Ohio 19, September 16, 2023

Sherwin-Williams Celebrates Topping Out of R&D Center

The new campus will feature nine lowrise buildings that will support product development, coatings research, color technology and process engineering.

The Sherwin-Williams Company celebrated the placement of the final steel beam for the company’s new Global Research and Development Center in Brecksville, Ohio, with a “topping off” ceremony in July. The ceremony included the placement of an evergreen atop the final beam.

“The topping off ceremony goes back to the Viking era,” said John Morikis, Sherwin-Williams chairman and chief executive officer. “The tree symbolizes good luck for the future occupants and continued growth in concert with the environment. In addition to the construction crew, I want to recognize the nearly two years of hard work and a number of milestones that have been met.

“It is wonderful to see our new Global R&D Center

see SHERWIN page 2

More Than 400 Mark Sherwin-Williams’ Facility Milestone

take shape and have the opportunity to thank all the construction workers involved in bringing us safely and successfully to this significant project milestone. We are excited by the progress being made and are grateful

for the ongoing dedication of the crew in getting us that much closer to our ribbon cutting celebration in late 2024.”

The beam also was adorned with United States flag and the signatures of more than 400 construction workers, supervisors, proj-

ect architects, engineers and designers, as well as local elected officials, SherwinWilliams leaders and the Building Our Future project leadership team.

“When this facility is completed, we’re going to have a next generation workplace

that’s going to serve our customers,” said Heidi Petz, Sherwin-Williams president and chief operating officer. “This will be the global epicenter for everything we do from an R&D, technical and innovative standpoint. So, we’re thrilled that it’s here in our backyard. This project builds upon our 157year legacy as one of northeast Ohio’s top employers and drivers of economic activity.”

Part of the Building Our Future project, the 600,000-sq.-ft. facility will bring chemists, engineers, technicians and support teams together into a hub for innovation and development of the company’s future products and services. The new campus will feature nine low-rise buildings that will support product development, coatings research, color technology and process engineering. The R&D center will be home to approximately 900 Sherwin-Williams employees once open. Construction is slated to be complete in late 2024.

In addition to Morikis and Petz, the audience also heard from Ron Meinhart, superintendent with Forest City Erectors, a female-owned firm providing the structural steel for the project.

“I think I speak for not just for city, but all the building trades when we say how much we appreciate the commitment SherwinWilliams has made to northeast Ohio. But without that commitment, there’s a lot of tradesmen that wouldn’t be working right now.”

In closing, Morikis reminded the audience of the company’s commitment to safety.

see SHERWIN page 7

AWS Announces Estimated $7.8B Investment in Ohio

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced June 26 that Amazon Web Services (AWS) will invest an estimated $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in central Ohio, creating hundreds of new jobs.

AWS’s data center project represents the second-largest single private sector company investment in Ohio’s history. The new data centers will contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing.

as cloud computing and artificial intelligence are more integrated into the economy and our everyday lives.”

AWS launched its first data centers in the Midwest in 2016 and currently operates data center campuses in Franklin and Licking counties. To date, AWS’s investments and operations have generated more than $2 billion in economic benefit for Ohio, and supported more than 3,000 local secondary jobs on an average annual basis. In 2022, AWS directly employed nearly 1,000 Ohioans across the state.

“Today, we are proud to reinforce our long-term commitment to the state of Ohio with plans to expand and invest an estimated $7.8 billion by 2030,” said Roger Wehner, director of economic development, AWS. “Since 2015, AWS has invested more than $6 billion in Ohio while supporting thousands of local jobs. This additional investment will bring new, well-paying jobs and will continue to boost the state’s gross domestic product each year. We are excited to continue our partnership with the state of Ohio and deliver new workforce development and educational programs that support the next generation of talent by emphasizing collaborative, long-term public and private partnerships across the state.”

Numerous localities in central Ohio are under consideration for the new data center campuses, and final site selections will be decided at a later date.

“Amazon is already one of the largest private-sector employers in Ohio, and the company’s continued growth here further cements Ohio as the heart of our nation’s technology and innovation,” said DeWine. “As more of the world relies on cloud computing, this investment will build on Amazon’s current infrastructure in Ohio to help new and existing businesses grow, allow residents to securely connect to friends and family, and provide access to online educational resources and entertainment.”

“This positions Ohio as a critical location for the most discussed technology in the world, artificial intelligence,” said Husted. “This enormous capital investment further solidifies Ohio as the tech center of the Midwest and positions us for a bright future

“Ohio has a strong future in the technology sector and the more we’re able to help companies that are already here expand their investments only strengthens the state’s position,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “AWS’s expanding presence in Ohio is a big win for workers looking for in-demand jobs, the construction industry, businesses who need the computer infrastructure to grow their operations and consumers who rely on the Internet for so many things in their day-today lives.”

JobsOhio, One Columbus, and multiple county and local economic development teams are collaborating with AWS to support the expansion.

“AWS was the first-mover in Ohio among the major technology companies and their success has helped pave the way for the explosive growth we’re seeing now,” said JP Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio. “Their newest investment creates 230 direct new jobs and an estimated 1,000 support jobs, and we look forward to building our partnership with AWS as Ohio continues to make its mark in this important sector.” 

“Today, we are proud to reinforce our long-term commitment to the state of Ohio with plans to expand and invest an estimated $7.8 billion by 2030.”

Roger

Skanska Breaks Ground On Cincinnati Mass Timber Building

Skanska and Cincinnati Public Radio (CPR) broke ground Aug. 22 on the new Cincinnati Public Radio Headquarters. Once complete, the new HQ will be the first two-story mass timber building in the Midwest and the first of its kind in Cincinnati.

The $32 million, 35,000-sq.-ft. building will feature two on-air studios; two interview studios; one performance studio; 11,000 sq. ft. of office space; and a public gathering area. The building is set to open winter of 2024.

The new CPR HQ will serve as a beacon of innovation, housing cutting-edge technologies and sustainable construction methods, with a particular focus on the utilization of cross laminated timber. The entire column and beam structure, second floor, roof structure, as well as a selection of interior shear walls and exterior perimeter walls will be made from mass timber.

“Skanska shares an environmental consciousness with Cincinnati Public Radio, and as the first mass timber building in

Cincinnati, this project takes sustainability to the next level,” said Chris Hopper, Skanska vice president and general manager in Ohio.

“We have worked closely on this project with Cincinnati Public Radio for five years, and throughout we both stuck to the core belief of the importance of developing a

sustainable building."

As the demand for environmentally responsible and sustainable construction practices continues to rise, Skanska has positioned itself as a leader in the mass timber movement.

“Mass timber projects are gaining traction throughout the country,

including the heartland,” said Dean Lewis, director of mass timber and prefabrication of Skanska. “While most mass timber projects are hybrids in which the lateral system is comprised of steel or concrete, this project’s lateral system is composed of cross-laminated timber shear walls, making it an almost completely

mass timber superstructure. I look forward to seeing more mass timber projects in the Midwest, as cities aim to build healthier, more sustainable built environments.” Combating climate change by reducing carbon emissions is a critical focus area for industries and companies across the world — and Skanska is no different. Skanska has a target of net-zero carbon by 2045, and the forestry and timber industry is a key part of its environmental and industrial heritage and a vital part of its low carbon future. Mass timber also offers numerous environmental advantages, including reduced carbon emissions, increased energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources.

“The Cincinnati Public Radio headquarters project is an example of Skanska’s commitment to working with nonprofits and being part of the community,” said Hopper. The project is a collaboration between Skanska, Cincinnati Public Radio, Emersion DESIGN, Schaefer Inc. and Neyer Properties. 

‘Tops Off’ Its New

“We talk safety every day with our employees. We have 64,000 employees in the company. We run the company with a mindset that we’re responsible for 64,000 families, you are part of our family and I want to thank you for all that you’re doing safely and effectively, and we’re really honored to have you on this project.”

Following the remarks, Sherwin-Williams leaders and elected officials signed the steel beam before it was raised by a crane into its final position.

The Building Our Future project also includes a new global headquarters in downtown Cleveland just west of Public Square, Cleveland’s preeminent downtown park. It will be approximately 1,000,000 sq. ft. in size, featuring three buildings: A two-story pavilion that will act as a “front porch to Public Square,” a 36-floor office tower and an attached multi-level parking garage. The company expects 3,100 existing employees will move into the new headquarters when it is complete. Sherwin-Williams plans to invest a minimum of $750 million in construction costs to build both the headquarters and R&D facility.  CEG