Franklin International Inc., one of the nation’s largest privately held manufacturers of adhesives and sealants, announced plans to expand its presence in the City of Columbus. The company will invest $4.4 million to construct a new 12,500-square-foot R&D facility at its corporate headquarters, add climate chambers and purchase new research equipment.
Franklin International will hire eight new employees, including highly skilled chemists and process engineers. At the new R&D operation, Franklin International plans to formulate new polymers, produce next-generation adhesives and innovate manufacturing technologies to increase production efficiencies for the company.
“This new facility will increase our ability to bring new products to the market and a location in Columbus allows us to be globally competitive,” said Evan Williams, president and COO of Franklin International. “We are proud of our longstanding history in Columbus and are pleased to be able to offer new job opportunities.”
Franklin International has been based in Columbus since 1935, specializing in emulsion polymerization and producing adhesives for industrial manufacturers of wood products, labels and fiberglass. The company offers the latest environmentally friendly technology and devotes a high percentage of the company’s resources to improving its R&D capabilities. Franklin International’s global distribution network is spread across 60 countries on six continents.
“Franklin International has been a strong employer in the City of Columbus for three generations now,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “The company’s decision to establish its R&D operations here reinforces our city as a home for innovation and new technologies.”
The Columbus Region is home to a number of corporate headquarters, including 15 Fortune 1000 companies and several Fortune 500 companies. The Columbus Region is also home to more than 1,700 manufacturers that employ 86,000 workers. Additionally, the Region boasts over 100 manufacturing-related educational and training programs to prepare the next generation of manufacturing workers.
About Franklin International Inc.
Originally opening as the Franklin Glue Company, Franklin International has been producing adhesives in Columbus since 1935 when it developed the first ready-to-use liquid hide glue for the furniture manufacturing industry. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the largest privately-held manufacturers of adhesives and sealants in the United States. Franklin’s long-standing commitment to research and development has resulted in a multitude of products and solutions for a wide variety of markets and customers. The flagship Titebond brand includes more than ninety different products, such as the industry’s most renowned offering of woodworking glues, construction adhesives, flooring adhesives, and caulks and sealants used for construction, remodeling, and general repair. Additionally, Franklin’s Adhesives & Polymers group manufactures custom adhesives for wood manufacturing and millwork, and pressure sensitive adhesives for labels and specialized packaging needs. Learn more at franklininternational.com.
About City of Columbus, Ohio
The City of Columbus is the 14th largest city in the United States with a population of approximately 860,090 residents. The Columbus economy is balanced with a combination of education, technology, government, research, insurance and health care entities as major employers within the region. Columbus is gaining nationwide recognition for its historic neighborhoods, booming downtown arts and sporting districts, open attitude and a noticeably affordable quality of life. Learn more about the City of Columbus at columbus.gov/development/Economic-Development/.
About Columbus 2020
As the economic development organization for the Columbus Region, Columbus 2020’s mission is to generate opportunity and build capacity for economic growth across 11 Central Ohio counties. In 2010, hundreds of business and community leaders developed the Columbus 2020 Regional Growth Strategy, and the Columbus Region is now experiencing the strongest decade of growth in its history. The Columbus 2020 team conducts business outreach, promotes the Columbus Region to market-leading companies around the world, conducts customized research to better understand the Columbus Region’s competitiveness, and works to leverage public, private and institutional partnerships. Funding is received from more than 300 private organizations, local governments, academic institutions and JobsOhio. Learn more at ColumbusRegion.com.
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