Global eyewear company to build Fairfield factory
By Terry Troy
Hilco Vision has announced plans to build a new 246,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in the city of Fairfield, eventually creating more than 200 jobs at the facility by 2024. Hilco Vision is an industry leading global eyewear and eye care company that delivers comprehensive solutions to customers. The new facility will be located at the Fairfield Commerce Park and be constructed by the Fairfield Commerce Park Developer Ambrose Property Group.
“We are excited to expand manufacturing capabilities and reach in the U.S., which will further enhance and expedite our ability to deliver solutions to our valued customers in the surrounding regions,” said Ken Miranda, COO of Hilco Vision. “Hilco Vision has been very pleased with the level of collaboration and support provided by the many teams that have enabled this significant transformation of our organization.”
Hilco has signed a 12-year lease with the building’s new owner, Black Creek Group, and plans to make significant investments immediately. After considering other locations, the company chose Fairfield and the Cincinnati region thanks to the strong infrastructure and easy access to the rest of the country. Over the next few years, Hilco will establish a world-class manufacturing and warehousing operation at the site.
“We are very pleased to welcome Hilco Vision to Fairfield,” said Nathaniel Kaelin, Economic Development Manager for the city of Fairfield. “The city is excited to see a respected and growing manufacturing firm claim the first building completed at Fairfield Commerce Park.”
Hilco produces eyewear solutions, including cases, lens cloths, lens wipes, and kits, for retail consumers as well as products and tools for corporate clients. The company will manufacture lens care and personal branding solution products in Fairfield once it begins operations, targeted for the 4th quarter of this year. Hilco is currently recruiting and hiring various positions, including technicians, production operators, and administrative support roles.
Fairfield Commerce Park is a 137-acre Class A industrial park under development on Seward Road. When complete, the City expects the park to include more than 1.5 million square feet of industrial space targeted for e-commerce, general distribution, and manufacturing firms. Construction on the first two speculative industrial buildings began in 2020. Since then, the City and Ambrose Property Group have partnered with REDI Cincinnati to market the site to potential end-users.
“Hilco Vision’s new operation in the city of Fairfield will be an excellent addition to the Cincinnati region’s ecosystem of advanced manufacturing companies,” said Kimm Lauterbach, President & CEO, REDI Cincinnati. “We continue to see more and more manufacturers choose the region to both make and distribute their products, thanks to the depth of talent and easy access to the rest of the country, including CVG, the sixth-largest cargo airport in the U.S. The partnership of the City of Fairfield, JobsOhio, and the Ohio Development Services Agency was instrumental in the success of this project.”
The City of Fairfield is also supporting the project with a performance-based property tax abatement and has agreed to waive building permit fees for Hilco’s tenant improvements. In addition, the Ohio Development Services Agency approved a Job Creation Tax Credit for the project today, and JobsOhio plans to provide assistance, which will be made public after a final agreement is executed.
