WICKLIFFE – The Lubrizol Corp., one of Lake County’s largest employers, announced its plans on Tuesday, Jan. 27, to expand its Wickliffe headquarters in a multimillion-dollar capital plan corporate officers and elected officials claim will be a boon to economic development.
According to a Lubrizol Corp. press release, theexpanded campus will integrate its Brecksville employees and capabilities into its Wickliffe campus, allowing more than 1,000 of the company’s northeast Ohio personnel to collaborate from a single campus.
Consolidating the campuses will “enhance teamwork and accelerate decision making, increasing in-person connectivity and expanding development opportunities by bringing together the innovators who lead Lubrizol’s breakthrough science in a modernized workplace,” the statement reads.
The capital project will benefit Lake County by boosting economic activity and community engagement, as Lubrizol’s work in northeast Ohio affects operations and customers in approximately 100 countries, the press release states.
The move to expand the Wickliffe headquarters is also meant to highlight Lubrizol’s centennial in 2028.
“Lubrizol’s innovation legacy began in a Cleveland garage, when Lubrizol invented its first automotive solutions to lubricate leaf springs on early automobiles,” said Rebecca Liebert, Lubrizol’s president and CEO. “Nearly a century and thousands of patents later, our extraordinary northeast Ohio talent continues to innovate for breakthrough solutions, enabled by Lubrizol science. By uniting our teams under one roof, we’re building an even more connected and agile organization to drive lasting impact and enhance countless products that consumers across the world use every day.”
“Once again, Lubrizol has chosen Ohio and Lake County for the heart of its operations,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “By reinvesting in its global headquarters and state-of-the-art labs, Lubrizol is building on its nearly 100-year legacy in Greater Cleveland, reinforcing the company’s impact on northeast Ohio. Lubrizol stayed in Ohio because its team recognizes the competitive advantage of doing business here. This announcement sends a clear signal to a global audience that our state is built for businesses to succeed.”
The company’s investment in its Wickliffe campus includes enhancing its labs, expanding innovation capabilities and adding a Lubrizol experience center.
Building renovations augment the employee experience, including interactive workspaces, renovated on-site cafeterias and a multipurpose space to support meetings and events. Construction will be completed in phases over the next two years, according to the Lubrizol press release.
“Lubrizol is our city’s largest employer and is deeply ingrained in our community,” Wickliffe Mayor Joseph Sakacs said. “Our residents and fellow manufacturing companies rely on Lubrizol to provide jobs, stable incomes, and a strong, resilient local economy. The core of my administration has always been business attraction, retention, and expansion, and Lubrizol’s expansion builds on the momentum we have seen across the community. We are competing successfully on a national scale.”
“This is the largest economic development project in Lake County since the creation of JobsOhio and Team NEO,” the Lake County Board of Commissioners stated in a press release. “The project demonstrates the commissioners’ leadership in streamlining government operations, while fostering a business-friendly environment where companies can grow. This enhanced headquarters facility will provide Lubrizol with the competitive advantage needed to continue succeeding in a global marketplace—right here in Lake County. The Commissioners, along with the City of Wickliffe, are excited to see this Lake County business remain local and continue to be a worldclass company.”
“Northeast Ohio’s highly skilled workforce has been pivotal to Lubrizol’s long-term success for nearly a century, and this investment marks the company’s next chapter of modernization and innovation,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef.
“Investing in the Northeast Ohio Region is a confirmation of Lubrizol’s long-standing commitment to its employees, their families, and the Northeast Ohio Region,” said Team NEO CEO Matt Dolan. “We are grateful for Lubrizol’s confidence in Northeast Ohio to help them continue to thrive.”
“This announcement validates what we in Lake County have long understood—that our community can compete not just regionally, but nationally. We are proud of our ongoing partnership with The Lubrizol Corporation and excited about the growth and momentum that will continue for decades to come,” said Patrick T. Mohorcic, executive director of the Lake Development Authority.
The company stated it also will continue its operations in its Painesville and Avon Lake facilities as part of its northeast Ohio footprint.
“Lubrizol is one of the largest employers in Lake County, and we are pleased to have worked with the company to keep this significant investment here,” Commissioner John Plecnik said. “This expansion allows Lubrizol to remain competitive in the global marketplace while continuing its long-standing presence in our community.”
“For nearly 100 years, Lubrizol has been the backbone of our local business community and a cornerstone of the City of Wickliffe,” Commissioner Morris Beverage III said. “We are proud to have partnered with the City of Wickliffe to ensure this expansion continues right here in Lake County.”
