Defense Contractor Armor Holdings Expands in Butler County Ohio

HAMILTON, Ohio, July 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Butler County Board of Commissioners today approved an Enterprise Zone tax abatement agreement for Armor Holdings Aerospace and Defense Group. The West Chester Township Board of Trustees approved the agreement earlier this week.

"We are very pleased that Armor has decided to stay and expand their operations in Butler County," said Commission president Greg Jolivette.

The company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of military vehicles, vehicle armor systems, and life safety and survivability systems. Armor's Butler County operation is focused on military vehicle armoring programs including the up-armored HMMWV ("Humvee"), various military trucks, and the armored cabs for more than 1,100 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, which are part of a $518 million contract recently announced by the company.

Commission vice president Chuck Furmon said that he was heartened that another manufacturer was expanding in the County. "Ohio has experienced an erosion in manufacturing jobs but here in Butler County we are seeing growth in that segment of the economy," Furmon said.

The $75 million project will include the construction of a new 60,000 sq. ft. ballistic glass plant, office space remodeling, and the addition of a larger lobby and customer reception area. Armor will add 300 new jobs to its current workforce of 742.

Armor Holdings has revalidated Butler County as a good place to do business that is very attractive to manufacturers," said Commissioner Don Dixon.