COLUMBUS — JobsOhio, the state’s private, economic development corporation, has released its 2018 results, which shows 2018 was a record year for commitments of new jobs, payroll and capital investment.
In collaboration with local, regional and state partners, JobsOhio worked on 266 projects with companies that committed to create a record 27,071 jobs, an increase of 19 percent over the previous year, and a record $1.3 billion in new payroll, an increase of 23 percent year over year. The 2018 results also include record capital investment of just over $9.6 billion.
The logistics and distribution, advanced manufacturing and healthcare industries brought in the largest number of jobs. The energy and chemicals industry, fueled by the abundance of natural gas from the Utica and Marcellus shale formations, saw the most capital investment, followed by the advanced manufacturing and automotive industries. Of the 266 projects, 73 percent involved small and middle-market enterprises.
A breakdown of the 2018 JobsOhio performance metrics includes:
• Total number of projects: 266.
• New jobs: 27,071.
• New jobs payroll: $1.3 billion.
• Retained jobs: 69,905.
• Retained jobs payroll: $4.2 billion.
• Capital investment: $9.6 billion.
“Our 2018 job creation, payroll and capital investment are the highest that our associates and partners have ever achieved,” said JobsOhio Board Chairman Jim Boland. “These strong results illustrate the commitment of JobsOhio and its statewide network to generate economic opportunities for Ohioans.”
JobsOhio President and CIO John Minor also credited working closely with state, regional and local partners for 2018’s record numbers.
“These results reflect our culture of collaboration and client focus that makes Ohio more attractive for companies,” Minor said. “Along with our partners, JobsOhio has a strong foundation to address important business issues, and we are well-positioned for the future.”
In December, Ernst & Young released its EY2018 US Investment Monitor, which ranked Ohio first for job creation in business investment projects for the second year in a row. Ohio also ranked first for total project wins and fourth for capital investment. JobsOhio also plans to leverage the McKinsey & Co. independent performance assessment to advance strategic initiatives for future impact.
