Keim newest company to utilize enterprise zone agreement

The Holmes County Enterprise Zone Agreement continues to benefit both the county and the companies that utilize the program, which has seen nearly four dozen companies commit to either remaining in or building anew in Holmes County.

On Monday, July 21, Mark Leininger, Holmes County Economic Development Council director, met with the Holmes County Commissioners to introduce the newest addition to the program.

According to Leininger, the Keim Company of Charm is agreeing to build a new manufacturing facility in Baltic, an area that has been experiencing great industrial growth over the past couple of years.

“The Keim Company is interested in constructing a 51,200-square-foot facility on the land they own on Brickyard Road,” Leininger said. “This building would be right next to the building they currently own there that is used for warehousing, and it will be used primarily as a facility used for the manufacturing of wooden doors.”

Leininger said the company is currently making their doors at their Charm facility, but space issues have led them to pursue the creation of this new manufacturing facility.

“Their millwork and interior wood door business is growing rapidly, and they need the room to expand production,” Leininger said. “By moving their wood door division to Baltic, it will free up space in Charm for additional millwork.”

According to Leininger, the estimated cost of construction in the new facility is $6.3 million. Additionally, Keim is set to invest approximately $4.8 million in new equipment.

“It’s a big investment,” Leininger said.

Leininger said Keim believes the new facility will create the addition of 15 new jobs over a three-year period, with an annual expected combined payroll of those jobs approaching $980,000.

“They are obviously fairly high-paying positions,” Leininger said.

The East Holmes School Board was contacted about the application on June 12 and was approved by the Village of Baltic at its council meeting on July 15.

As has been the case for many years now, the county entered into the agreement that will provide Keim with a 50%, 10-year tax incentive abatement, assuming the company will fulfill its obligations to the agreement.

The commissioners congratulated Leininger for his ongoing effort in connecting with and encouraging business leaders to find a home in Holmes County, with these types of transactions adding to the county’s economy in positive ways.

Leininger said he worked diligently with the new leadership team in Baltic to define exactly what takes place through these enterprise zone efforts.

“When we put this enterprise zone in place, there was a different mayor and different council members,” said Leininger, who added he found the new leadership there very easy to work with.

That area near Brickyard Road has now seen expansion from Keim, ProVia and Gerber & Sons Inc., all of which have taken advantage of the Holmes County Enterprise Zone Agreement.

“It’s been quite the renovation in that area,” Leininger said.

Thus far in 2025, Premier Metals and Luxcraft have joined Keim in pursuing the incentive program.