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Located just five miles north of Gallipolis is the 200-acre Dan Evans Industrial Park. While some communities talk about developing public and private partnerships, Gallia County has succeeded. Federal, state, and local governments, along with the private sector combined to fund the multi-million dollar industrial facility. In a strong show of community support, 40 percent of the project's funding was generated through local monies. These factors and a pro-business attitude has Gallia County moving in the right direction.
Workers are plentiful and available
The unemployment rate in the county averages near 8 percent, reinforcing once again that the community is positioned for industrial growth and that there is an available work force.
Labor bureau statistics show that, within a 30-mile radius, the Southeast Ohio region's work force is 210,000 strong.
| Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc.'s Gallia County facility manufactures components for companies including General Motors and Chrysler. |
A new Toyota plant recently located only 18 miles away in Buffalo, W.V. Toyota recognized the magnitude of the work force potential. The company received an overwhelming 30,000 applications for 250 positions.
Consequently, they have already decided to double the plant size and hire an additional 250 workers.
"Toyota is taking advantage of the abundant work force in our area. There are a lot of hard working people who are looking for a decent job. It speaks well of the area and we plan to use it to attract other companies," said Graham.
Many Gallia County employees will drive 50 miles to work, even from as far away as Kentucky.
Nearby metropolitan areas include Columbus, 100 miles; Huntington, W.V., 40 miles; Charleston, W.V., 50 miles.
Gallia County is strategically located on the Ohio River. Six highways, CSX Railroad and Gallia-Meigs Airport, a general airport, serve the county. Commercial air service is provided at Huntington's Tri-State airport as well as Charleston's Yeager Airport.
Educational opportunities
| Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc., which has a Gallia County
facility, is an original equipment supplier to every major
automaker in the world. |
Gallia County's educational facilities form the cornerstone of its success. A strong vocational school combines with the University of Rio Grande and its community college to afford students a wide variety of educational opportunities.
Approximately 2,000 students attend the university, including some from as far away as Tokyo, Japan.
Other institutions accessible to the region are: The Ohio State University in Columbus;
| For more
information contact:
R.V. Buddy Graham
Gallia County
Chamber of Commerce
16 State St.
P.O. Box 465
Gallipolis, OH 45631
740-446-0596
fax 740-446-4273
galliachamber@eurekanet.com | Ohio University in Athens; and Marshall University in Huntington, W.V.
The charm of the community, through the subtle influence of French culture, is obvious when you wander through the historic business and residential district. Attention to the arts provides an enrichment that is seldom found within small communities.
"The secret to our success is establishing the right mix of people. We're not looking for a lot of big industrial companies, but rather a few solid businesses that will blend with our way of life," Graham concluded.
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