OH: With $10M Investment, Velocys to Build 52,000-Sq.-Ft. Production Facility in Union County

Velocys Inc., a 100% owned U.S. subsidiary of U.K.-based sustainable fuels technology company Velocys PLC, has announced that it has signed a 15-year lease with Warner Industrial Corporate Centers 2 LLC, a subsidiary entity to Ohio-based developer The Pagura Company. Columbus-based Velocys, Inc. will invest $2 million, The Pagura Company will invest $8 million and Dublin Building Systems will build a 52,000-square-foot, Class-A production facility in Jerome Township, Union County. The project, which remains contingent on state and local approvals, will be located off Warner Road and house Velocys’ reactor core assembly operations alongside its research and development division. The company is hiring for roles in engineering, operations, chemistry and technical services.

“President Biden recently noted the importance of developing sustainable aviation fuels as a key national security matter,” said Velocys Vice President of Manufacturing and Technology Licensing, Brian Cody, “Expanding our R&D and production capacity in Central Ohio is essential to our company’s long-term growth in this space, and we couldn’t be more excited to break ground on this new facility.”

Compared to fossil-based jet fuel, synthetic drop-in fuel developed with Velocys’ technology has lower sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions when combusted in conventional engines and turbines. The company, which currently employs 15 in the Columbus Region, has historically assembled several key components at a third-party facility in Alabama. Bringing this highly specialized purpose-built facility for reactor core assembly in-house will allow Velocys to fully utilize its Fischer-Tropsch synthesis proprietary knowledge and the expertise it has developed and demonstrated over its more than 20 years of existence.

“Velocys’ expansion in Jerome Township is a perfect example of the kind of private sector partnerships that we’ve worked hard to attract,” said Union County Administrator, Tim Hansley. “We’re thrilled to welcome a company whose technology service offering has such a tremendous environmental impact into our thriving community of advanced manufacturing companies.”

Manufacturing operations in the Columbus Region are diverse, spanning industries from automotive and electronics to machinery, materials, aerospace and consumer goods. The Region is home to over 1,700 manufacturing establishments with nearly 90,000 employees, resulting in more than $15 billion in annual economic output. Businesses in the Region have access to a steady pipeline of talent, fed by numerous career and technical training centers that partner with businesses to provide the training and skills needed for manufacturing.

“Facilities like Velocys’ are typically located near oil and gas industry clusters, so we’re particularly excited to see the company bringing their sustainable fuels operations to Ohio for the long-haul,” said JobsOhio President and CEO, J.P. Nauseef. “This investment will make the Columbus Region a long-term strategic hub for Velocys as it continues this phenomenal growth.”