New manufacturing operations in Maple Heights and Navarre, Ohio, help GOJO increase supply of PURELL® products
GOJO is continuing to take significant steps to expand its capacity to meet exponential increases in demand for PURELL® sanitizer, soap, wipes, and surface spray, as more and more businesses and institutions reopen with a sharp focus on cleanliness and hygiene.
By running its facilities 24/7, working with its existing suppliers to dramatically increase raw materials and component supplies, and by implementing creative partnerships with other companies that have directed bottles and caps its way, GOJO is producing more than two times what GOJO did before the pandemic started across all of its operations.
“We believe the world will forever be changed by this pandemic and we see this translating to a sustained increase in awareness of the importance of safe and effective hygiene practices,” said GOJO President and CEO, Carey Jaros. “This will result in ongoing, heightened demand for our essential PURELL® skincare and surface solutions. In service of our GOJO Purpose, Saving Lives and Making Life Better, our responsibility to keep the world healthy and well has never been greater. Expanding our manufacturing infrastructure is one of the many ways we are responding as the market leader in these challenging times.”
GOJO recently signed a lease agreement for a facility in Navarre, Ohio, which will be used for storage and distribution. Today, GOJO announced the purchase of a 325,000-square-foot facility in Maple Heights, Ohio. GOJO Maple Heights will manufacture PURELL® Surface Spray. PURELL® Surface Spray was launched in 2016 and has won numerous awards for its unparalleled combination of being no-rinse on food contact surfaces with lowest possible toxicity (Category IV), while effectively killing bacteria, mold, mildew, fungi, and dozens of viruses, including Influenza and Norovirus. It is listed on the EPA’s List N: Products with Emerging Viral Pathogens AND Human Coronavirus claims for use against SARS-CoV-2. Demand for the product has been infinite since the pandemic began.
These two new facilities bring the company’s Ohio manufacturing facilities to four, including those in Cuyahoga Falls and Wooster. GOJO headquarters is in Akron, Ohio, and the company also has several manufacturing facilities in France. GOJO employs more than 2,500 team members around the globe and is expecting to add at least 200 jobs with these two additional facilities.
“GOJO is an Ohio-grown company whose products, including its PURELL® products are helping us combat the pandemic,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “These new investments demonstrate the confidence GOJO has in Ohio’s talent, which is hard at work producing and distributing critical PURELL® products used worldwide.”
“We are excited to support the expansion of GOJO Industries into Cuyahoga County that will bring this essential business here to our County,” said Chief Economic Development and Business Officer Ted Carter. “This investment will bring 100 additional high-quality manufacturing jobs to Maple Heights, providing much-needed jobs and income to that municipality. We are very pleased that GOJO has committed to hiring a diverse and local workforce.”
“Cuyahoga County has a long history of manufacturing,” said County Councilman and Economic Development Chair Jack Schron. “Part of our strategy in strengthening our local economy is to focus on our strengths and GOJO fits right into our sweet spot. I am thrilled that GOJO is locating their plant, which will be producing their newest surface spray product, right here in Cuyahoga County. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with this global leader in skincare and surface solutions.”
“We are thrilled that one of the most essential companies in our region is expanding their manufacturing capabilities in Maple Heights,” said Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell. “GOJO is a growing business that makes products that matter, with deep roots in Northeast Ohio. Its selection of Maple Heights to expand operations is a testament to the resources and local advantages provided by our city and the region.”
JobsOhio plans to provide assistance for the project, which will be made public after a final agreement is executed.
“GOJO is a purpose-driven Ohio company doing everything it can to help communities and businesses during this pandemic,” said JobsOhio President and CEO, J.P. Nauseef. “We and our partners at Team NEO welcome the continued success and growth of GOJO in Ohio, which serves as an example how our resilient businesses and workers will get the state’s economy growing once again.”
“It’s our stated Enterprise Strategic Intent to co-create a company where we can all find personal meaning, professional fulfillment and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant future,” said Jaros. “We are so excited to be realizing that intent during this unprecedented moment, opening new facilities, creating jobs, and ultimately producing more of the essential solutions that people need to stay healthy and well.”