Seaman Corp. announces $7.5 million capital plan in Ohio
Crediting support from the State of Ohio and the City of Wooster, Seaman Corp. has announced plans for a $7.5 million capital investment program, which ultimately is expected to protect current employment levels and add more jobs in the near future. With manufacturing facilities in both Wooster, Ohio, and Bristol, Tenn., the company is a global supplier of high-performance fabrics and membranes using advanced weaving and coating technologies for roofing, frame and air-supported architectural structures, geomembranes, truck tarps, dock seals and doors, boats and recreation and other uses.
Seaman Corp. currently employs about 151 people in Wooster, and will add about 12 more as a result of the $7.5 million capital investment. While some new jobs will be in manufacturing, most will be in research and development, new business exploration and sales. The Bristol plant employs approximately 145 people in manufacturing, and the company also has 25 more sales and technical support employees in national and global locations.
“We are very grateful to the Ohio governor’s office and administration, as well as the city of Wooster, for their very defined, aggressive approach to see that our investment in jobs stays in Ohio,” said Richard N. Seaman, chairman and CEO.
The capital program will be funded with a low-interest state loan for about $3 million, supplemented with conventional financing and savings from a 10-year abatement amounting to 50 percent on new real estate taxes from the city of Wooster. “Over half of the investment will be for new, state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment,” said John Crum, co-president of Seaman. “About $3 million more will be used for an expansion of the corporate headquarters and remodeling of existing offices.”
Seaman Corp. has experienced growth globally with its architectural products, Seaman noted. “Some people will be surprised to learn that right now in China, there are more than 20 large air-supported structures that were fabricated using fabric produced in Wooster,” he said.
