The Kraft Heinz Company is the third-largest food and beverage company in North America and the fifth-largest food and beverage company in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands. They have a manufacturing plant located in Fremont.

The SCEDC held its 9th annual THINK Manufacturing Career Showcase on October 11th at Terra State Community College. Nearly 800 9th-grade students from Bellevue, Clyde, Fremont Ross, Gibsonburg, Lakota, and St. Joe attended the event! Thank you to the nearly 50 volunteers who assisted throughout the day and special thank you to our manufacturers that participated:

Amcor, Autokiniton, BMG, Crown Battery, Green Bay Packaging, Kraft Heinz, Motion Controls Robotics, Standard Technologies, Style Crest, Uniloy, and Whirlpool.

Lagersmith Can Supply Co., a canning company headquartered in Minnesota, has expanded its business, and is constructing a 25,000 square foot warehouse and production facility in Bark Creek Industrial Park, Fremont, Ohio. Lagersmith will create over 20 new jobs in a three-year period. Lagersmith’s next-generation technology will digitally print on aluminum cans and will be monumental in transforming the beverage industry. Their typical customers have products such as beer, sodas, teas, kombuchas, and ready-to-drink cocktails.

The SCEDC, City of Fremont, Regional Growth Partnership, OhioMeansJobs, JobsOhio, and the Toledo-Lucas Port Authority were the project team that worked alongside owner Nate Smith and his team. Investor Janotta & Herner was the contractor selected for the project.

A wonderful Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on October 12. Welcome to Fremont, Sandusky County, Lagersmith!

The SCEDC, in partnership with North Point Educational Center, hosted 3 student bootcamps to kick off the 23-24 school year! This fall, we focused on three sectors and partnered with the following businesses:

Advanced Manufacturing - Green Bay Packaging, Inc. & Motion Controls Robotics, Inc.

Finance - Croghan Colonial Bank & UIS Insurance & Investments

Healthcare - Community Health Services & ProMedica Memorial Hospital

Thank you to all of the schools and our partners to help make these events a success!

The Winner of the SCEDC Pitch Competition, Affinity Event Rentals, celebrated a ribbon cutting for their new storefront on October 26th. The Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County held the ribbon cutting, while Affinity showed off their new space. As the winner of The Pitch Competition in August, Affinity was awarded rent for one year, a Chamber membership, a SCEDC investor spot, and so much more.

They are now located at 905 W. State Street. Affinity Event Rentals, LLC is an event rental business providing multiple services such as arch rental, decor rental, officiating services, bartending services, and a mobile bar service. Their mission statement is to provide a service-based business whose primary goal is to exceed customer’s expectations. 

To use Affinity Event Rentals for your next event, visit their website below!

The SCEDC Talent Attraction Program was officially launched at the end of September. The goal of the campaign is to attract more people to live and work in Sandusky County. Based on feedback from our investors, the SCEDC budgeted money towards this effort for 2023.

The social media and digital advertising campaign has ads (shown above) placed in various locations throughout Ohio. When people click on the ad it takes them to www.discoversanduskycounty.com, a microsite that has jobs, housing information, school information, and an exploration tab for local activities/establishments. We are getting very good results so far from only 4 weeks of marketing.

If you would like to see these potential residents apply for your open positions, you MUST have your job(s) listed on OhioMeansJobs. Our microsite directs them to the OMJ job board. Please contact Arcadia Thurn at arcadia.thurn@jfs.ohio.gov if you would like assistance.

BMG Holds Open House to Celebrate New Branding

Introduction to Selling to the Federal Government

Friday, November 3, 2023

10:00 a.m.

New Lender Orientation

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

11:00 a.m.

SBA Basics

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

11:00 a.m.

How to Succeed in International Business Without Really Trying

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

10:00 a.m.

Small Biz Blitz

The SCEDC is committed to expanding our small business engagement to ensure small businesses have the tools needed for success to grow our entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Small Biz Blitz is an abbreviated version of our Business Retention and Expansion visits.

The "Small Biz Blitz" stops take approximately 15 minutes, and include some Q&A followed by a picture with the group. This information is then shared on the SCEDC's social media pages so our following can learn more about you and your small business.

There is not a cost to participate.

We would love to visit your business in 2023!

SBDC - Small Business Basics Seminar

The Small Business Development Center's Small Business Basics seminar is free for anyone who wants to start, buy, or expand a small business.

Helping Our Community's Small Businesses & Startups Learn and Grow

The Business Resource Center is a one-stop call center to guide area businesses and new business start-ups to a range of resources and continuous learning programs available to help members of our community to advance business knowledge and skills.