Arbor Industries Expanding With Help of Grant from City of Mentor

Mentor City Council voted to give Arbor Industries – a local manufacturer that works with aerospace, military and automotive industries, as well as others – a $10,000 grant to help them expand.

Arbor recently received a new certification that will allow it to do more work with the aerospace industry.

The business is headquartered at 6830 Patterson Road. However, it plans to purchase and expand to the building next door so it can increase its production.

"The aerospace industry is coming back – it's booming back," Arbor Co-President Fred Stout said during a Council meeting Tuesday.

The total expansion will cost about $500,000, with $40,000 going to building improvements and $50,000 to new equipment. The remaining expenses come from buying the building and moving equipment.

To get the grant, Arbor must also increase its payroll to $1.975 million per year by the end of 2012.

Stout said he did not know exactly how many more employees would be joining the company during the expansion.

"We are anticipating an employee increase but we can't guarantee numbers," he said.

All members of City Council voted for this grant except , who recused herself because she has a business relationship with Stout and Arbor Industries.

Ron Traub, the city's director of business development, told Council the grant and expansion allows Arbor to "engage in the next level of its growth."