PERRYSBURG – First Solar is expanding its horizons.
The solar panel producer, which has a manufacturing plant located in Perrysburg Township, is in the
process of purchasing a plot of commercial land not far from its current location.
According to a real estate transfer filed March 2 through the Wood County Real Estate Division, a
property located at 8401 Broadstone Boulevard was transferred from HJM LLC, based in Holland, to First
Solar, for $1.125 million.
The site is located approximately a third of a mile northeast of First Solar’s facility, which is located
at 28101 Cedar Park Boulevard.
Alan Bernheimer, director of communications in North America for the company, confirmed Friday that First
Solar is in the process of purchasing the property for the potential expansion of office and engineering
functions. When the site came on the market, because of its proximity to First Solar’s campus, it made
sense to secure it to support expansion, he said.
Bernheimer explained that Perrysburg is the center of First Solar’s engineering development efforts.
Administrative functions that might take place on the site include human resources and information
technology. Those functions tend to increase with fast-growing companies, he said.
According to the Wood County Auditor’s Web site, the four-acre property is classified for medium
manufacturing and assembly use.
The site includes a storage warehouse, measuring approximately 40,000 square feet, which was built in
1997 when the property was owned by ROL Manufacturing of America Inc., based in Orlando, Fla.