Candle-lite Company, LLC of Blue Ash, today announced it will create 82 new jobs, retain 618 jobs, and invest more than $1.7 million in new machinery and equipment at its candle production facility in Leesburg. The expansion is being supported by a tax credit from the Ohio Development Services Agency and a strategic partnership between JobsOhio and OhioSE to bolster the company’s talent retention and recruitment strategies.
Candle-lite, one of America’s oldest continuing candle companies, has been crafting candles in Ohio for over 180 years and is one of the largest candle manufacturers in the country. The company experienced significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic creating increased demand for its products.
The company saw double-digit growth over the past year through distribution channels that include Walmart, Kroger, Meijer and other national retailers. To keep up with demand, the company operates 24 hours a day, six days a week to eliminate sales order backlog.
Candle-lite brands include Candle-lite Everyday, America’s No. 1 candle brand, Essential Elements, CLCo and CLCo Wooden Wick custom fragrances.
“Candle-lite is seeking to expand our employment base by up to 82 people in Highland County at our Leesburg Manufacturing and Distribution Center,” said Scott Meader, CEO of Luminex / Candle-lite. “We believe the innovative Talent Acquisition Services project along with the Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit will be important to ensure our ability to meet the employment goals we have for our facility.”
The JobsOhio Talent Acquisition Services program (TAS) will assist Candle-Lite with existing talent recruitment efforts including talent attraction, sourcing and marketing, pre-screening and assessments and training.
“The TAS program is designed for growing companies like Candle-lite and provides various professional services over a 12 to 24 month time-period,” stated Mike Jacoby, President of OhioSE. “This is not a loan or a grant but an investment on the company’s behalf by the JobsOhio Talent Team Members, and JobsOhio partners with customized solutions to assist in attracting, screening and training for open positions within Candle-lite. These are unique times, and finding and training talent is the biggest need of companies across the country Candle-lite is a long-standing and valuable contributor to southeast Ohio’s economy and we are happy to provide these specialized professional services.”
“We are deeply grateful for the long-standing commitment Candle-lite has made in our community,” said Julie Bolender, Director of Highland County Economic Development. “They are a key employer and the creation of at least eighty-two additional careers is impactful. We look forward to a continued collaboration as we support them in this endeavor.”