GMi Expansion Makes Room for Waddell Relocation

Longevity and Growth 

GMi Companies, parent company of Ghent, Waddell and VividBoard brands and a leader in visual communications and space solutions, is pleased to announce the Grand Opening Celebration of its Lebanon facility expansion on October 28th from 4-6pm. To accommodate rapid growth and leverage the central location of its operation just north of Cincinnati, 36,000 square feet of additional production space has been added to the existing 100,000 square foot facility. The addition allows for consolidation of operations, expands shipping dock capacity for greater access and on-time delivery, and provides warehousing space for raw materials to further enable best-in-class lead times and product availability.

“When my dad started the Ghent brand over 40 years ago, I’m not sure he could have imagined our growth,” said Mark Leasure, CEO of GMi Companies. “This expansion is in line with our mission. We were founded on the principals of Service to Our Customers, Service to Our Employees, and Service to Our Community. By keeping our operations local with this expansion, we’re achieving all three.”

Consolidating Production Operations

For 140 years, Waddell products have been manufactured in the same 3-floor facility in Greenfield, Ohio, about an hour from GMi Corporate headquarters. The Waddell team has admirably risen to the many challenges of producing and shipping products in an outdated facility, continuing to deliver lifetime warranted display cases and space division furniture. With the expansion of the facility in Lebanon, GMi now has an opportunity to consolidate its operations into one modern facility. The consolidation will allow for additional production capacity, better freight rates, and the streamlining of processes.

What Does the Future Hold?  

“The decision to keep our presence in the greater Cincinnati-area is the perfect complement to our growth strategy,” said John D’Agostino, President. “The area is rich with talent in skilled trades thanks to a diverse manufacturing base and is surrounded by well-known colleges, universities, and Fortune 500 companies. We’ll have the opportunity to further expand staffing and capabilities across all departments as demands increase for servicing current and future markets.”