In 2010, Exterran Energy Solution Inc. announced it would build a new manufacturing plant in Youngstown.  Now, after years of planning and construction, the 60,000-square-foot plant is set to go online in April.  Michael Grimland, director of manufacturing at Exterran gave more information about the plant at the Ohio Shale Development: Economic Opportunities Forum Energy In Depth covered in Youngstown.

Grimland explained the company could see $15 million in revenue this year from the plant and once the plant is running at full capacity, revenue could be as high as $40 to $60 million.  That, to some extent, depends on the type of equipment the market demands.  Exterran built the plant to provide needed equipment for the growing oil and gas industry in the Utica and Marcellus, including compressor stations.  Grimland explained in the Youngstown Business Journal the purpose of the plant:

We designed and built this facility to be able to handle all of our different products—Michael Grimland (Exterran Plant to Ramp Up Production in April, 3/12/13)

Of course, the plant will require workers.  The company has already hired 61 people and plan to reach 80 as the plant comes online.  Exterran selected Youngstown to construct the plant because of the available skilled workforce.  Grimland explained that workers in the area are supportive of the industry and possess skills such as welding and fitting and design work.  That can’t be found in all parts of Ohio.  Many in the industry have expressed the need for more skilled workers throughout the state and organizations like OOGEEP are partnering with universities and training centers to make that happen.

Projects like Exterran’s plant are helping Youngstown and Ohio’s revitalization through permanent hiring, tax revenue, and a need for construction work.  Energy In Depth has extensively covered the uptick in construction throughout Ohio’s shale region.  Stark County has recently seen an increase in commercial construction thanks to shale, Chesapeake is building three new buildings in Louisville, M3 Midstream is building 3 processing plants and 2 cryogenic plants, and MarkWest Energy Partner’s is building a $500 million project in Cadiz.  Those are just a few.

From shale development, Ohio has seen companies flock to the state and build offices and plants.  As production continues and midstream facilities come online, more construction will be needed and more jobs will come to the state.

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