Intel and Honda officials to address Dayton Development Coalition annual meeting

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Executives from Honda and Intel will speak about their companies’ expansion plans for the Dayton and Columbus regions today at the Dayton Development Coalition’s annual meeting.

Honda anticipates creating 2,500 jobs as it retools its Anna, Marysville and East Liberty plants for production of electric vehicles and at a new battery factory to be built in Fayette County as part of a joint venture with LG Energy Solution.

Last year Intel broke ground for two semiconductor plants in Licking County, a $20 billion project that is expected to employ 7,000 construction workers and an additional 3,000 people once the plants open in 2025.

The keynote speakers scheduled for today’s coalition meeting are Bob Nelson, executive vice president of corporate services for American Honda Motor Company and Jim Brinker, president and general manager of Intel Federal.

The sold-out event starts at 11:30 a.m. at Carillon Historical Park’s Winsupply Center of Leadership in Dayton. The coalition will also announce economic development data for 2022 and present annual awards.

In 2022 companies expanding or coming to the area committed to creating 5,943 new jobs and retaining 6,865, according to data provided in January by the coalition, which is the western regional partner for JobsOhio, the state’s privatized economic development arm.

The new payroll commitment totaled $357.5 million, according to coalition data.

Companies pledged capital investments totaling $5.5 billion, far exceeding annual investments in previous years in the west region, which includes Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke, Fayette, Greene, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties.

Credit: Knack Video + Photo

Credit: Knack Video + Photo

“We have had back-to-back record years for job creation in 2021 and 2022, so we’re moving into 2023 with incredible momentum and success,” Julie Sullivan, executive vice president of regional development at the coalition, said in January.

The bulk of the new investment in the region comes from Honda and SEMCORP Advanced Materials Group , which is building a battery materials manufacturing plant in Sidney that is expected to employ about 1,200.

“We must continue to support our existing companies and nurture their growth, too. We want our smaller and mid-sized companies to grow and we need to remain focused on economic diversification across the region,” said Sullivan. “We never want to be too reliant on any one industry or employer.”

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