A pig is a pig, but a big box may be more

Try as you might to dress up a pig, any farmer will tell you that ultimately a pig is a pig. Or, in the case of much of the economy in the region, a big box is a big box. However not all big boxes are created the same, and I give Dan Sheaffer, director of the Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development, a lot of kudos for helping to explain that fact a few weeks ago in a story he did with Courier reporter Lou Wilin. Sheaffer's success is measured each month by the number of people working in Findlay and Hancock County. His target number is to be able to provide a job opportunity to every available working-age person who lives in the county. And while ideally people might yearn for jobs with the big employers like Marathon, Whirlpool or Cooper Tire, the truth is that there are many other forms of jobs in the area that offer stable work hours, a good hourly wage and attractive fringe benefits. And the simple truth is that most of those jobs can be found in many of the big boxes that dot the region. While the big boxes might not be pretty, they are very functional, Sheaffer said. Many of these facilities provide important roles in moving commerce from factory to store shelves. While some residents might look down on the big boxes as warehouses, Sheaffer explained that many of them are highly automated, with computers that are using the latest in artificial intelligence. And, like in the partnership with Whirlpool and Ohio Logistics, instead of Whirlpool having to maintain a large inventory on their production floor, instead they have Ohio Logistics do that and "as needed" parts and inventory are moved from Ohio Logistics to Whirlpool the same day. Sheaffer explained this is a huge advantage for Whirlpool, whose officials can then focus more on production without having to worry about space for inventory, or keeping track of what is on the floor and what isn't at any one time. Every economic developer I have known over the years is constantly at work trying to attract business. And it isn't that Sheaffer isn't doing the same, but the difference for him is that with I-75 running through the county many perspective developers are already seeking space along the interstate corridor. With water, electricity, sewage and roads already in place, it makes his job a lot easier. I have no concern with the big box industries across our region. If I have a concern, it lies with what will become of such facilities down the road when they are decades old and a company abandons them. Then again, if the economy then is like the economy now, there probably will be another developer who is looking for a bargain and willing to invest in a few upgrades to convert that facility into a productive employer again. I do believe planning commissions and economic developers need to plan for that possibility, however. Nothing is worse looking than having abandoned buildings in a region with high grass growing all around it and wind-strewn plastic bags collecting along the side of the building. But that is a problem for tomorrow. Today Sheaffer is doing a good job of providing a variety of jobs to a workforce looking for opportunities. And just because a big box looks sterile on the outside, doesn't mean it isn't a thriving and busy beehive of activity inside.