Building on Success: Wayne County’s 2025 Highlights

While 2025 brought its share of economic uncertainties, it ultimately became a year of meaningful progress, marked by business expansions, community projects, and new housing developments moving forward throughout the county. At the heart of this momentum is the steady dedication of our existing businesses, which form the backbone of Wayne County’s economy. Supporting these companies, helping them remain strong, and creating the conditions for their continued growth remain among the most important roles of the Wayne Economic Development Council (WEDC).

“As we look back on 2025, one clear example of this business-focused support in action is the role the WEDC played in assisting Jarrett,” said Maribeth Burns, president. “Jarrett was planning to build its fourth warehouse in Orrville, but as the project evolved, its green-energy requirements changed, prompting the need to explore alternative sites,” continued Burns. “To help ensure the project remained in Wayne County, we quickly stepped in and, together with the City of Wooster, helped secure the ideal property in the Wooster Innovation Park. Because of this collective effort, Jarrett, a long-standing and successful Wayne County company, can continue to grow and provide quality jobs for our community.”

This commitment to supporting existing businesses is reflected in the WEDC’s strong engagement across the county. In 2025, the WEDC completed nearly 70 meetings with local companies, including 50 BizConnects visits and 20 investor relations meetings. “Through these conversations, we maintained a strong pulse on the needs, opportunities, and growth potential of businesses across Wayne County,” said Phil Schlabach, director of business retention, expansion and attraction. “This helps ensure our efforts remain responsive and business-driven.”

The Smithville Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) was defined and finalized, encouraging growth opportunities for those within its borders. Shortly after completion, Centerra Co-Op’s Smithville location, which fell inside the CRA boundary, announced plans to construct a larger fertilizer facility for storage and distribution. It’s a promising start that highlights the CRA’s potential to spark future investment.

“We were also encouraged to see a creative mixed-use project taking shape in Orrville,” said Burns. “The property, which once housed a dance studio, will soon be home to Orrville Cycling, along with short-term rentals and apartments. This project demonstrates the value of reimagining older properties, bringing new life to vacant spaces, and contributing to the vibrancy of downtown Orrville.”

Across the county, additional growth continued through expansions at companies such as Luke Engineering & Anodizing, Mull Iron, Quality Plastics, DecoCrete, and PRC Saltillo—the latter working with JobsOhio to reimagine its Wooster facility and create space for 60 new jobs.

Complementing this business momentum are significant community investments from South Central Fire District, The College of Wooster, The Village Network, Wayne Center for the Arts, and Wooster Community Hospital. These projects help ensure that Wayne County remains a vibrant, healthy and welcoming place for families. New housing developments are also emerging countywide to support a growing workforce and sustain long-term prosperity.

Throughout this year, the WEDC received 65 Requests for Information (RFIs) from JobsOhio, Ohio’s economic development entity. An RFI from JobsOhio comes in when a company is looking to expand or relocate within Ohio. Of the 65 requests received this year, 28 sought land while 37 were looking for existing buildings. Of those, the WEDC was able to respond to 14. “I was able to submit seven requests highlighting properties in Wooster and five requests for the Rittman Industrial Site,” stated Schlabach. “With two other requests, I was able to include both Wooster and Rittman options.”

While this demonstrates strong demand, it also highlights ongoing challenges—many RFIs request large parcels of land or substantial building space, which remain limited. “That’s why in 2026, we will continue the work started earlier this year to identify areas across the county best suited for the next phase of industrial growth,” said Burns. “This effort will balance the needs of expanding businesses with respect for our agricultural partners and community character, as Wayne County remains Ohio’s third-largest agricultural economy.”

Building on these efforts to support business growth and the broader economy, 2025 was also a year of successful events and programming. The WEDC hosted four Briefings for Business, held quarterly, and our Annual Meeting. Each event saw growth in attendance and engagement. “These programs continue to provide timely insights on economic topics,” said Traci Carmony, director of marketing and development. “We look forward to events where we can celebrate local business achievements, while strengthening connections across the county.”

The experiences of 2025 reaffirmed that Wayne County’s strength lies in its collaborative spirit, resilient employers, and shared commitment to a thriving business environment. As we look ahead to 2026, our focus remains on identifying and developing new locations for industrial growth, supporting existing companies and attracting new employers. We are grateful for the businesses, organizations, and community members who make Wayne County such a special place to live, work, and grow, and we look forward to another year of shared progress, opportunity and community prosperity.