Air-tow Trailers has kicked off a major expansion in Wapakoneta, breaking ground yesterday on a $6.8 million project that will tack on about 76,000 square feet to the company’s manufacturing campus. The buildout will shift 35 employees from Air-tow’s Botkins site and is expected to create roughly 10 to 15 new full-time positions. Company officials say construction should wrap by the end of the year, folding the new facility into Air-tow’s growing headquarters footprint.
According to WLIO, CEO Nick Kennedy told the crowd that yesterday's groundbreaking is just one piece of a longer-term commitment to Wapakoneta and to making the city the company’s home base. "We're going to continue the investment into this town; this is just the beginning," Kennedy said during the ceremony, signaling that the shovels in the dirt will not be a one-off sight.
What the addition will look like
Developer Flex Real Estate, which is managing work at 625 Commerce Drive, says footers are already being poured for the 76,000-square-foot building and that the project will allow Air-tow to relocate its headquarters to Wapakoneta, according to the company’s LinkedIn announcement. The developer’s post underscores the scope of the expansion and its role in readying the site for full-scale manufacturing and operations, as per Flex Real Estate.
Local leaders welcome the jobs boost
Local officials are treating the project as a shot in the arm for Auglaize County’s economy. Mayor Dan Lee said the investment will "ripple out through the whole community and through the county," telling WLIO that the new jobs and expanded operations should help reinforce the area’s manufacturing base and feed business to suppliers and service providers in surrounding towns.
Air-tow lists its corporate and production locations on its website, confirming a Wapakoneta corporate office and a Botkins production facility, while also highlighting the company’s broader footprint. The firm has also been active this year rolling out new dealer-finance and product initiatives, as detailed in a recent release from PR Newswire. Together, Air-tow's website and the news release sketch out a company that is leaning into growth while tightening its roots in Wapakoneta.
