Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 9

184 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 9 commented APEG President MikeJacoby. “QuickLoadz is a leading example of a local company combining innovation with manufacturing expertise to grow, create jobs and positively impact our economy.” The county is also investing in infrastructure, such as the large sewer expansion that will connect to the Athens Water/Sewer Department. Investments are even being made for supportive infrastructure along the Baileys Trail System. Powers reports, “Through a variety of partners, we have secured over $8 million in mainly public grants. Some of this funding will be used for infrastructure items such as: the extension of a sewer line to a restroom, expansion of Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, creation of a new trailhead, and sidewalks. Those enhancements will be appropriate for the trail system we’re developing here − the largest contiguous mountain bike optimized trail system east of the Mississippi River. It’s also going to connect people to resources they don’t “Quick Loadz Container System / QuickLoadz Intermodal Robotics, a rapidly growing manufacturer of patented truck beds and trailers that automatically load and unload shipping containers expanded into the Bill Theisen Industrial Park in 2019. In collaboration with JobsOhio, and the Athens Economic Development Council and OhioSE, QuickLoadz renovated a 47,000 square foot facility to support the advanced manufacturing of their innovative automated system. “QuickLoadz is a great example of how innovative companies can establish a business in southeast Ohio and continue to thrive and grow,” said Dana Saucier, JobsOhio Vice President and Head of Economic Development. “This investment demonstrates the confidence QuickLoadz has in Athens County’s talent and brings new opportunity to a vacant facility there.” “We are very pleased we could support a smaller growing company that is doing world class business from right here in southeastern Ohio,”