Carbon finishing plant coming to former DOW site

The Lawrence Economic Development Corporation, during their regular meeting on Tuesday morning, announced a new project for the former DOW Ethafoam site in Haverhill that could potentially bring up to 200 new jobs to the area.

Green EnviroTech Holding Corporation (GETH) signed a building lease with the LEDC for a new carbon finishing plant to be located there, with construction work on the location to start immediately. GETH is positioning their company for growth with the lease, noting that it includes an option to utilize a total of three buildings, with a combined total of over 170,000 square feet of workspace for additional carbon processing lines.

Dr. Bill Dingus, executive director of the LEDC, noted that GETH are the first tenants in a new industrial park that the LEDC is developing at that location, leasing the location just months after the LEDC finalized their purchase.

The company will create finished carbon black products there, for use in other manufacturing products and processes.

“I’m very pleased that we will start work on constructing our first carbon black finishing line in our centralized carbon finishing plant in Ironton, Ohio,” said GETH CEO Chris Bowers, in a prepared release.

Dingus said one of the draws for GETH was the location of Forward Energy’s new plant in the same area. Forward produces a variety of raw materials, including carbon, from the recycling of rubber tires at their facility. However, GETH will also be importing carbon material to meet their needs, so the location isn’t wholly dependent upon the future success of Forward, though the two companies are positioned to support each other as they grow in the future.

“Forward makes carbon black, and GETH finishes it,” Dingus explained. “They will use product from Forward, and import their own carbon black.”

The company will start with creating 21 new jobs, but hopes to expand to hire up to 200 in total.

The LEDC council moved on Tuesday to ratify their previous electronic vote approving the lease. GETH signed a 10-year lease on the facility, at a rate of $4 per square foot.

Dingus also took time to thank the other organizations they have worked with to make the project a reality, Jobs Ohio, American Electric Power, and the DOW team.

In other action Tuesday morning, the LEDC accepted reports on the Dare to Dream youth entrepreneurial competition, including plans for future events, to accept the treasurer’s report, which shows income for the last month at $705,000 and for the year at $1,628,508, to accept the Chamber of Commerce report, and to accept an update on The Point industrial park.

Massie Schemmel noted during the Chamber report that Proctorville Hardware and Feed will have a grand opening and ribbon cutting from 11 a.m-2 p.m. Saturday, and the Chamber will participate in Legislative Day in Columbus on May 10.

Director of The Point, Jeremy Clay discussed the Harbison-Walker International announcement of the monolithic refractories facility that will be located in The Point and discussed progress on the build out for the new STEM+M Academy, noting that 90 percent of the framing is up and that they have started the electrical rough-in. However, work is progressing faster than permits can be approved and obtained. Clay said this should not impact the expected timeline, and they are “still on task to be done by the end of May.”

The LEDC also approved a request from Dingus and adopted a resolution approving the demolition of older structures at the Grandview Inn that had been damaged in a previous fire and to request county demolition to offset costs.

Dingus also noted that after several discussions with the Whiskey River Saloon, regarding a need for a liquor insurance policy, the business has moved out. The business had occupied a section of the Grandview Inn’s restaurant building.

Dingus, however, is optimistic for future growth at the location.

“Sixteen acres, right on the highway, is phenomenal to have,” he said.