On March 26, 1973, the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) of Findlay/Hancock County, reached an agreement to purchase approximately 375 acres of real estate and to develop an industrial park. The financing of this purchase was through a loan package which involved Tri-County Bank (now Society); First National Bank (now Fifth-Third Bank of Northwest Ohio); and the Ohio Bank and Savings of Findlay.

The original 375 acres purchased are now located within the corporate city limits of the City of Findlay and bounded by State Route 12 and County Road 95. The property was platted as the Findlay Industrial Center.

Original interest in the Findlay Industrial Center was in property which fronts on State Route 12, a total of 88 acres. This property sold quickly because of access to State Route 12 and the availability of utilities. Because of the sale of this original 88 acres, today we have located in Findlay the OK Industries, Findlay Industries, FABCO and High Quality Plastics.

In June of 1980, because of a slow-down in the economy, 128 acres were sold off as farm land.

On January 23, 1985, the Community Development Foundation (CDF) began to develop and market the remaining 154 acres owned by the FIC. Since this date, CDF has coordinated a well organized plan and total community commitment to make the remaining 154 acres (since expanded to 257 acres), named Tall Timbers Center into one of the finest business centers in Ohio. The Findlay Industrial Foundation currently has 330 additional acres under option for future development.

Once the physical development of Tall Timbers was well underway in the middle of 1986, the CDF began to market the property. Initial interest came from two Northwest Ohio construction companies, Mosser Construction of Fremont, and Rudolph/Libbe of Toledo. A local businessman, Joseph Kirk, purchased property at Tall Timbers where he located and expanded the operation of Findlay Machine and Tool.

In the spring of 1987, with the support of local businessmen, Phil Gardner and James Koehler, Hisan, Inc. committed to build a plant at Tall Timbers. In August, 1987 Createc Corporation of Indianapolis announced it had agreed to purchase the Mosser spec building. In December, 1987 G.S.W. Manufacturing, a wire harness manufacturer announced they would be locating in Tall Timbers. Tall Timber Distribution also elected to build a public warehouse in Tall Timbers in 1987. This warehouse has since been designated our public warehouse for Foreign Trade Zone purposes.

1988 saw Dyson Material, Coca Cola and Nissan Brake Ohio (formerly the Findlex Corporation) locate in Tall Timbers.

Filtech Corporation, a maker of automotive filters, and Pruitt Moving and Storage (now Hyway Warehousing) both located in Tall Timbers in 1989.

In 1990 Molten Corporation announced they would begin building a facility and Bridgestone APM moved into their building. In 1991, Fostoria Industries and Form Forge moved into their facilities. 1994 brought a new facility for Createc to house its poly pro operation. In 1995 Cooper Tire and Rubber Company built a tire mold facility and Best Buy built a distribution center. Findlay Products, Inc. purchased the Form Forge facility.

Today, there are 13 manufacturing plants and 4 distribution centers operating in Tall Timbers, employing over 2,012 people. We anticipate additional announcements of companies moving into Tall Timbers in the coming months.