WORTHINGTON, Ky. — Executives from the Ironton-based Modular Security Systems, Inc., and the Kentucky-based Price Solutions cut the ribbon on their new 40,000-square-feet facility in the former Marathon, Inc., airplane hangar at the Ashland Regional Airport in Worthington, Ky.

Price Solutions makes the portable storage units for MSSI, which markets them nationally and internationally as secure facilities at construction sites, ports and power plants such as the Marathon Refinery in Catlettsburg, Ky.

Price Solutions began in a 10,000-square-feet building in Olive Hill, Ky., but when it outgrew its facility, the search was on to find a bigger place.

The empty hangar that had been turned over to the airport authority by Marathon seemed a logical place.

“At one point we were manufacturing in Indiana and couldn’t get the quality we needed,” MSSI Co-President Rob Slagel said. “But we could get it here in the Tri-State. We have a skilled labor force that knows steel. This was a good place to locate.”

The hangar-turned factory will turn out approximately 100 units per year in a $10 million to $20 million-a-year operation, MSSI Co-President David Slagel said.

The 20 employees at the Olive Hill plant were transferred to the Worthington facility.

Rob Slagel said another 20 to 30 jobs will follow.

The expansion was hailed by local officials Monday as an example of what can be accomplished when governments and businesses work together.

“It’s really going to be the strong small businesses that pull us out of this economic downturn,” Kentucky State Sen. Robin Webb said.