A West Virginia-based environmental cleanup business looks to begin operating out of the former Wolohan Lumber building at 2940 S. Third St. in Ironton by July 1.

Bulk Liquid Transport owner Dan Kessler said many things made Ironton an attractive location for his business and cited the community and the facility as two reasons.

“I love that it’s big, gated and fenced in,” he said. “It may not look like it but we have moved a lot of equipment over here already.”

A majority of the equipment is trucks and tankers used to haul the environmental cleanup liquid, calcium chloride, to all parts of the country.

“When all is said and done I will have nearly $5 million in assets coming to this site,” Kessler said. “I have one customer alone who is committed for a million gallons.”

A minimum of 17 jobs and a maximum of 40 jobs will be created by Bulk Liquid Transport. Kessler’s wife, Elizabeth, said she would be working closely with Ohio Means Jobs in the future to compile a list of qualified employees.

“It’s important to get this property back to life,” Dr. Bill Dingus, executive director of the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation, said. “Mr. Kessler is going to completely redo this building and he intends to hire local people.”

Kessler said he has several current employees who are looking to buy houses in Ironton.

“I’m glad to see a new business coming here and to hear the owner say he chose Ironton because the city is so business friendly is encouraging and reassuring,” Rich Blankenship, Ironton mayor, said. “We will go to great lengths to help any way we can.”

The building was most recently home to steel fabrication business Advance Technologies and has sat empty for the past few years.