Modula, an international group with an Italian HQ, that manufactures
automated storage and retrieval systems, announced today at the
SelectUSA Conference in Washington, D.C., that it will invest $26.5
million in a new manufacturing and logistics hub at a vacant facility in
Franklin, Ohio, where it will create 100 new jobs.
Modula Inc. Chief Executive Officer Antonio Pagano, who was joined by
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and
JobsOhio President and Chief Investment Officer J.P. Nauseef, said that
Southwest Ohio would be the company’s second U.S. location. The new
facility will expand Modula’s manufacturing capacity and increase its
access to customers across the country.
“Modula is facing impressive growth worldwide at a pace of almost 25
percent year-over-year in the last five years, and particularly in the
North American market we faced a further acceleration in the last two
years,” said Pagano. “After an accurate analysis, we chose Ohio and
particularly the Cincinnati area because of the excellent position, the
great industrial presence and the high professionalism of JobsOhio and
REDI Cincinnati, who helped us in the whole process. We are sure that
Modula will have a positive impact in the local community of Franklin,
and we are excited to start our new adventure there.”
“Our target is to progressively establish a production capacity of 2,000
Vertical Lift Modules (VLM) per year in this building,” said Modula
Chairman Franco Stefani. “The highly automated production process is in
line with the high technological level of our VLM products, and the
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) software that goes with them. We are
willing to invest in the rich, dynamic, and skilled human capital of
this region who are able to work in an Industry 4.0 advanced
environment.”
After experiencing rapid growth, Modula initially planned to expand in
the United States by establishing separate facilities for its
manufacturing operation and its logistics hub. Modula found that the
former Dayton Daily News printing plant in Franklin met all of its
manufacturing and logistics needs, which led to the company locating
both operations there.
“Modula’s investment brings 100 new jobs and a globally successful
company to Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “The decision to choose Ohio for
this cutting-edge manufacturing and logistics operation demonstrates how
our state’s people, diverse industry strength, and location can support
innovative companies’ efforts to expand in the North American market.”
Modula attributed its decision to locate at the 5000 Commerce Center
Drive building because it affords future expansion opportunities and an
advantageous location closer to customers. In addition, the region’s
strong infrastructure supports faster and more efficient delivery of
products.
“We and our partners at REDI Cincinnati and Warren County are delighted
to welcome Modula, Inc. to Ohio,” said Nauseef. “Modula’s Franklin
investment will revive a vacant facility and employ at least 100 Ohioans
who will support Modula’s ongoing innovation and worldwide growth in the
automotive storage and retrieval systems space.”
The project represents ongoing efforts by REDI Cincinnati, in
partnership with the European American Chamber of Commerce, to attract
foreign investment to the Greater Cincinnati region. Modula’s new
facility in Southwest Ohio will be its second location in the United
States.
“Modula’s investment in Franklin is a unique opportunity that combines
foreign direct investment and one of our target industries, advanced
manufacturing, into an iconic building,” said Kimm Lauterbach, REDI
Cincinnati president and CEO. “It takes the work of all of our partners
to accomplish this, and I’m thankful for their commitment to the region.”
Cox Media Group Ohio was the previous owner of the building, which
housed printing operations for its three daily papers – the Dayton Daily
News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal News – and several of its weekly
publications.
About Modula
Born in 1987, Modula is an Italian company that designs and manufactures
automatic vertical warehouses (aka VLM- Vertical Lift Modules) suitable
for any industrial sector or environment. Modula is also the name of our
products which are used to store various types of products. The VLM are
designed to reduce occupied floor space by 90%, increase productivity,
speed up picking throughput and improve warehouse efficiency by reducing
risks to both people and goods. Today Modula counts on more than 15.000
customers around the world and a production capacity of 3.500 machines
per year in the 3 production plants: Italy (Salvaterra, Reggio Emilia),
US (Lewiston, Maine) and China (Suzhou). Besides these plants Modula has
a network of 7 Subsidiaries (France, UK, Spain, Russia, Germany, India,
Mexico) and more than 50 authorized dealers all over the world. This
ensures we have a presence where our clients are, allowing us to service
all our main markets and respond quickly and locally to all our client’s
needs. Sales in 2018 exceeded the $ 150 million, 5% of them continuously
invested in R&D, and more than 600 people employed around the world.
About JobsOhio
JobsOhio is a private nonprofit corporation designed to drive job
creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction,
retention and expansion efforts. JobsOhio works with six regional
partners across Ohio: Appalachian
Partnership for Economic Growth, Columbus
2020, Dayton
Development Coalition, REDI
Cincinnati, Regional
Growth Partnership and Team
NEO. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com.
Follow us on LinkedIn,
Twitter
and Facebook.
About REDI Cincinnati
The Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Cincinnati is the
first point-of-contact for companies locating or growing in the
16-county region at the heart of Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and
Southeast Indiana. REDI Cincinnati is supported by top business leaders
and community partners, and staffed by a team of economic development
experts who are uniting the Greater Cincinnati region to compete
globally.
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