Carey getting new $18.5M plant

CAREY — Electrical-mechanical, networking, and renewables contractor Vaughn Industries, of Carey, will start construction soon on an additional $18.5 million, 120,000 square-foot manufacturing plant. It will be adding 126 workers at an average pay of $70,000 per year, for which it has been given an eight-year payroll tax credit from the state. The company currently employs over 800. Ohio was competing with Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan for Vaughn Industries' investment, the State Development Department said. Ground will be broken for the new plant in about two weeks at Carey's Arrowhead Commerce Park, near Vaughn's headquarters, said John Barnes, business development manager for Vaughn. Operations at the new plant could start in the April-June quarter of 2026. The new plant will consolidate Vaughn's virtual design, construction and fabrication processes. It will focus on advanced duct manufacturing and use new technologies with upgraded production lines, the State Development Department said. "This move will enable (Vaughn) to enhance their capabilities and meet the growing demand for high-tech solutions," state officials said. "We have outgrown our current facilities and need to expand our manufacturing facilities to maintain our current business as well as the future growth of our company," Barnes said. "The open layout of the new manufacturing facility is critical to ensure efficiency and logistics in all of our fabrication processes." The new plant will accommodate additional machinery such as a coil line, spiral duct machine, water jet table and uni-strut extruder, Barnes said. That will enable products to be manufactured on site rather than being bought from outside Ohio, Barnes said. Wyandot County's economic development chief hailed Vaughn. "Vaughn Industries is a driving force in our community, consistently creating high-quality jobs, offering in-house training and apprenticeship programs, expanding its facilities, and championing local economic development efforts," said Greg Moon, executive director of the Wyandot County Office of Economic Development. Barnes cited the support of Wyandot County Office of Economic Development, the Regional Growth Partnership and JobsOhio in efficiently moving the project forward. "Vaughn Industries is an Ohio-grown company that serves as a prime example of the consistent excellence, ingenuity and adaptability of the state's manufacturing sector," said JobsOhio Chief Executive Officer J.P. Nauseef. "This new manufacturing facility strengthens Vaughn's presence in Wyandot County, bringing cutting-edge technology that will bolster its production and meet growing demand for its virtual design and construction solutions."