LORDSTOWN – Updated technology is a key element that sets the local Matalco plant apart from other facilities, one of the owners said Wednesday during an open house of the new aluminum billet manufacturing center along state Route 45.

“It’s one of the most modern facilities, very efficient,” said Mike Giampaolo. “We’re very pleased with it and look forward to being here for a very long time.”

Matalco and its parent company, Triple M Metal LP, invited area officials and local business leaders to the 225,000-square-foot plant to officially celebrate its opening with a luncheon, comments and tours.

The Giampaolo Group, owned by Giampaolo and his brother, Antonio Giampaolo, are putting the two companies under one roof for the first time.

Robert Roscetti, Matalco vice president, said the company’s $100 million investment in the local plant at the Ohio Commerce Center is its largest in the United States to date. He said the Lordstown plant, combined with the company’s facilities in Canton and Brampton Ontario, Canada, establishes its position as North America’s largest aluminum re-melt billet manufacturer with a capacity to produce more than 700 million pounds of billets a year.

“This is a leading edge plant with the world’s most technologically advanced and highly automated equipment in our industry,” he said.

Roscetti said the Lordstown facility, the company’s newest, now employees 50 workers full time, but he expects that number to increase to between 80 and 100 by 2018 when the plant “achieves full capacity levels” and is expected to ramp up production to 350 million pounds of of billets annually.

Matalco is one the world’s largest producers of extrusion-grade aluminum billets manufactured primarily from melted scrap aluminum. The company’s billets are sent to many local extrusion plants, including Extrudex in North Jackson, BRT Extrusions in Niles, Astro Shapes in Struthers and others in Canfield and Columbiana County. Roscetti has said he expects the company’s client list to grow.

Mike Giampaolo, who founded the company 40 years ago with his brother, said Lordstown was chosen because of its location and good rail and highway access.

Tom Humphries, president and CEO of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber, was among several local leaders to address attendees. He explained the Mahoning Valley is third in the nation for its concentration of aluminum extrusion plants.

“It’s an important industry to us,” Humphries said. “Having (Matalco) here just makes that industry that much stronger here.”

Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill, Trumbull County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, state Sen. Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard, and representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, also spoke.

“This is an investment any community would love to have,” Hill said. “This is every mayor and school superintendent’s dream come true.”

Matalco broke ground for its local plant in September 2014 and started producing in March. The company’s decision to locate in Lordstown was also sweetened by state and local tax incentives, including an eight-year, 50-percent job creation tax credit valued at $450,000 approved by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority. The company also received an economic development grant from the sstate and on-the-job training assistance from Trumbull County One Stop. Lordstown Village granted Matalco a 75 percent, 10-year property tax abatement.

vshank@tribtoday.com