Smaller businesses help Moraine expand job base

Job growth in Moraine boosted the city’s income revenue to more than $15 million dollars last year and could send it to $17 million this year, according to city officials.

The city’s top 50 employers increased jobs by more than 10 percent over 2014 numbers said City Manager David Hicks.

Fuyao Glass America Inc. continues a hiring trend that may reach 2,000 by year’s end and Moraine’s other top employers also have been adding jobs.

Last year, Moraine added about 1,500 jobs – about 1,100 by Fuyao – while losing about 80 to 100 “at most,” according to Moraine Economic Development Director Michael Davis.

Fidelity Health Care’s move across Dixie Drive from Kettering added more than 250 jobs last year. Meanwhile, DMAX increased its payroll by more than 50 jobs, C-Safe grew by about 40 workers, Tyler Technologies added about 30 jobs and smaller growth occurred at DeBra-Kuempel, Ernst Technologies, MiracleCorp, among others, city officials said.

“It’s been great for us,” Hicks said. “When company A adds 50 and company B adds two, at the end of the day it begins to really add up when you’re looking at 50 or 70 or 100 companies in town. And everyone seems to be growing.”

That includes Southpaw Enterprises Inc., a Dayton manufacturer of sensory integration dysfunction and neurodevelopmental equipment. It plans to move its 42 full-time jobs from its North Irwin Street site to 2375 Dryden Road, a 160,000 square foot building, said Southpaw President Alex Moore.

“We’re out of space at our current facility,” said Moore, whose firm has added more than a handful of jobs with plans to increase its employees by about five in the near future.

The Dryden site now has a tenant taking a third of the building, Southpaw will need about a third of the space and a third tenant is being sought, Moore said.

“We’re in an older building that was actually added on to many years ago before we were even here. And it’s just not really conducive to an efficient operation for us. We just need more space and more people, room to expand.”

The city agreed to provide a $25,000 loan as long as Southpaw maintains a payroll of $1.7 million annually over the five-year deal. The land, which Moore estimated at 8 acres, was purchased for $3.5 million last month, records show.

This year R&J Trucking’s move from Dayton to its new site on Dryden Road will bring 50 to 70 jobs and DMAX has announced plans for an $82 million investment that will lead to the hiring of 150 new workers, Davis said, although the company did not indicate a time frame.

Employment increases like these are among the reasons why Hicks said he expects income tax revenue will top $17 million this year.

“It’s great for us and it’s great for the region because all of these folks who have job don’t live in Moraine,” he said. “But we’re a host employer. We take that responsibility and build the roads and provide the infrastructure for these companies so people have a place to go to work.”

DDN
Nick Blizzard