MARION COUNTY

Respondents to a recent Site Selection survey named labor -- quality, skills and costs -- as the number one site-selection factor.

And labor -- with a Midwest work ethic, low turnover and loyalty -- is where Marion excels. Marion's major industrial employers cite work ethic as one of the county's major strengths. Says Michael Williams of Parker-Hannifin, which has 25 plants in Ohio: "Midwestern values stand out in Marion. You see it in the workplace, the community and the social fabric." The accolades are important because two decades ago the county had a 15 percent-plus unemployment rate and a poor labor relations reputation. "There has been a complete turnaround," says John Watkins, County Commissioner. And Peter Gilewicz of Marion Power Shovel, one of the county's oldest industries, says: "The strength of our location is the tremendous stability of the workforce. We manufacture in all the major mining markets of the world, but the heart of our business -- the design, the marketing, the service, the support to the customer -- is all headquartered in Marion. The average years of employment in both our office and shop is 20 years. It's not easy to replace those skills."

Profile of Marion County Location: Central Ohio, 40 miles north of Columbus Population: 65,000 Transportation: Road: On U.S. 23 Rail: Conrail, CSX, Norfolk Southern Air: Port Columbus, 50 minutes. Marion Municipal Airport has dual runways and can accommodate corporate jets. Major Employers: Whirlpool (dryers); Wyandot (snack foods); GTE (three-state headquarters); Marion Power Shovel (mining equipment).

Because of its long industrial heritage, Marion has a substantial skills base. Says Parker-Hannifin's Williams: "Suppliers tell us they can't find tool makers and CNC operators in many parts of the country. Those skills are here and accessible. The wages are not the lowest in the country, but they're not oppressive either."

To assure the right mix of labor skills, Marion has taken long strides in building training programs. Marion Tech, Ohio State University-Marion and Tri-Rivers Joint Vocational School are important infrastructure for industry.

Larry Mumper, County Commissioner, cites a recent example of how those training programs helped an industry. "The Marion educational systems agreed to help train entry-level personnel for Kable Fulfillment Systems. This guaranteed that the company will remain in the community -- otherwise, it might have had to move elsewhere to find qualified workers."

One example of the lengths that Marion educators will go to is the fact that trainers accommodated an 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. training session at Whirlpool. "Marion has so many training programs that can be developed specifically to a company's needs," says Maria Blair, human resources manager for diaper-maker Drypers. "We shut down a facility in another state and moved the lines to Marion because of the availability of the skilled workforce and training, cost of living and the team atmosphere that's here."

Whirlpool Corp. operates the world's largest dryer manufacturing plant in Marion with 2,400 employees. The plant's output claims 52 percent of the U.S. market and one-fourth of worldwide sales. The plant produces three million dryers and over-under products a year in its one million-sq. ft. facility and sends them along a one-mile long conveyor belt to an adjacent 500,000-sq. ft. distribution center. Whirlpool has been in Marion 41 years. "It was the ethics and morals of the people in this area that Whirlpool was after," says Director of Operations Paul Coburn. "Forty years later the work ethic is still apparent. We believe that's why we're the most successful dryer manufacturer in the world." The Marion plant has averaged a major expansion every three years.

Of course, Marion has many other locational advantages. It is in the midst of a dense population, just 40 minutes north of Columbus and in the capital city's line of growth. It has service by three Class I rail lines. It is on U.S. 23, which is slated to become the new Michigan-to-South Carolina I-73. Access to raw materials, suppliers and consumers is excellent. It has abundant well-serviced industrial sites, including the first-rate Marion Airport Industrial Park.

Lower operating costs was one of the factors that settled the site-selection issue for GTE when it selected Marion three years ago for its regional headquarters. And that decision brought a bonus to Marion -- GTE has established sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure in Marion, including totally digital switching, fiber optic backbone, ISDN and voice, video and digital image capabilities that allow companies to communicate with others anywhere in the world.

Marion retains the small town qualities that are so appealing to multinationals like Parker-Hannifin and Whirlpool -- the lack of crime, the excellent school system, the lower cost of living and the ability to be a significant part of the community.

Says Don Rengert of TODCO, a unit of Overhead Doors that makes doors for truck trailers: "In larger cities you're just one of millions of people that go to work everyday. In Marion, you can have some input and impact on the things that are happening around you. And that gives you added leverage in the community and ultimately helps your business."

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