A Streetsboro manufacturer has received a tax abatement to expand its operations in the city.
Aurora Plastics, located in the Interstate Commerce Industrial Park at 9280 Jefferson Street, will be expanding its facility, creating between 18 and 28 new jobs. Currently, 68 people work at the plant.
Aurora Plastics makes polyvinyl chloride compounds, polymers, and custom plastics for various of industries The Streetsboro facility is the company headquarters and primarily manufactures rigid and flexible PVC piping, said Patrick O'Malia, the city's economic development director. The 25,000-square-foot expansion will enable the facility to grow its rigid PVC compounding capabilities and possibly add a powder coating and pellet line.
Mayor Glenn Broska said Streetsboro faced serious competition for investment from a community within the "chemical corridor' of Texas. Most of the companies that sell the resins that Aurora Plastics needs to make its products are in Texas, but Streetsboro, and Northeast Ohio generally, are very strong in chemicals and plastics.
“A lot people automatically associate us with metals because of the rust belt moniker but we have one of America’s highest concentrations of plastics and rubber products manufacturing. That falls in line with the polymer needs of Aurora Plastics,” O’Malia said “Obviously, our tax climate is very different than Texas but with the city incentives, and the help we got with the Portage County Port Authority and JobsOhio, we were able to make a very strong case for the project.”
Broska said Aurora Plastics will receive a 49.5% real property tax reduction for a 10 years on the 25,000-square-foot expansion.
“A lot of people think we only give tax abatement for new projects but that’s not true, we love it when we have a chance to help companies that have been here for years,” Broska said. “Aurora Plastics has been a good neighbor and have donated to the schools, our bicentennial and the shop with a cop program."
Broksa said the company was responsive to noise complaints from nearby neighbors and worked to sound proof some operations.
"We couldn’t be happier that they are here and decided to invest in Streetsboro and not Texas," Broska said.