On May 3, Elliott Machine Works (EMW) announced its plans for a $3 million expansion at their 17-acre Galion location. The project will create 15 full jobs over the next three years while maintaining nearly 70 employees.

The project has garnered support from the Regional Growth Partnership and JobsOhio with a $50,000 Small Business Grant as well as local support from the City of Galion with a Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption and municipal income tax credit. Both have been approved by Galion City Council.

Brad Ekin, a fourth-generation owner, expressed his excitement about the project, saying, “This expansion will allow our company to meet the growing demand at our current location which we have called home since 2005. I want to thank the City of Galion, the Regional Growth Partnership, JobsOhio, J&F Construction, and the Crawford Partnership for supporting the project. The incentives offered made an impact on our ability to pursue this project.”

The project will include the construction of a new, separate facility at the current location that will house two new paint booths as well as relocating the existing paint booth. In addition to a new building, the project will require more than $500,000 in new machinery and equipment.

Brent Ekin, also a fourth-generation co-owner, said of the project, “Paint production in our current facility has become a bottleneck and uses space better suited to our mounting and shop area. The new nearly 20,000-square-foot expansion will allow Elliott Machine Works to create better efficiency, reducing order backlog.”

The relocation of the paint operation to a new building is a strategic move aimed at optimizing the assembly process and meeting the growing demand for EMW’s products as well as product delivery timelines. By separating paint from the existing 55,000-square-foot facility, the company can free up valuable space in the assembly and shop area.

Steve Bridgford, vice president at J&F Construction & Development, said, “We’re proud to be a part of this project and to serve EMW and the community. I’m also proud of our team for doing whatever it takes to support the city and our customers by meeting challenging timelines. We’re all in this together.”

Established in 1948, EMW has been operating for more than seven decades. The company designs and manufactures truck-mounted equipment for bulk liquids and primarily serves the mining, construction, and military industries. Special projects are the company’s niche, with the ability to engineer and design on-site. The product reach is global with the largest export being Canada.

“I am eager to see this expansion built and bringing investment and jobs to the city of Galion,” said Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary. “Elliott Machine Works has been a part of the community for a long time, and they continue to choose Galion to expand and grow.”

Submitted by the Crawford Partnership.