Battelle Promises $200M Investment in Labs

A spokeswoman for the company tells GlobeSt.com that the charitable trust's purpose is to be basically "scientists for hire." "We use science to help industry find better ways of doing things," she says. "If someone in industry has a science problem, like how to make a widget better, we'll solve it." For example, the company helped create better military armor during World War II, she says.

The group has 120 offices, including the 80-year-old, 50-acre campus here, right across from Ohio State University. The charity had $4 billion in revenue last year, but donates 20% of that to the communities, such as for education projects, where it has offices, the spokeswoman says. "Though the economy has problems, we continue to invest in our facilities. This isn't an all-of-a-sudden project, we're continually updating and investing in our sites," she says.

The spokeswoman says she doesn't know the size or scope of the new research laboratory that will go up on the 1,000-acre West Jefferson campus. The new building will be complete by 2011, she says.

In Dublin, the firm is adding 40,000 square feet to its Blazer Parkway production facility to boost light manufacturing capacity and increase production of electronic components used for energy efficiency, the medical community and the US military. At the main campus on King Avenue, the company is renovating many buildings, and is building a new 16,000-square-foot childcare facility for employees.

Speaking at the press conference about the investment plans, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland says it's great news for the state. "Critical to the success of the Ohio economy is our continued support of organizations like Battelle, which foster innovation and research, as well as create the jobs that will lead us through the 21st century," he said at the conference. The company has said it will create 200 new science and research jobs.