Another solar company opening in Wood County

Wood County and Northwest Ohio is emerging as ground zero for the growing solar power industry. The former Delafoil plant along Ohio 25 here in Perrysburg was recently purchased by Spring Grove Trading Company LLC for $7 million. According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, the agent for Spring Grove is Michael Cicak, a local resident with ties to the solar industry. [Cicak is] a Perrysburg Township resident and past president of Solar Cells, forerunner of the now-notable First Solar company which produces photovoltaic solar modules at its township plant in Cedar Business Park.

The Sentinel-Tribune on Friday reported on the purchase, and the possibility that the 250,000 square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility could be home to a new solar company. Now a local economic development official has confirmed it will in fact be home to a new company specializing in the production of electricity-producing solar modules.

The name of the company is still not being released publicly. However, Tom Blaha, executive director of the Wood County Economic Development Commission, on Friday afternoon confirmed the Sentinel-Tribune’s suspicion that it’s a new solar firm. “They’re not ready to make an announcement yet,” Blaha said. “But I will confirm the answer to your question: It’s a solar company.” Blaha said this development is in keeping with the commission’s desire to attract alternative energy companies to Wood County.

The Perrysburg area already is home to First Solar, one of the world’s fastest growing solar module manufacturing and research firms with its sole North American plant located in Cedar Business Park in Perrysburg Township. And closer to home here in Perrysburg, there’s another solar company, Calyxo USA, part of a German-owned solar company Q-Cells AG. Calyxo is located along Eckel Junction Road, just a few miles north of the Delafoil plant.

Update: The new company, Willard & Kelsey Solar Group LLC, has filed a permit to install a steam boiler, scrubber and other equipment at 1775 Progress Drive, site of the roughly 250,000 square-foot former Delafoil plant situated on the east side of Route 25 just south of Roachton Road.

Delafoil was a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of television components that opened its $46 million Perrysburg facility in 1996. The company produced components used in TV picture tubes, including magnetic shields. It was the largest single industrial investment in Perrysburg at the time.

At its peak it employed about 250 workers. But the company fell on hard times when its main customer, LG Phillips, closed its TV production plant in Ottawa and moved to Mexico.

Delafoil attempted restructuring itself, closing its Pennsylvania facility and consolidating operations here in Perrysburg in 2003. The company cut its workforce, received numerous tax breaks, and attempted marketing its magnetic shielding for automotive and construction applications. Delafoil closed for good in 2005.