Xaloy investing in northeast Ohio R&D facility

Xaloy LLC, an Austintown, Ohio-based manufacturer of machinery components and equipment for the plastics industry, plans to establish a new research and development (R&D) center in Austintown to expand production capacity and increase efficiency for polymer processing. The project has received support from JobsOhio, the state’s private economic development corporation.

“Xaloy has been a key enabler of technological and engineering advances in the polymer processing industry for over nine decades,” Xaloy Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Engineering Cheryl Sayer says. “The industry is undergoing rapid change driven by social awareness, environmental responsibility and government legislation. The Xaloy Innovation Center will allow us to lead the way to a more sustainable future. We believe the Innovation Center will set a new standard in the industry while strengthening Ohio’s position as a pioneer for innovative solutions and advanced manufacturing.”

Xaloy says its Innovation Center will have state-of-the-art facilities and equipment for research, product and process development. The center will enable the company to continue to look for methods to increase output, promote the reuse and recycling of polymers and use newly engineered resins and biopolymers. Additionally, the company says it will be a hub for developing advanced manufacturing capabilities that reduce energy use, material consumption and carbon footprint while driving collaboration with industry leaders, experts and polymer research universities to tackle some of the plastics industry’s biggest challenges.

“Xaloy’s decision to grow their operations in Austintown reinforces how Ohio’s manufacturing heritage supports future economic development,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says in a release. “Ohio is the heart of opportunity and innovation, and we’re happy that Xaloy is expanding its presence here.”

The company will receive assistance from a JobsOhio R&D Center Grant for the project. The R&D Center Grant program was created to facilitate new strategic corporate R&D centers in Ohio, with the goal of supporting the development and commercialization of emerging technologies and/or products that align with one or more of JobsOhio’s targeted industries. This is the first R&D Center Grant awarded in the Mahoning Valley, according to JobsOhio.

Xaloy leadership worked with state, regional and local partners, including JobsOhio, Team NEO and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber to secure the project.

“Ohio is a global leader in the polymer industry, and Xaloy’s new R&D center will further advance technologies and ideas for the industry’s evolving needs,” JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef says in a release. “This state-of-the-art facility will be another tremendous asset Xaloy brings to the Mahoning Valley, providing new jobs and opportunities for Ohioans who will innovate the development of products that improve manufacturing efficiencies for companies across sector lines.”

Bill Koehler, CEO of private, nonprofit economic development organization Team NEO, adds, “Innovation is a key economic driver and projects like Xaloy’s new R&D facility are vital to our efforts of building a more vibrant economy. Xaloy’s decision to expand in the northeast Ohio region is a testament to the resources we have—including a talent base in key positions like engineers, machinists and IT specialists and more than 25 higher education institutions—to support smart manufacturing, new product development and advance sustainability efforts.”