State approves $10 million loan to lure company and 110 jobs to Urbana

The state Controlling Board Monday approved a $10 million loan package for a Swiss company considering opening a manufacturing plant in Urbana.

The loan is being offered to Wicor Americas Inc., to buy machinery and renovate the former Fox River-Neenah Paper Mill, 700 West Court Street.

Wicor is part of a multinational company founded in Switzerland that manufactures electrical insulation for transformers and plastic components for the automotive, medical, water management and sensor industries.

Urbana City Council last month approved a city income tax abatement proposal for the company if it brought up to 110 jobs to the community.

A company spokesman said a decision would not be made for several months on whether to move ahead with the deal.

The jobs would have an average hourly wage of $21.50, according to Ohio Department of Development records.

The project involves the relocation of two of Wicor’s existing business units to a vacant 165,000 square foot facility in Urbana. Wicor will close a facility in the United Kingdom and relocate two United States-based operations to Ohio if the deal goes through, according to state records.

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