By JOHN JARVIS • The Marion Star • February 9, 2010

Wyandot, a Marion snack manufacturer, received $175,000 as one of 18 Ohio projects to receive $11.8 million total through the program, according to a news release issued by Gov. Ted Strickland's office.

The grant will be matched with a $175,000 investment by Wyandot to install exhaust heat recovery equipment on tortilla oven stacks on two processing lines and an integrated waste heat utilization in oil fryer heat exchangers. The project will save $110,000 a year in energy costs and retain 10 full-time jobs.

Lisa Patt-McDaniel, director for the Ohio Department of Development, on Monday announced the award for Wyandot at its 135 Wyandot Ave. location.

The companies that received grants were selected, state development department spokeswoman Katie Sabatino said, "because the companies hit the ground running with these funds and will be completing these projects within the next year. ... They're working to make investments within our economy."

Nick Chilton, Wyandot president and chief executive officer, said the grant helps the company in a number of ways, not only saving money, but also increasing its attractiveness to customers and potential customers.
"It's also important to us because our customers these days are very concerned about sustainability, that is the environment," Chilton said. "We're frequently asked by companies such as Walmart what are we doing (to improve the environment). ... This will make natural gas go further and make what we put into the air just more efficient."

He estimated the project would be completed "probably in six months."
Waste heat in the manufacturing process will be used to add heat to the heat exchangers the plant uses to heat frying oil, he said.

"That changes our efficiency from 80 percent efficiency to 120 percent efficiency," he said.

Wyandot applied for the grant after learning of it from the Center for Innovation in Food Technology, a group affiliated with the state development department, Chilton said.

Pam Hall, Marion Area Chamber of Commerce president, attended the announcement.

"It's just so good to be able to celebrate good news," Hall said.
Sabatino said the Ohio Department of Development was "looking for unique uses of waste heat and this project had that."

Wyandot could have done the project on its own, but the grant provided additional incentive, Chilton said.

"We will put it to good use," he said. "This business is a business of pennies and fractions of pennies, and any little help we can get in being more efficient is absolutely crucial to surviving and prospering."

Reporter John Jarvis: 740-375-5154 or jjarvis@nncogannett.com