JACKSON TWP — LabChem Inc. is relocating its operation and 36 employees in May to a 70,000-square-foot building at the Jackson Pointe Commercial Park.

The company manufactures chemical solutions for use in laboratories and production processes.

The company was previously at the University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center in Harmar, Allegheny County.

No new jobs are planned as part of the relocation, according to company officials.

The company joins UPS and Highmark in the park that has one remaining building to be developed in the flex warehouse phase. A second phase is planned for retail development near the intersection of Route 19 and Lindsay Road, Route 528.

MARS — Woodward Inc., a designer and fabricator of ferrous and non-ferrous metal products in bulk material handling applications, has hired John Pitzer as its general manager.In that capacity, Pitzer is responsible for Woodward's daily business operations, and those of the company's Mars Mineral division which designs and manufactures agitation pelletizing equipment and systems.Pitzer has more than 30 years of experience related to coil processing, machine tooling, packaging, material handling and sortation.President Clayton Woodward said, “His combination of technical and managerial skills is precisely what we need to strengthen our competitiveness.”The company, which has a 45,000-square-foot production facility, has been in business for more than 50 years.

The Community Development Corporation of Butler County said Joe Saeler, manager of operations, also assumed the position of assistant director, effective Jan. 1.Saeler of Oakland Township, who joined the CDC six years ago, is responsible for the design and construction of both the Trinity and the Shearer Road buildings.Saeler's other CDC projects have included the build out of the CDC's office at 111 Woody Drive and the Pullman Commerce Center.His current projects include the office build out for the Trinity building and researching areas in the county for development.

The Best Insurance Agency of Butler is celebrating its 90th year with the Encompass Insurance Co., which is part of the Allstate group of companies. The Best agency has been in business since 1917.