LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - A current Lima Allen County business deciding to stay local with their new location.
Murphy Tractor and Equipment Co., located on State Route 65 south of Lima, is growing. They will be building a new 20,000 square foot facility on Commerce Parkway on property that was owned by the Allen County Port Authority. On Thursday, Allen County commissioners approved a 10 year, 75-percent tax abatement for the company. The 25-percent they will be paying is more than what the port authority was paying in current agricultural use value on the property.
Company officials say they are looking forward to the expansion and staying in Lima. "Lima has been a good community to us; we, as Murphy Tractor, have been here about 15 years now, and there was a dealership here before that, so there's a good customer base in the area that's been loyal to us, and it would certainly be the first choice to stay," said Bill Buckles, president of Murphy Tractor & Equipment Company. "We did poke around and look at some others, but it's just been a good place for us, and we want to honor that loyalty."
Murphy's currently employees 13 people with the hopes of adding up to six or seven more at the new location. They hope to break ground early next year when the ground allows.
