Sphere One officials plan an expansion of their Cumberland Street facility that will represent an investment of over $5 million and create at least 17 new, full-time jobs within three years.

Sphere One operated as PQ Corporation in Chattanooga for 25 years before being purchased in 2004 by Kish Company, located in Mentor, Ohio.

Sphere One extracts hollow ceramic micro spheres from fly ash, a natural by-product of coal combustion, for use in the plastic, paint and resin industries. These micro-spheres are also used as additives to cement and ceramic in the manufacturing process. They can also replace mined materials in those production processes and reduce production costs.

Sphere One intends to consolidate several different manufacturing operations into the Chattanooga plant. The expansion will include new production of mica and other minerals.

"Sphere One currently employs about 20 people at the Chattanooga plant," said John Kish, Kish Company president and CEO.

"When we purchased Sphere One two years ago, we could have moved the jobs to Ohio but decided to stay in Chattanooga because the plant had enjoyed such success here for a quarter century and the business climate in the community is very favorable for expansion."