Ohio Southeast Economic Development, JobsOhio, Athens County Economic Development Council secure new manufacturing production line in Athens County
Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), JobsOhio and the Athens County Economic Development Council have worked with global diagnostics manufacturer, QuidelOrtho, to bring a new manufacturing production line to Athens County. The site currently employs over 150 people and per the agreement with JobsOhio is expected to increase headcount by at least 10 percent in the coming years.
JobsOhio supported the project with a $750,000 JobsOhio Revitalization Grant and Ohio Southeast Economic Development assisted the company with the grant process. QuidelOrtho plans to invest in new machinery, equipment and renovations to establish a state-of-the-art facility in Athens. In 2010, the company acquired Athens-based Diagnostic Hybrids.
“QuidelOrtho’s decision to choose Athens to establish a new healthcare manufacturing product line demonstrates the value proposition that Ohio provides to innovative West Coast companies,” said JP Nauseef, President and CEO of JobsOhio. “The expansion reinforces the strength of Ohio’s burgeoning biohealth industry and confirms QuidelOrtho’s confidence in the region’s talented workforce.”
QuidelOrtho, which has its headquarters in San Diego and has global manufacturing sites, selected Ohio for the launch of its new Savanna product. The Athens location makes a variety of test kits from start to finish. The new Ohio production line will produce a molecular platform that is designed to allow versatility, speed and lab-quality results, empowering healthcare professionals to make informed decisions without delay, optimizing resources and enhancing patient outcomes.
“QuidelOrtho continues to be a success story for Athens County,” said Mollie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Athens County Economic Development Council. “We are excited to support their growth in our community and the jobs and investment that come with that growth.”
The JobsOhio Revitalization Program offers loans and grants to bridge the financial gap between the appealing cost of brownfield sites and the cost of site redevelopment. This program mitigates financial risk and accelerates projects, returning land and buildings to productive use more efficiently.
“This is a major win for our region,” said OhioSE Vice President Katy Farber. “I want to personally thank QuidelOrtho for selecting Southeast Ohio. With the JO assistance, QuidelOrtho will provide additional well-paid jobs. We applaud the company for making this substantial investment in our region.”
The Athens County Economic Development Council (ACEDC) is committed to increasing economic opportunity in Athens County by encouraging entrepreneurship, recruiting new businesses, and helping existing businesses grow and expand. The ACEDC manages the day-to-day operations of Athens County Port Authority’s programming and initiatives. Learn more at www.athenscountyohedc.com.
Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE) is the JobsOhio Network Partner for southern, eastern, and southeastern Ohio, providing economic development work and resources in 25 rural counties; they are the newest and geographically the largest of the six regions across the state. OhioSE partners closely with regional development districts, local economic development offices, state agencies, and other entities to expand, retain and attract businesses in the counties they serve. Learn more at OhioSE.com.
JobsOhio is a private nonprofit economic development corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention, and expansion. The organization also works to seed talent production in its targeted industries and to attract talent to Ohio though Find Your Ohio. JobsOhio works with six regional partners across Ohio: Dayton Development Coalition, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership and Team NEO. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow JobsOhio on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
QuidelOrtho is a world leader in in vitro diagnostics, developing and manufacturing intelligent solutions that transform data into understanding and action for more people in more places every day. Learn more at quidelortho.com.