New manufacturing operations in Maple Heights and Navarre, Ohio, help GOJO increase supply of PURELL® products
GOJO is continuing to take significant steps to expand its capacity to meet exponential increases in demand for PURELL® sanitizer, soap, wipes, and surface spray, as more and more businesses and institutions reopen with a sharp focus on cleanliness and hygiene.
By running its facilities 24/7, working with its existing suppliers to dramatically increase raw materials and component supplies, and by implementing creative partnerships with other companies that have directed bottles and caps its way, GOJO has doubled more than the amount of product it is producing versus last year.
“We believe the world will forever be changed by this pandemic and we see this translating to a sustained increase in awareness of the importance of safe and effective hygiene practices. This will result in ongoing demand for our essential PURELL® skincare and surface solutions,” said GOJO President and CEO, Carey Jaros. “In service of our GOJO Purpose, Saving Lives and Making Life Better, our responsibility to keep the world healthy and well has never been greater. Expanding our manufacturing infrastructure is one of the many ways we are responding as the market leader in these challenging times.”
GOJO recently signed a lease agreement for a facility in Navarre, Ohio, which will be used for storage and distribution. Today, GOJO announced the purchase of an approximately 300,000-square-foot facility in Maple Heights, Ohio. The Maple Heights facility will manufacture PURELL® Surface Spray. PURELL® Surface Spray was launched in 2016 and has won numerous awards for its unparalleled combination of being no-rinse on food contact surfaces with lowest possible toxicity (Category IV), while effectively killing bacteria, mold, mildew, fungi, and dozens of viruses, including Influenza and Norovirus. It is listed on the EPA’s List N: Products with Emerging Viral Pathogens AND Human Coronavirus claims for use against SARS-CoV-2, and demand has been infinite since the pandemic began.
“GOJO is an Ohio-grown, innovative company playing an essential role during the COVID-19 pandemic in homes, businesses, food banks and so much more,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “These investments demonstrate GOJO’s confidence in Ohio’s talent, which is hard at work producing and distributing critical PURELL® products used worldwide.”
These two new facilities bring the company’s Ohio manufacturing facilities to four, including those in Cuyahoga Falls and Wooster. GOJO headquarters is in Akron, Ohio, and the company also has several manufacturing facilities in France. GOJO employs more than 2,500 team members around the globe and is expecting to add at least 200 additional jobs with this expansion.
“We are excited to support the expansion of GOJO Industries into Cuyahoga County that will bring this essential business creating PURELL® Surface Spray here to our County,” said Armond Budish, Cuyahoga County Executive “This investment will bring 100 additional high-quality manufacturing jobs to the County and demonstrates the economic advantages provided by our city, county, and the region.”
JobsOhio plans to provide assistance for the project, which will be made public after a final agreement is executed.
“GOJO is a purpose-driven Ohio company doing everything it can to help communities and businesses during this pandemic,” J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “We and our partners at Team NEO welcome the continued success and growth of GOJO in Ohio, which serves as an example how our resilient businesses and workers will get the state’s economy growing once again.”
About GOJO
GOJO, the inventor of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer, is the leading global producer and marketer of skin health and hygiene solutions for away-from-home settings. The broad GOJO product portfolio includes hand cleaning, handwashing, hand sanitizing, skin care formulas and surface sprays under the GOJO®, PURELL™ and PROVON® brand names. GOJO formulations use the latest advances in the science of skin care and sustainability. GOJO is known for state-of-the-art dispensing technology, engineered with attention to design, sustainability, and functionality. GOJO programs promote healthy behaviors for hygiene, skin care and compliance in critical environments. GOJO is a family enterprise headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with operations in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and Canada. Learn more about GOJO.
View GOJO Press Release: https://www.gojo.com/en/Newsroom/Press-Releases/2020/GOJO-Takes-Significant-Steps-to-Expand-Its-Capacity-to-Meet-Exponential-Demand