Ravenna council plans action to help LG Chem opening of 2 plants
Ravenna City Council is moving forward with an electrical easement to help LG Chem to open its two factories near the city's northern border before the end of the year.
Council is expected to vote Oct. 2 on an ordinance that would approve the easement, which Mayor Frank Seman called "critical" in order for the company to open by its target date in December.
Economic Development Director Dennis West said the substation is expected to be finished this month and be operational in October. Training is expected to begin in November, and the company has temporary power during construction.
"It has been a struggle at times," West acknowledged.
In spring 2022, LG Chem started construction on two buildings behind Ravenna's former GE plant in the Chestnut Commerce Center off North Chestnut Street. The firm is building a 148,400-square-foot "ABS compounding" building, and a 60,350-square-foot "ABS Technical Center." The business plans to hire 72 employees within two years.
The factory will produce ABS, a type of flexible plastic used in various industrial applications, including the automotive industry. Company President Young Lee said the factory will be the only site in the United States where LG will produce the chemical compound.
City Engineer Bob Finney said the easement would run along the west property line, on city owned property. Attempts to get easements from other locations were not successful, and Finney acknowledged that the process has been "frustrating."
"I do feel like we're under the gun, or the gun's pointing at us," Finney said.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Ravenna aims to empower LG Chem opening
