Brunner expansion plan goes before county board next week

MEDINA – Before a Medina company can begin work on a $15 million expansion project, it will need approval for the project from the Orleans County Planning Board.

That board will meet 7 p.m. Thursday at the County Administration Building, Conference Room C, 14016 Route 31 West.

The board will review the company’s plan for a 48,125-square-foot addition that will be connected to the southeast side of the company’s current facility on Bates Road. Brunner also plans to expand its parking lot and add an access road.

The company wants to start construction soon so the addition to have the project ready for production of truck axles by Jan. 1, 2015.

Brunner International already employs 360 people in Medina and expects it will add 35 to 40 jobs as part of the expansion. The new building will go next to a 41,250-square-foot expansion about five years ago that added 50 jobs in Medina.

Brunner looked at Kentucky for the latest expansion, but picked Medina for the project. New York Power Authority in December announced it approved 2.4 megawatts of low-cost electricity for the project. The state also said it would provide a $750,000 incentive package under Empire State Development’s Excelsior Jobs Program.

Brunner is based in Canada. The company is expanding the production of machined axle forgings that are sold to large, heavy-duty truck and trailer suppliers. It will utilize automation and add jobs as part of the expansion.