Becker Mining Systems Coming to Mount Vernon, Ohio

 

October 8, 2025 - Becker Mining Systems will make a significant investment as it moves into Heartland Commerce Park (HCP) in Ohio.

The Germany-based company plans to buy Plant No. 1 for $2.7 million. The closing on the 117,000-square-foot building is set for Oct. 15.

 

Becker Mining Systems will begin operations in Plant 1 at Heartland Commerce Park. The Germany-based company will produce components used in underground mining systems. Credit: NAI Ohio Equities

 

Becker Mining America Inc.

Becker Mining America Inc. expects to create 40 full-time-equivalent positions, generating $2.4 million in annual payroll as a result of its new location in Mount Vernon.

Becker Mining Systems supplies energy, automation, communication, transportation, and infrastructure technology for the mining industry.

The proposed project includes the acquisition of an existing facility to house intellectual property and manufacturing operations to better serve U.S. customers.

Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a 1.169 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for the project. 

According to Greg Sanders, president and chief executive officer of Becker Mining America, the company will invest an initial $500,000 in start-up costs and ramp up to $1.5 million.

“Becker Mining’s investment brings renewed purpose to a site that has meant a great deal to generations of Mount Vernon families,” Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr said.

“This is a meaningful step forward for our local economy and a sign that our community remains a place where manufacturing can thrive.”

The Mount Vernon facility will be known as Becker Mining Systems — Longwall Solutions and will produce powered roof supports. Roof supports shore up mining tunnels and ensure safety and stability.

“We welcome Becker Mining’s first investment in Ohio, a testament to the confidence international companies have in our state as a platform for strategic growth,” JobsOhio President and CEP J.P. Nauseef said in a release announcing the project.

“Mount Vernon is proof that when global innovators look to expand, Ohio offers the talent, infrastructure and business climate to help them succeed,” Nauseef said.

‘A Perfect Fit’

Workforce availability and local leadership attracted Becker Mining to Mount Vernon. 

“The first thing I looked for was workforce development. What does the workforce look like?” Sanders said. “I looked at the building; can we get it to do what we want to do, and it could. I was looking for heavy manufacturing.” 

Plant No. 1 is designed and equipped for heavy manufacturing and assembly. It features several cranes with a capacity of up to 50 tons and provides ample electricity service.

It also features a 24,000-square-foot welding shop, a drive-in paint booth, and a warehouse equipped with racking.

The third thing Sanders looked for was the community’s receptivity.

“Sam [Filkins] and his group, doing what they could to bring business into the community, was really incredible,” Sanders said. “How over-accommodating they were, how grateful to have someone bring good jobs to the area. It was actually refreshing

“And it really is a great town.”

Filkins is president of the Area Development Foundation and Knox County Land Bank.

The land bank oversees the commerce park and has committed over $500,000 in environmental remediation and infrastructure improvements to support site redevelopment.

“The site Becker is moving into has nearly 200 years of deep industrial roots,” Filkins said.

“Since acquiring the site, the Knox County Land bank has been intentional about redeveloping it to ensure it continues to drive manufacturing growth and regional benefits.”

Filkins said Knox County is well-positioned for development because of its highly skilled workforce and the community’s strong commitment to supporting industry.

“Becker’s arrival is a perfect fit,” he said. “It builds on the park’s long legacy of production and continues our region’s tradition of industrial excellence.”

Competitive Wages for Skilled Labor

The company hired an operations manager and supervisor and is working with Opportunity Knox/Ohio Means Jobs to fill other positions.

Positions include painters, welders, machinists, laborers, and mechanical engineers. Wage scales range from $18 to around $30, depending on the position.

“It will be a competitive wage for skilled labor,” Sanders said. “We’d like to have about 40 people by the end of next year, and 150 within the next three years.”

The company expects to generate $2.4 million in annual payroll.

Sanders anticipates the Mount Vernon hub will ship out its first product by the end of the year. The company will ship products throughout North America using rail and truck transport.

Sanders said the company does not want to be a manufacturer that takes from the community. Instead, it wants to give back. That includes hiring local companies for the renovations, re-certifying the crane, and buying new welders.

“We want to be part of the community and invest back into the community,” he said. “We want to get to know the employees and the families as we progress and become an integral part of the community.”

Central Ohio Attracts Global Manufacturers

Becker Mining Systems is a family-owned company. It entered the U.S. market in 2007 and has divisions in Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Russia, Australia, Poland, and Germany.

The Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) approved a 1.169%, six-year job creation tax credit for Becker Mining at its meeting on Wednesday morning.

According to One Columbus, more than 40% of OneOhio’s current project pipeline consists of foreign direct investment.

“When a company puts down roots in a place, it is making a statement about what it sees in that community,” Matt McCollister, interim president of One Columbus, said in the release.

“Becker’s decision to invest here sends a clear message that Mount Vernon is ready for manufacturing growth. We are proud to help make that happen.”