AVON, Ohio — A 58-acre lot in Avon is where Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems will build their new headquarters. After nearly 80 years in Elyria the company is moving.

• 550 jobs
• Money for schools
• Company stays in Lorain County

“When you look at what Bendix has meant to Elyria and then the possibility of moving out of Ohio and to a different area or even out of the county, I think no one understands the magnitude of what it could have been” said Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen.

Bendix paid more than $4.5 million back in 2017 for the land.  The company employs about 3,200 people across North America.

“They’ll be the second largest employer in the city of Avon. The Cleveland Clinic is number one,” Jensen said.

Jensen says the Avon school system will also benefit from the relocation. 

“The schools are going to benefit also. What we do is we have that area that’s all tiffed, and that means it’s kind of an incremental thing… instead of some of the money maybe going back to the county for other things, it helps stay in this area for infrastructure, but also money that we will give back to the schools,” said Jensen. 

Jensen believes the Bendix move could start a trend. 

“It’s going to drive more business to that area. it’s also going to bring businesses to that area,” said Jensen. “Anytime you bring a corporate office, other people are going to start to look at that same area and say why did Bendix choose Avon? Why did Bendix choose that area?”

Construction will begin in the next two months.