Today, as the county moves away from a rural-based economy, it beckons industries ready to grow with ready land and a ready work force.

Area Employers

• Cedar Works, Inc., founded in 1976, manufactures and distributes wooden mailboxes, birdhouses and other household products to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada and several European countries. The company employs 200+ workers at two facilities in Peebles and West Union.
• GE Aircraft Engines, a 40-year-old operation, tests jet engines in the development phase to ensure safety standards for the military and civil agencies. One hundred ninety-two employees work at a 6,500-acre site in Peebles.
• Killen Station, a $588 million electric generating station, is located seven miles east of Manchester.  Opened in 1982, the plant employs 533 and is overseen by the Dayton Power & Light Company.
• BESI Manufacturing, started in a garage in Sharonville, is one of the largest school seat cover suppliers for aftermarket school buses. The 20-year-old company recently opened a sewing facility in Peebles.
• MACA Plastics, located at the Airport Industrial Park, is a custom injection molder who provides assembled and tested electronic components used in automotive, agricultural, industrial, and commercial markets. The company is making final plans to expand to a second facility at the new Manchester Area Industrial Park in the spring of 2000.
• Weastec, a leading manufacturer of electrical components for the automotive industry, manufactures engine components and electro-mechanical switches for Honda, Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Isuzu, Cami and Kohler. Located in the Seaman Industrial Park, Weastec opened in 1997 and now employs 120 workers.
• Ryan Development, a custom profile window extrusion company.  Employs 25 people and is located in Peebles at S.R. 32 and Portsmouth Road.

• History of Columbus Industries, Columbus Industries was founded in 1965 as a manufacturer of aluminum air filters for range hood and kitchen ventilation products. Heightened consumer awareness and concern for air quality fueled the demand for more diverse and sophisticated filtration products. The company has responded by innovating new products and technologies to meet the dynamic requirements of the customers and markets it serves. Initial diversification occurred when the company began providing expanded metal as a reinforcement material for pleated extended surface filters and other air filter products. In 1980, the company introduced a line of paint overspray collectors. Marketed through a network of distributors, the company is widely recognized as the leader in overspray collection technology. Vertical and horizontal integration occurred with the 1996 acquisition of a non-wovens company in South Carolina. This allowed the company to broaden its product offering and to better manage new product development. In recent years, the company has established itself as the technological leader in air filtration products for the home appliance industry worldwide. With its broad capabilities and its commitment to research and development, Columbus Industries is strategically positioned to provide solutions to specialized air filtration concerns for years to come. Up until the purchase of the West Union, Ohio, property Columbus Industries had approximately 260 full time employees located in Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. They also have employees in Mexico, China and Africa. The purchase of the Adams County industrial building allowed Columbus Industries to relocate their Rock Hill, South Carolina non-wovens facility to a more desirable location. The Adams County site allows for future facility expansion, a more stable and desirable workforce, and improved production and distribution efficiencies which will allow Columbus Industries to remain competitive in the markets we serve and continuing growing. Note: Columbus Industries began production in Adams County in mid-February of 2005. To date they have approximately 115 employees.