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New plant coming to Wheatfield

by jmaloni
Thu, Jun 17th 2010 05:15 pm

A successful grant application by Niagara County's Economic Development Department will lead to the creation of four dozen new "green" jobs and construction of a new plant in Wheatfield.

Metaullics Systems, which rose out of the ashes of the former Carborundum Co., will build a new 93,000-square-foot facility on Cory Road in Wheatfield and create 47 new jobs as it gears up to produce lithium ion batteries for the electric car market, said Niagara County Legislature Majority Leader Rick Updegrove, R-Lockport, to fellow lawmakers Tuesday night. Those efforts will be bolstered by a $400,000 award from the state government secured by county economic planners.

In turn, the company is expected to spend approximately $22 million on new plant construction and equipment.

"With the creation of nearly 50 new jobs over the next two years, Metaullics Systems will play a key role as Niagara County recovers from the national economic recession," said Updegrove, who chairs the Legislature's Economic Development Committee. 

Updegrove noted that Metaullics Systems, by manufacturing environmentally benign green technology, had been a prime target for state funding.

"More than a year ago, the Legislature instructed the Niagara County Center for Economic Development to capitalize on increasing demand for ‘green' jobs, including new federal and state funding sources for green initiatives," Updegrove said.  "This is the first return on that effort."

County economic planners were made aware of the news over the weekend.  The Economic Development Department had sought and received permission from the Legislature to seek the state Office of Community Renewal funds just a month ago.

Under terms of the award, the state will provide Metaullics with $200,000 in OCR grants and an additional $200,000 in low-interest loans.  The funds are in addition to incentive packages created by the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency and the Empire State Development Corp.

"This is a significant win for the Center for Economic Development and our partners at the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency.  But more importantly, it's a win for Niagara County's workers, " Updegrove said.

 

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