By the BF Staff
From the September/October 2021 Issue
A $60 million expansion by Milwaukee Tool is expected to create 800 jobs in Grenada, Mississippi, and the manufacturer says it will add 400 more among its plants in Greenwood and Jackson and its distribution center in Olive Branch.
The construction of an accessories manufacturing facility in Grenada is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
In August, Milwaukee Tool announced a new manufacturing facility in Clinton, MS. Anticipated to open in November, the new facility will accommodate increased capacity for the company’s growing business. The $7 million, 357,000-square-foot facility is part of the company’s recent commitment to creating 1,200 jobs in Mississippi.
“At the core of everything we do at Milwaukee Tool is our dedication to delivering disruptive solutions that drive enhanced safety and productivity for our users. The new Clinton facility, as well as our ongoing investments in U.S. operations and manufacturing, are critical to ensuring we can continuously deliver this innovation to our end users and distribution partners with speed and agility,” said Steve Richman, Milwaukee Tool group president.
During the last decade, the company has grown their employee headcount in the state from 526 in 2010, to more than 3,659 in 2021.
OCEAN AERO PUTS HQ IN GULFPORT
Ocean Aero, manufacturer and service provider of ocean-going autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSV), is relocating its manufacturing operations and headquarters from San Diego to Gulfport, MS. The $4.7 million project will create 45 new jobs.
Ocean Aero’s AUSVs are currently deployed by the U.S. Dept. of Defense, Dept. of Homeland Security, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, offshore energy companies and more. Ocean Aero’s AUSVs provide a unique capability to monitor the world’s oceans and critical offshore infrastructure.
The company manufactures the world’s first and only environmentally powered AUSV, TRITON, which operates exclusively on wind and solar energy and performs long-endurance missions on the ocean’s surface with the ability to also perform underwater operations.
The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for equipment relocation and workforce training.
“The state of Mississippi thanks the Ocean Aero team for choosing to bring these exciting manufacturing operations to Mississippi. I remain firmly focused on the development of our maritime industry and blue economy,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “Every day, invaluable research is conducted in the waters off of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, helping grow our blue economy while providing exciting, high-tech jobs for many in our state.”
Mississippi’s maritime industries continue to grow. Last year, ship maintenance and repair company ST Engineering Halter Marine and Offshore undertook a $10-million expansion in Pascagoula, MS. The project will create 100 jobs, the company said.
“The shipbuilding and repair industry is a powerhouse on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, generating billions of dollars for the state’s economy and providing skilled jobs for thousands of Mississippians,” Gov. Reeves said. “STEHMO’s growth builds upon that momentum and will continue to do so as the company’s growth opens doors for new contract opportunities.”
RANKIN COUNTY: CENTER OF THE SOUTHEAST
Rankin County, MS is strategically located in the center of the southeast United States and within 500 miles of approximately 76 major metropolitan areas that comprise one-third of the nation’s population. As part of the Metro Jackson area, Rankin County enjoys all the benefits of immediate proximity to the state’s capital city and urban amenities while adding its own dimensions of the best in community life, education, employment, housing and superb quality of life.
Well-positioned amid a major transportation corridor, Rankin County has an excellent multi-modal system including road, rail, air and water connections that provide quick, easy access to major cities throughout the world.
Ideally suited for logistics and distribution, Rankin is also a choice location for the automotive industry and is within 30-minutes of the $1 billion Nissan manufacturing plant in Canton, MS and its seven tier-one suppliers. Rankin County’s position at the crossroads of Interstates 20 and 55, available industrial parks and property with infrastructure in place and a large skilled labor pool provide an ideal location. Another big plus in the Rankin County site location column is the fact that it is less than a day’s drive to every major auto manufacturing facility in the Southeastern and Southwestern U.S.
Located near the heart of the Jackson metropolitan area and home to Jackson International Airport, Rankin County is one of the fastest growing counties in Mississippi and has become the go-to area for shopping, dining and other commercial and retail development. It ranks third in the State of Mississippi for generation of sales tax revenues and offers prime commercial areas near major concentrations of housing, office and recreational developments like Bass Pro Shop and the Mississippi Braves, a Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
Whether the need is for manufacturing, distribution or commercial sites, Rankin County offers the total development location package fully supported by pro-business elected officials and a proactive economic development team.
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