A new packaging facility for Keller Logistics of Defiance is well underway and could be in operation by July.
That’s the word from the company’s chief executive officer, Bryan Keller, about his company’s building construction project on Commerce Drive. The work is visible from U.S. 24, being just south of there and next to Defiance’s Carpenter Road Johns Manville plant.
Ground was broken for the structure last fall by the project’s general contractor, Spyker Contracting of Defiance. That firm is tasked with constructing a 195,000 square-foot building for use as a packaging facility.
Keller plans to relocate 20 jobs to the site from a facility it sold in Napoleon and add 20 more jobs with others possible in the future. Defiance City Council has approved a 30-year tax increment financing agreement with Keller on a $10-11 million investment.
“We plan to have it done by June,” said Keller during an interview this week.
He told The Crescent-News that when the packaging area is completed, space may remain for other business applications.
“There could be some available space for other customers,” he said.
The project isn’t the only one in which Keller is involved.
Just to the north on Elliott Road and near the DEKKED factory, a new industrial speculation building financed by an investment group (Fort Winchester) will be going up.
“We’re submitting the plans to the state this week,” said Keller. “We hope to have the shell done in September. We will be digging footers in the next four to six weeks.”
Building materials are expected to arrive in May, he said.
Speculation buildings provide a shell for a new or relocating industry. No commitment has been made yet for the Elliott Road building, although Keller said “there’s a couple of companies saying they are interested in it. The buzz is started.”
Additionally, Keller plans to construct a speculation building in Napoleon, with a groundbreaking expected this year.