Petmin USA Incorporated, a South African company, planned to invest US$500 million to build a new pig iron mill in Ashtabula, Ohio, supplying spheroidal graphite cast iron.

The plant will be started as soon as July this year, and it was estimated to create 500 engineering construction jobs and 100 full-time posts. After project was completed, the annual output of pig iron will reach 425,000 tons.

The plant will be located about 30 miles from where DevelopErie's factory was. However, DevelopErie has filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2016. DevelopErie has planned to invest US$22 million to build a pipeline to solve shortage of cooling water in Albion area, but the company's debts continued to increase much, and ultimately only under bankruptcy protection.

Recently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved for an Erie-based company to begin natural gas pipeline construction, designed to carry natural gas 28 miles from western Erie County into Ashtabula area, solving shortage of natural gas in the Ashtabula area.

According to the executive director of re-development agency in Erie County, although Erie County's geographical advantage was not obvious, the investment project will still benefit the county and provide local employment opportunities.