|
Appliance Controls Group - Chattanooga, Tennessee The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and its economic development partners turned a plant closing into an opportunity by successfully recruiting one the nation's largest manufacturers of components for gas ranges and grills. The manufacturer, Appliance Controls Group (ACG) announced in March that they would consolidate their domestic production by moving into the former Gem products plant in the Bonnyshire Industrial Park. The company invested $4 million and created 200 new jobs. ACG, which operated in Ooltewah under the name Harper-Wyman, had grown from 5 to 30 employees in the last five years. The company's management saw the Chattanooga location as more cost effective and better situated to serve its existing customer base. Welcoming Harper-Wyman to Hamilton County is a particular pleasure because we lost 50 jobs from this very location when Gem Products closed last month, stated Hamilton County Executive Claude Ramsey. Southeastern Container Cleveland, Tennessee When Marty Martin, local plant manager for Southeastern Container, Inc. was presented with the opportunity to compete for an expansion within his corporation, he knew he could count on the economic development folks at the Cleveland Bradley County Chamber of Commerce. Southeastern Container produces plastic bottles for the Coca Cola Bottling industry and has one of six plants located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The expansion project included the addition of 200,000 SF of new manufacturing space and the installation of two new blow molding lines that would enable the Cleveland plant to produce the liter bottles used in the Coca Cola soft drink industry. This project represented a new capital investment of $21MM and the creation of 32 high-paying new jobs. Working as a team, led by the Chamber, a competitive proposal was put together that included payments-in-lieu of taxes approved by both the City of Cleveland and Bradley County, assistance from the State of Tennessee Industrial Infrastructure Program on site preparation, and training dollars. It was a winning combination and the expansion is well underway! Sioux Tool Murphy, North Carolina
Benchmark Industries Pelham, Tennessee Earlier this year, Jeff Hendrix and Robbie Dickerson started a new start-up manufacturing company, known as Benchmark Industries. Benchmark produces custom consumable manufacturing components for the tier 1 and OEM automotive companies in southeast U. S. in the former Millennium Building located in the Pelham Industrial Park (Grundy County). Benchmark Industries is currently leasing the building from Grundy County which financed the original building and an expansion through the Community Development Block Grant Program. Both Jeff & Robbie have considerable experience in the tool & die industry and invested significant personal capital in this start-up venture. They have already met their initial job creation projection of 10 employees and have exceeded their sales projections. In house, they currently have 5 CNC machines (Mills, Lathe and Wire EDM) and 4 welding centers (Tig, Mig and Stick). In order to better deliver their services, Benchmark is required to have an in-house dimensional laboratory to support process gage and attribute gage projects for the OEM, tier 1, and tier 2 automotive companies. This requirement creates a need for an internal structure that meets these requirements. In addition Benchmark needs an upgrade to the machine shop area and an office front to improve their image and business function as the company grows. In conjunction with these leasehold improvements to the current building, Benchmark plans on adding 3 CNC machining centers estimated at $300K, add state of the art dimensional equipment and add office equipment, furniture & fixtures. Totally, Benchmark plans on investing $350K - $750K to support this expansion. Grundy County has completed an ARC pre-application to assist them with the following facility upgrades: This expansion project will directly create 70 new skilled higher paying jobs which will average $39,000/year for Grundy County residents. |
When Sioux Tools, one of the world's leading manufacturers of indusrial tools, relocated to Murphy, NC, an important component in their decision was to find a quality workforce. The City of
SEIDA is a regional economic development agency funded by the TVA and local power distributors to provide these valuable services at no cost.