As part of its global restructuring of manufacturing operations, Lear Corporation is expanding the Huron facility to include relocated production lines. The major strategy move is designed to significantly reduce costs and better optimize the company’s resources. This equates to $12 million investment in equipment and eventually an additional 200 new jobs to Erie County. Lear is currently the third largest industrial employer in Erie County.

Several factors were considered in the final decision to expand in Huron, with tax incentives playing a large role. The company will receive an eight year, 60 percent tax credit to hire 72 workers through the State of Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit program. Additionally, Lear has been awarded $125,000 in Ohio Industrial Training Program (OITP) money to train the new employees. Of the almost $12 million in equipment, $8.3 is injection mold press equipment received in the summer of 2002 from two assembly lines at Lear’s Bowling Green plant. This created 100 new jobs putting the Huron plant employment over 900. In 2003 the Huron facility will receive about $3.4 million of equipment from three assembly lines from Lear’s Bourbon, Indiana factory. That will push the Huron plant employment to over 1,000 workers. The Indiana equipment also qualifies for an Ohio Enterprise Zone tax incentive. Lear is working closely with GEM, Huron City Schools, and the City of Huron to facilitate finalization of all incentive programs. Lear Corporation was founded in 1917 as American Metal Products, a supplier of seat systems to the automotive industry. The corporation currently employ 110,000 workers at 310 locations worldwide. Lear acquired the Huron facility in 1995.

While final plans are still forthcoming, Visteon has confirmed that it will invest approximately $52 million in new machinery and equipment to modernize the company’s lighting and carbon canister business. It was announced from Ohio Governor Taft’s office in December 2002, that Visteon will be awarded a $750,000 grant to offset the cost of the new equipment. Visteon has been working with GEM for several months to facilitate the application and approval of various State of Ohio tax and economic development incentive programs. 2003 will see the finalization of all plans.

The project ultimately keeps Erie County’s largest and one of its best paying employers here. The current 1,700 jobs are being retained and the added machinery insures that Visteon will remain on the cutting edge of its automotive supplying sector. Visteon is an original equipment supplier of a variety of automotive components including chassis, climate systems, electronic, interior systems, exterior systems, glass and power train systems. The Margaretta Township facility produces plastic components.