New Projects
Here are profiles of the latest economic development projects in the Ardmore, Oklahoma area.
Beetle Plastics
Beetle Plastics has expanded their Ardmore Airpark manufacturing facility. The expansion added to their existing building and increased their inventory storage capability. They increased their employees from 40 to 60.
Beetle Plastics LLC manufactures fiberglass pipe, tanks and fittings at their Ardmore location. Beetle is owned by Midwest Towers, Inc. which is headquartered in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Midwest Towers purchased Beetle in 2003.
Southwest Silicon Technology
Southwest Silicon Technology announced the expansion of their production facility located on Interstate Court in Ardmore. Southwest Silicon is in the process of adding 26,000 sq. ft. to their 14,000 sq. ft. building. The company reclaims silicon wafers for the silicon industry and has been located in Ardmore since 2000. The expansion will allow Southwest Silicon the ability to increase its production and add a new product line.
OnLine Packaging
OnLine Packaging constructed a 42,000 sq. ft. bleach manufacturing facility at the Ardmore Airpark. In addition to manufacturing household bleach, the company will also manufacture the plastic bottles for the bleach. OnLine Packaging is a family owned business with its headquarters in Plover, Wisconsin. The company also has a plant in Indiana. The new manufacturing facility is located north of the Carbonyx plant at the Airpark. This is a self-contained, highly automated state of the art facility. OnLine employs 17 people.
Amethyst Research, Inc.
Amethyst is a start-up company involved in developing advanced semiconductor process technology that will be used to manufacture next generation infrared (IR) "night vision" imagers. The company employs five people including two Ph. D. level scientists. Amethyst Research, Inc. is the second company to locate in the Ardmore Technology Transfer Center on the campus of Southern Oklahoma Technology Center.
Dollar General Corporation
With the help of the ADA, Dollar General Corporation completed its $23 million expansion to its Distribution Center at the Ardmore Airpark in 2005. This expansion has allowed Dollar General to increase its workforce from 600 to 750 at the Airpark Distribution Center. The Distribution Center now serves 1,225 Dollar General Retail Stores. This is the third expansion of the Ardmore Distribution Center since its opening in 1994.
Dot Foods, Inc.
Dot Foods, Inc. began operations in February 2005 in their Ardmore Distribution Center. Dot Foods purchased the former Best Buy Product Return Center in New Horizons Industrial Park. An additional 60,000 square feet was added to the 121,000 square foot facility. The company began production with 70 employees and currently employs 135. The Ardmore, Oklahoma facility represents a $12 million investment. Dot Foods serves more than 2,200 food distributors and manufacturers in the food service, retail, ingredient, convenience store and vending supply chains.
Dot Foods, a family-owned company headquartered in Mt. Sterling, IL, and employs over 2,000 people nationwide.
Best Buy Distribution Center
Best Buy opened its new 750,000 sq. ft. facility in May, 2004 located in Westport Industrial Park. The building slab is 1,000,000 sq. ft. to allow for future expansion. The new facility replaces their previous 450,000 sq. ft. distribution center. The Ardmore, Oklahoma facility employs 195. The new facility is one of seven large distribution centers within the company.
Carbonyx Carbon Technologies
Carbonyx Carbon Technologies is a high-technology material science company engaged in the development and production of premium carbon and carbon alloy products. This is a start-up company using innovative proprietary technologies and customized production approaches to manufacture and market carbon alloy products. The first project of the company was to develop a Cokonyx™ facility to demonstrate the feasibility of the engineering, production, operations, emissions and the economics of the process. The 20,000 square foot building was completed in 2002. A full scale production facility was completed in 2004 and production began in April 2005. The building is approximately 80,000 sq. ft. and employs over 30 employees.
Michelin North America
Michelin North America increased its investment in the company’s Ardmore, Oklahoma tire manufacturing plant with an additional $144 million to increase the plant’s capacity for producing larger tires. “With the completion of this major investment, we are confident the Ardmore plant will become the most important plant in the Michelin family, said Governor Brad Henry. “Ardmore and Oklahoma competed for this investment with a number of Michelin plants worldwide. Ardmore, Oklahoma is, once again, the winner in the competition for capital investment.” Ardmore Plant Manager Dave Brenner said the decision to improve the plant follows the previously announced decision to invest $56 million at the facility and brings its total pending investment to $200 million. “We knew we were competing for investment dollars against locations all over the world. Because of the work of the entire Ardmore, Oklahoma plant, the work of Wes Stucky and the leadership of our elected officials, we are announcing that instead of $56 million, our investment will be much more.” Wes Stucky, president of the Ardmore Development Authority (ADA) said that Ardmore’s economy continues to grow despite the national slowdown. “This project is an example of what happens when the community supports a company and the company and the ADA have a true partnership. In terms of major investments, 2003 set a record for our community.” The ADA has completed construction of the 75,000 square foot expansion that is leased to Michelin. The plant currently covers an area of 1,500,000 square feet and employs 1,900. The plant manufactures radial passenger and light truck tires for the original equipment as well as replacement markets.