P&G plastics processing equipment supplier subsidiary Imflux planning to open new facility in Hamilton, Ohio, instead of West Chester, Ohio, due to city incentives; company expects to begin operations in summer 2014, will create 231 jobs in three years

Elyse Blye

HAMILTON, Ohio , November 8, 2013 (Hamilton Journal News) – While it was good news for one community to attract a large employer, it wasn’t so good for the community that did not.

On Friday, it was announced that iMFLUXInc., a subsidiary of Cincinnati-based consumer giant Procter & Gamble, had entered a long-term lease agreement for space in the 330,699-square-foot former Hamilton Fixture building at 3550 Symmes Road.

iMFLUX Inc. was created this year to develop new plastics processing technology for injection molding, said Anna Hogan, company spokeswoman. The company’s headquarters is currently located at P&G’s Beckett Ridge Technical Center in West Chester Twp.

A recent JobsOhio announcement said the company will create 231 jobs within three years and would have annual payroll of $17.5 million. Recently, the Ohio Tax Credit approved a 60 percent, eight-year tax credit to iMFLUX for the creation of $17.5 million in annual payroll as a result of the company’s plant location project in Butler County. According to the state, iMFLUX must maintain operations for 11 years at the Hamilton site.

Hogan said late Friday that iMFLUX expects to begin operations in the summer of 2014.

“At this time, we can not share additional information due to the competitive nature of the industry and the fact that we are in the middle of the patent application process,” Hogan said Friday. She declined to comment any further on the project when contacted on Monday.

That same announcement also noted the company was going to locate in West Chester Twp.

“Clearly we’re disappointed by the decision,” said Barbara Wilson, township spokeswoman. “Procter & Gamble still remains a valued stakeholder in the community.”

Wilson said the township worked closely with Butler County and iMFLUX officials as its application went through the process to acquire tax incentives from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority. She also said the company had always spoken well about the township, its businesses and its amenities.

“The news is fairly new to us,” Wilson said. “We’re trying to understand how the decision was made (to go to Hamilton).”

Hamilton officials said the terms of an economic development agreement have yet to be finalized.

However, the city apparently sweetened the deal by offering additional financial incentives.

Stacey Dietrich Dudas, of the city’s economic development department, said Hamilton offered the company a local jobs creation tax credit of 60 percent over eight years as well as a one-time $100,000 forgivable loan on top of the state job creation tax credits. She said the city’s incentives are also conditioned that the company will create 231 jobs within three years.

The final agreement will need to be approved by Hamilton City Council at a future meeting, she said.

Stephanie Gostomski, spokeswoman for the Ohio Development Services Agency, said even after the state grants a job creation tax credit, a company can opt to move its facility as long as they stay in the state of Ohio.

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