Reading’s splashy industrial comeback story just hit a hard stop. Givaudan has abandoned its plans for a $215 million liquids production plant that was expected to bring roughly 300 jobs to the city, yanking a marquee project from the much‑promoted redevelopment of the former Dow Chemical site.
The move, reported Monday, May 11, 2026, wipes out what had been touted as one of Greater Cincinnati’s biggest manufacturing investments in recent years and abruptly cools local celebration over the brownfield’s turnaround.
Company Pulls Out
According to The Business Journals, Givaudan Flavors Corp. has called off the Reading project and will not move ahead with the planned $215 million facility that had been projected to create about 300 jobs. Reporter Brian Planalp noted that the company’s cancellation was listed on Monday.
From Groundbreak To Cancellation
The reversal comes only months after Givaudan broke ground on the site in October 2025, describing the project as a 24,000‑square‑meter liquids production facility for its Taste & Wellbeing division. In an October 8 press release, the company put the investment at CHF 187 million, roughly $215 million, and said the plant would create “over 300 jobs” as operations ramped up, according to Givaudan.
Site Was A Civic Win
Before Givaudan’s change of course, the project had been held up as a local victory story. The Port of Greater Cincinnati led a multi‑year cleanup of the former Dow Chemical parcel, transforming it into a pad‑ready 25‑acre site and selling it to Givaudan. The transformed property, now branded as Centennial Industrial Park, was promoted as a model for brownfield remediation and homegrown job creation. The Port’s one‑page project sheet and newsletter detailed the environmental work and listed the development as in process, according to The Port.
What This Means Locally
Local coverage had tracked the deal’s early momentum. In December 2024, WLWT reported that Givaudan had closed on the West Street parcel and intended to build a liquid‑compounding facility there. With the project now scrapped, Reading and Hamilton County lose a projected stream of manufacturing payroll, and the timetable for any comparable jobs at the site is suddenly up in the air.
Next Steps
The Port’s marketing materials still describe the remediated parcel as positioned for future growth and note that information may change, keeping the door open for courting other advanced‑manufacturing investors. So far, officials from Givaudan and local economic‑development partners have not released a detailed public timeline for any new plans. Area leaders will be watching for further statements from the company and The Port as they look to salvage the site’s promise.
