When you drive past Procter & Gamble’s Lima facility today, you’ll see what a $501 million investment looks like: A new building, expanded warehouses, and a fresh roundabout at the entrance. However, the real story isn’t visible from the road alone. It’s in the months of coordination between P&G, AEDG, and government agencies to deliver this expansion without missing a beat. New manufacturing lines went operational with trained workers ready. Road construction happened without blocking existing shipments.
Why P&G Chose to Keep Expanding in Lima
P&G’s decision to expand in Lima was driven by factors beyond the company’s history in Allen County. The city’s central location offers a significant logistical advantage, providing access to 60% of the U.S. population within a single day’s reach, which is essential for efficient supply chain management.
What ultimately secured the investment, however, was the strong network of local partnerships and the region’s reputation as a hub for advanced manufacturing. Northwest Ohio is known for its abundance of talent, passion, and work ethic, supported by a robust transportation network. This environment has made the area one of the leading locations for business, with over $5.8 billion in investments.
P&G’s Scale of Transformation
Completed warehouse expansion: Two new modules are complete, adding over 40,000 pallet spots and a 40% increase in storage capacity, directly expanding the facility’s ability to serve North American consumers.
New manufacturing capability: A dedicated building for Downy Unstopables (in-wash scent beads) has been erected and is currently in the equipment installation phase. This isn’t just additional capacity for an existing product line. It’s an entirely new manufacturing operation for Lima.
Shipping capacity growth: The facility can now handle 40% more volume flowing to consumers across North America, positioning Lima as a critical distribution hub in P&G’s network.
Infrastructure modernization: The project required roadway improvements, a new roundabout at the facility entrance, utility upgrades, and coordination across multiple jurisdictions to support the increased industrial activity.
Drive past the site today, and the scale becomes visible. As Melissa Renner, Engineering Director at P&G Lima, notes, it’s “finally starting to look like a real manufacturing site.”
How AEDG Helped With The Expansion
The Allen Economic Development Group’s role extended beyond economic development support. Melissa credits AEDG and the Port Authority as “super impactful to the expansion projects as well as the business as a whole.”
Securing funding: When the project required a new roundabout at the facility entrance, AEDG obtained grant funding from the Ohio Department of Development. This helped reduce the overall exposure for P&G while delivering infrastructure that benefits their shipping operations.
Orchestrating partnerships: AEDG maintained the “regular touch points and collaborative working relationships” that Kurt Alexander, Engineering Director at P&G Lima, identified as “critically important” to success. The project required coordination among the Allen County Engineers Office, Allen Water District, City of Lima, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Department of Transportation, JobsOhio, and Ohio Means Jobs Allen County. Each entity had its own role that required precise timing to keep the expansion on schedule.
Workforce development: Working with JobsOhio and Ohio Means Jobs Allen County, AEDG helped secure incentive support that enabled the training of new employees for P&G’s expanded operations.
Overcoming Challenges Through Collaboration
What sets this expansion apart is the collaboration and dedication from all parties involved, which ensured the project stayed on track.
The process was complex. Manufacturing equipment couldn’t be installed until the buildings were weatherproof, and expanding shipping capacity by 40% required the new warehouse space to be fully operational. New production lines couldn’t be launched without trained employees and upgraded infrastructure, and road improvements had to be completed before shipping volumes could increase. However, all of this had to be done without interrupting ongoing operations.
The continued success of this project depended on seamless coordination among all parties involved. With so many moving pieces, it required a clear understanding of priorities and a commitment to keeping everything on track.
What This Means for Allen County
For AEDG, working alongside P&G, local partners, and government agencies to bring this vision to life has been a point of pride. This project highlights the power of collaboration and what can be accomplished when communities, businesses, and organizations work together toward a common goal. The success of this expansion reaffirms Lima’s place at the heart of P&G’s operations, ensuring it will continue to serve North American consumers for years to come.
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