic development services.
Richland County Economic Development
Commissioners on Tuesday approved advertising a request for proposals and plan to open those requests on May 11.
In January, commissioners approved up to $100,000 for economic development services in 2021, calling it in an investment in business attraction, retention and expansion and demonstrated the county’s commitment to economic growth.
The funds will likely flow through Richland Community Development Group (RCDG), which became part of the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development in 2017.
During the January meeting, Jodie Perry, chamber president and CEO, said the Richland County Foundation has provided “seed funding” to aid economic development through the organization, but that contract ends at the end of 2021.
Commissioners in January said they will use half of the county’s $200,000 rebate from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
Rachel Troyer, the county’s central services coordinator, said the county seeks a one-year contract for the services with up to five one-year renewals.
Commissioner Tony Vero said it will be the county’s first formal economic development services “body or entity.”
The 36-page request for proposals will be published on the county website on Friday and a legal notice published in the Shelby Daily Globe. The Ohio Revised Code requires such notices be published in a “newspaper of general circulation” within the county.
