What collector doesn't know the name Fostoria -- that line of fine glass that dressed America's tables on special occasions earlier in this century?

Today, Fostoria, in north central Ohio, has a thriving industrial base and is a fertile agribusiness center. The land, a former glacial lake bottom, yields bumper crops of wheat, corn, celery, tomatoes and soybeans.

Among Fostoria's largest agri-industries are ADM, which processes soybeans into meal and oil; Country Mark, which operates a large grain storage facility, fertilizer plant and warehouse; and Mennel Milling.

Mennel was founded in 1886 by a Hungarian banking and baking family that decided to build the then-largest flour mill in the world not located on water. The attraction in the beginning was Fostoria's offer to provide free gas to the plant. In return, the mill generated the electricity to light the city's street lamps.

One hundred and 10 years later, Mennel ranks 10th in the milling industry by capacity volume. Mennel is a specialist in soft wheat flour, the primary ingredient in boxed cake mixes for General Mills, Pillsbury and Proctor & Gamble brands. The company also specializes in non-generic flour for soup thickening, pretzels, Chinese and Japanese noodles, fish and chicken batters and even wallpaper paste and plywood glue. Mennel also supplies flour to Nickles on a just-in-time basis. Flour shipped to Nickles today is baked and on the shelves tomorrow.

A load of grain slides into Mennel's new storage facility. Fostoria officials cite a large-scale bakery as one open opportunity for the community.

Buying most of its wheat from northwestern Ohio, the company uses every part of the grain -- coproducts include bran for breakfast cereals, muffins and fiber enhancement in other food; the middlings end up primarily in animal feed; the wheat germ is marketed as a natural source of vitamin E and is also pressed into oil and is used in animal feed.

Mennel is a major power user and reliability is crucial. The company buys from American Electric Power and finds the utility to be "an extremely good provider" of reasonably priced power. "Power is one of our competitive advantages," says Don Mennel, president and the fourth generation of his family to operate the mill.

An $8.5 million expansion includes technologically advanced equipment that allows the company to get more capacity out of the same space. Also added was a new 130-ft. tall grain elevator, new rail unloading facility and flour storage facility. The expansion increases Mennel's Fostoria capacity by 50 percent.

When the expansion is completed, the company will produce 16,000 100-pound bags of flour a day.

In the expansion the company utilized the local tax abatement program, received a development abatement rate from the power company and took advantage of the state's machinery and equipment tax credit.

Mennel reports superior distribution from Fostoria, with the town well-located for both rail and truck transport. Just 20 minutes from I-75 or the Ohio Turnpike, Fostoria also has service by both CSX and Norfolk Southern. On a busy day when the grain trains are coming through, Fostoria will see over 100 trains.

Water capacity in Fostoria is excellent, with enormous reservoir storage capacity, as well as excess capacity in the sewage system.

Mennel, who employs 90 in Fostoria, reports the quality of the workforce is excellent. "I would put our employees up against anyone," he says. "They have an excellent work ethic and a good skill base."

	Meigs County		Pike County
	Mid-Ohio / Obetz and Gahanna		Mercer and Auglaize Counties
	Hardin County		Marion County
	Village of Leipsic		West Central Ohio
	Medina County		Fostoria