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Polymer firm Speed North America to create 50 jobs with relocation
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Saturday, Dec 22, 2007
A Canadian polymer company is moving its headquarters and manufacturing operations from Montreal to Wooster, creating 50 jobs.
Speed North America Inc. creates monofilaments the nylon strings used in garden and edge trimmers, fishing lines, packaging, cables and ropes.
Its parent is Speed France, a privately owned company founded in France in 1978 with 180 employees worldwide.
Speed France specializes in the conversion of polyamide and copolyamide materials into high-quality monofilaments, for which it owns 15 patents. Its brands are Oregon, Husqvarna and Eco.
Speed North America Inc. will focus primarily on the growing garden and edge-trimmer market in North America.
It is relocating its Canadian operation to Ohio to be closer to its U.S.-based customers, according to the Wayne Economic Development Council.
The company will occupy 70,000 square feet of the former Bosch Rexroth building at 1700 Old Mansfield Road, which was recently acquired by D + S Distribution.
The 50 full-time jobs being created immediately will have an average wage of $13.50 an hour, plus $3.25 an hour in benefits, the economic council reported.
The investment will include $4.5 million in highly automated equipment, much of it engineered by Speed France.
The company was assisted in its relocation with an incentive package offered by the state of Ohio and the city of Wooster.
Council President Rod Crider said he's thrilled about Speed North America coming to Wayne County.
''They exactly fit our target that being smaller companies with tremendous potential for growth. We like that they are helping to grow our roster of international firms,'' Crider said, adding that a German, Italian and French company moved to Wayne County this year.
Crider said he's also happy that Speed will be occupying a building that could have become an eyesore had it been left vacant, and that the new jobs will help replace some of those lost when Rexroth closed its gear pump and control valve manufacturing operation.
Rexroth, which once employed more than 500 people, is keeping 50 engineers and researchers in town.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
A Canadian polymer company is moving its headquarters and manufacturing operations from Montreal to Wooster, creating 50 jobs.
Get the full article here.

