Officials break ground on 130,000 square-foot Hinkley headquarters expansion

AVON LAKE — With the first few scoops of dirt ceremonially turned Wednesday, construction officially can begin on a 130,000-square-foot expansion at the Hinkley lighting company headquarters at 33000 Pin Oak Parkway. The expansion into an adjacent field will allow the company to boost inventory and increase the speed of fulfillment and special order processing, according to a news release from the city. Hinkley President Jess Wiedemer said the expansion will also grow warehouse and production capacity and add light automation capabilities. A second phase of the expansion will see the creation of a 20,000-square-foot customer experience and research and development center for supporting product development, engineering and brand experience activities, according to the city. The company employs about 120 people at its Avon Lake facility, Mayor Greg Zilka said. Overall, the company has been in business 99 years since its founding as a residential outdoor lantern company. Zilka said Hinkley is a "wonderful asset" to Avon Lake. "The business they are doing has been growing and growing, and by putting on this addition, obviously there is optimism that their business and perhaps others will grow along with it," he said. Lorain County Commissioner Matt Lundy, who served with Zilka on Avon Lake City Council in the 1990s, recalled discussions at that time to attract companies to Pin Oak Parkway. Economic development initiatives can take time to be fully realized, he said, but economic growth has been seen widely across the region since that time. "For those who say that they are concerned with the economy, things are going well," Lundy said, adding that the county is ready to work with companies growing and adding staff. Jess Wiedemer, who attended the groundbreaking with his brother and Hinkley Vice President/general counsel Eric Wiedemer, said increasing the size of the company's facilities will "create a more connected and cohesive brand experience" for customers. Formerly known as Hinkley Lighting, the company expanded its products by purchasing Regency Ceiling Fans in 2019 and has since simplified its name to Hinkley. The city granted Hinkley a 15-year, 100 percent tax abatement for the expansion in January 2020. Jess Wiedemer said the groundbreaking would not have been possible without his late father and former Hinkley CEO Rick Wiedemer, in addition to the support of the local government and community; Hinkley's real estate adviser, architect, builder and finance teams; the company's management team; its employees; and its customers. In addition to expanding the physical size of its headquarters, Hinkley plans to add a weekend shift this summer. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.