Applied Laboratories planning $6.5 million expansion

Applied Laboratories Inc. is planning to invest $6.5 million in its Columbus facilities, expanding the plant by more than 100,000 square feet.

The company will be asking Columbus City Council for a tax abatement on the investment at the council meeting tonight.

Jeff Logston, the company’s president, explained in documents filed with the city that the expansion will be to add more warehouse space to the facility on Brian Drive. Although no new jobs are going to be added due to the expansion, the company has 193 employees and has grown from 167 employees over the past two years. The company also has 72 contract employees and pays an average of more than $22 an hour before fringe benefits.

Logston said that if the tax abatement is approved, Dunlap Construction will be the contractor for the expansion.

The city estimates that a tax abatement will save the company about $577 thousand dollars over the life of the tax break.

Columbus City Council meets at 6 p.m. tonight in the council chambers at Columbus City Hall.