GrafTech, Step2 and other Northeast Ohio companies seek tax breaks to fund expansions

Several Northeast Ohio companies are considering expansions to their facilities. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority could approve tax breaks for them Monday afternoon.

View full sizeStep2 Co.Step2 Co. is considering new investments at its plants in Streetsboro and Perrysville. Several Northeast Ohio companies are pitching plant expansions to the state's tax credit authority on Monday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Several high-profile Northeast Ohio businesses have representatives in Columbus today to ask for tax breaks to fund expansions.

The Ohio Tax Credit Authority is considering proposals from:

• GrafTech International -- The Parma-based maker of graphite materials for solar panels and steel mills is considering a new plant or expansion in a yet-to-be-disclosed location.
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• Fuserashi International Technology -- Automotive supplier FIT has a Medina County plant that makes screws and other fasteners. The company has been a top Honda supplier for several years. According to the tax credit authority's agenda, the company is looking to make further investments in Medina County.
• Cleveland Construction Co. -- A nationwide general contractor, Cleveland has offices in Florida, Washington and North Carolina. In Ohio, it has offices in Cincinnati, Columbus and Mentor (the closest it gets to Cleveland). The company is considering investments at its Mentor headquarters.
• L&W Cleveland -- Located in Avon Lake, this steel and aluminum fabricating company is considering spending between $14 million and $18 million to buy new equipment. The City of Avon Lake has already considering some tax incentives for it.
• Step2 Company -- The maker of children's toys, mailboxes and other plastic items is on the authority's agenda twice, seeking to make investments in Streetsboro where it has a plant and its headquarters and in Perrysville, southeast of Mansfield, where it also has a plant.

Because the tax credit authority's meeting including proposals from 17 companies across Ohio, state department of development officials said it may be late Monday before details of the proposals will be available.