Ohio ATM Manufacturer to Build New Headquarters

North Canton, Ohio-based ATM manufacturer Diebold Inc. today said it plans to build a new world headquarters in the Akron/Canton region.

Pending approvals, Diebold said it will receive around $100 million in total state and local help for the project. "If approved at the relevant state and local levels, the completed headquarters project will help drive the company's need for a truly world-class facility that better aligns the organization, stimulates process efficiencies and enhances our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent -- all while continuing to make a significant economic contribution to the region Diebold has called 'home' for nearly 150 years," the company said in a news release.

Diebold Inc. has been in its current headquarters in North Canton, Ohio, since 1972.
The facility would house 1,500 employees who are spread out at five existing Diebold sites in Northeast Ohio. The new campus would include Diebold's:

• Corporate offices.
• R&D functions.
• Hardware and software engineering.
• Financial and administrative operations.
  
• Customer service and event-monitoring centers.
  
• Employee training and education functions.
  
• Sales and marketing for the company's financial self-service, security and integrated services businesses.

The company said it is looking at several sites in the Akron/Canton region and is negotiating with the respective property owners. 'Compelling Resources' Diebold said it began looking at ways to consolidate its five sites in Summit and Stark counties in July 2009. During the analysis, the state of Ohio "presented a combination of compelling resources to the company," including $56 million in tax credits, loans and other incentives for the project. To qualify for the incentives, Diebold will need to retain approximately 1,500 jobs in Ohio for 18 years. According to third-party research commissioned by the company, Diebold will have an annual economic impact on Ohio of approximately $480 million during each of the next five years. "A new world headquarters will serve as a true centerpiece to our global company -- as well as the surrounding region -- and allow Diebold to continue making a beneficial economic impact in Ohio," Diebold President and CEO Thomas Swidarski, said. "The commitment we received from Gov. Kasich and the state of Ohio sends a clear signal that the state is dedicated to companies like Diebold -- companies that have a long, productive history in Ohio, value the state's talent pool and have a strong desire to continue to build and grow here." Diebold employs approximately 2,000 people in Ohio and 16,000 worldwide.