Expansion is complete

Put another expansion in the books.

Joyce/Dayton Corporation celebrated the completion of its nearly $9 million expansion project — its 11th in 30 years in Portland — with a ribbon cutting, tours and lunch on Thursday.

“In the nearly three decades that I’ve been part of this company, we’ve expanded this facility six times — each time asking, ‘Is this where we belong?’ and ultimately determining that, yes, this is the community we want to be a part of,” said president and CEO Brad Weiss during the ceremony on the west side of the facility at 1621 N. Meridian St. “This community has helped propel us to become the largest industrial jack manufacturer in North America.”

The project, which started in April 2024, added 26,000 square feet to the facility, expanding its footprint by more than 30%. The parking lot was also expanded. H.A. Dorsten of Minster, Ohio, was the contractor for the project, designed by Arcturis Architecture of St. Louis.

A need for greater production capacity started when Joyce/Dayton purchased a business line from Enerpac of Milwaukee in 2019 and was pushed further by growth from 2020 through ’22.

The new space allows for an enlarged assembly area, and having inventory on the production line instead of in a separate warehouse space. Engineering and research space was also expanded.

As a result of the project, the company is moving its EDrive high-performance electric actuator production from its facility in Connecticut to the Portland location. (The facility also manufactures screw jacks.) The company previously said plans were to add about 40 employees to its workforce to reach a total of 110 by the end of 2026.

“The expansion of this facility is more than just an investment in machinery and floor space. It is an investment in America,” said Weiss. “But more importantly, it’s an investment in our people right here in Portland. It is a testament to our competitive advantage. Our ability to our competitive advantage — our ability to design, machine, assemble and ship world-class products from right here in the American heartland.”

“The future of Joyce/Dayton is bright. We’re so proud that this future is being built right here in Portland.”

Chief operating officer Dianne Trentman thanked local and state officials for their support of the expansion. The City of Portland approved two tax abatements in October 2023 and Indiana Economic Development Corporation provided $275,000 in incentive-based tax credits as well as up to $200,000 from the Hoosier Business Investment tax credit program.

Joyce/Dayton was honored as Industry of the Year during the 2024 Jay County Community Awards, and Indiana Chamber of Commerce named it one of the state's best places to work in manufacturing last year.

Company officials credited the community for what Joyce/Dayton has accomplished.

“The strength is a reflection of the community we’re a part of,” said Portland plant manager Kyle Roe. “We choose to grow in Portland because the community has a proud manufacturing heritage and a workforce with an incredible work ethic. We are not just a company located in Portland, we are proud to be a part of the Portland community. Our success is your success.”