Manufacturers of steam and gas turbine to add jobs before end of 2022
By Terry Troy
STAR Turbine, a leader in high-precision manufacturing and field installation for high-capacity steam and gas turbines, is investing more than $1 million in new machinery and will consolidate and expand its operations into a new 40,000 square-foot facility in Marion. STAR will also create 19 new positions while maintaining its existing workforce of 45. The company is expecting to hire additional machine shop staff, installation crew engineers and back office support by the end of this year.
The consolidation of the two facilities will happen at a new facility at 370 W Fairground Street in Marion. The investment will help improve operational capacity as the company continues to address industry challenges such as aging fleet turbines, maintenance needs, energy loss due to worn packing and the increased cost of turbine parts. The expansion will increase its ability to prioritize in-house solutions to these issues like restoring design clearances to regain efficiency, producing customized OEM parts and increasing the number of on-site teams to execute jobs for its clients.
“Our new location will lead to increased productivity, which will lead to even more anticipated growth,” said Colleen Cordova, president and CEO of STAR. “Our STAR team has enthusiastically transformed the new Fairground Street building into a work place they can be proud of. This expansion will greatly benefit our STAR Team, the local Marion community and our stakeholders. I am delighted to be spearheading this new vision for STAR Turbine here in Marion”
In addition to being an industry leader for manufacturing and installation of packing rings, STAR Turbine also manufactures and installs spill strips, springs and J-Strips. STAR is currently in the process of expanding their capabilities by becoming the exclusive North and South American distributor of combined cycle J-Strip and caulking wire. Acquired by Mangrove Equity Partners (MEP) in late 2020, MEP has been focused on expanding STAR capabilities in all aspects.
“We proudly welcome STAR Turbine’s increased investment in our business ecosystem and local community,” said Gus Comstock, director at Marion Can Do, the city’s economic development organization, which is also a member of One Columbus. “The company’s continued presence cements our manufacturing capabilities while adding more high-paying engineering jobs to the local economy.”
The Columbus Region has become a nexus for innovation and manufacturing. The Region boasts a diverse manufacturing operation that span industries from automotive and electronics to machinery, materials, aerospace and consumer goods. Some of the world’s largest brands manufacture products in the Columbus Region including Honda, Boeing, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Whirlpool and Abbott. The Region is home to over 1,700 manufacturing establishments with nearly 90,000 employees, resulting in more than $15 billion in annual economic output.
“With Ohio talent, STAR Turbine has been a leading OEM supplier and installer of high-capacity steam and gas turbines,” said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “This consolidation of STAR Turbine’s Marion operations will meet growing demand and improve efficiencies while bringing 19 new jobs to the facility.”
