Thermo Fisher Scientific's Marietta facility plans to add 116 jobs with a $1.7 million expansion over the next year.

It's welcome news for a region that has seen more than 1,000 jobs leave in the last year and unemployment rates reach double digits.

"These are pretty good jobs in a great company," said Mike Jacoby, executive director of the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority. "I think this is very good news for all of Washington County."

Karen Kirkwood, Thermo Fisher's corporate vice president of communications, said the project will update the 401 Mill Creek Road facility and add equipment to accommodate new product lines.

"The 116 positions are mostly manufacturing, but there may be some sourcing and maybe even some research jobs there," Kirkwood said.

It was not immediately clear Monday when hiring would begin.

The project will also retain 480 existing jobs, Kirkwood said.

As the company prepared to move product lines from a number of other sites, including closing and consolidating some facilities, a strategic review identified the Marietta plant as a target for expansion, Kirkwood said. A combination of the facility's reputation and workforce, along with a tax credit offered by the state of Ohio, helped make the decision, she said.

The project and new jobs were announced Monday when the Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a 50 percent job creation tax credit for a seven-year term. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $328,832 over the term, and the company will be required to maintain operations at the project site for 10 years.

Jacoby was in Columbus Monday for the authority's vote and the announcement, along with Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Charlotte Keim and Washington County Commissioner Cora Marshall.

"Thermo Fisher has been really the shining star, not only in our Valley, but throughout the state of Ohio," Keim said. "This is wonderful news."

Thermo Fisher is a manufacturer of specialty cold storage equipment such as freezers and refrigeration for the medical and research laboratory markets. The local facility began in Marietta in 1950 as the small, family-owned Forma Scientific. It later became part of Thermo Electron, which merged with Fisher Scientific International Inc. in 2006.

The local plant was recognized by Industry Week magazine as one of the 10 best plants in North America for 2008, based on its safety record and efforts to improve efficiency.

In March, two dozen positions were cut from the facility, with a company spokesman citing "the dynamics of current market conditions, including labor and energy costs, site utilization and other company resources." Further specifics were not provided at that time, although Kirkwood said Monday she believed that was a consolidation move that would not involve the same types of positions that will be added under the new project.

Brad Bauer contributed.