Polymer and concrete drainage management systems major ACO Polymer Products Inc. has moved to a new manufacturing operation within Ohio. The extra space will allow it to introduce polymeric products manufacturing there in the future but it is not making them there now, a spokeswoman said.
The Germany-based company recently started operations in Mentor, Ohio, after moving from nearby Chardon the week of March 22. ACO spent about $3.2 million to buy a 67,000-square-foot existing facility, which is bigger than its former Chardon operation, according to Mentor Community Development Director Ronald Traub. ACO is spending another $3.5 million to renovate the Mentor plant and buy equipment.
ACO was awarded a $200,000 grant over 10 years from the city of Mentor, Traub confirmed in a phone interview. The grant is based on payroll targets of at least $1.75 million annually. Current payroll is about $2.4 million per year for the staff of about 50. The grant is in the form of rebates on payroll taxes.
ACO is a global company that makes a range of water drainage products for infrastructure, sports facilities, environment and other applications. It molds high density polyethylene braces and produces polymer-concrete components using unsaturated polyester resin reinforced with aggregate and fillers, as well as concrete products.
ACO's U.S. headquarters is in Casa Grande, Ariz., where it manufactures the HDPE braces, polymer concrete and concrete products. It runs a sales and distribution facility in Fort Mill, S.C. Branch plants are located in Canada and Mexico and 41 other countries. The Ahlmann family established the business in 1946 and continues to own it.