2 manufacturers apply for tax exemptions from Scio Township

By Ben Freed Business Reporter

Posted on Mon, Sep 24, 2012 : 5:58 a.m.

The Scio Township Board of Trustees will vote on an industrial facilities tax (IFT) exemption for OptiFlow, Inc. on Tuesday. At the same meeting, the board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on a similar exemption request from Trenton Corporation.

OptiFlow supply chain manager Alan Charlton said the tax exemption his company has requested is for upgrades to manufacturing equipment that will cost about $600,000.

“And part of the IFTs are that they require you to add employees,” he said. “We’re projecting five new employees, and we currently are at 26.”

OptiFlow, a company headquartered in the Ann Arbor area that helps clients manufacture their products using computer operated machinery, has received previous exemptions from the township, and Township Supervisor Spaulding Clark said he expects this exemption to be passed by the board on Tuesday.

“The exemption is for real and personal property improvements,” he said. “I’m assuming it will be approved, we’ve approved them before.”

Trenton Corporation’s request will be voted on at the board’s first meeting in October if a public hearing is held on Tuesday. Trenton, also headquartered locally, specializes in the design and manufacturing of wax tapes and pipe coatings. Clark said the hearing may be pushed to October because Trenton’s representative will be out of town.