Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — Businesses pumped more investment dollars than ever before into Butler County in 2007, with $856 million in private capital projects flowing into the county over the year.

County officials said the investment created 2,921 new jobs and retained 2,912 more, and more than 5.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space was either leased or sold over the year.

The previous record of $651 million in new investment was set in 2005.

"You look at any other county, and there's nothing close," said County Commissioner Charles Furmon. "They basically refer to Butler County as the job creation capital of Ohio."

County Economic Development Director Brian Coughlin credited the growth to several major projects.

Chief among them was Amylin Pharmaceuticals, which is investing $400 million into a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in West Chester Twp. that could create 500 new jobs.

The county also wooed Armor Holdings into not only keeping 742 jobs here, but also investing $75.6 million into its West Chester Twp. campus, potentially creating 400 new jobs.

Assistant County Administrator Tim Williams attributed the growth to geography and a road system that grants businesses access to arterial highways and both Dayton and Cincinnati.

"Butler County is a county that is really in the middle of two metropolitan areas, and basically both are growing into Butler County," Williams said.

Contact this reporter at sweigart@coxohio.com.