[VIDEO] EMCC Communiversity Construction: From the Ground Up
COLUMBUS area, MS – Courtesy of Brody Weseli
Some information courtesy of the GTR LINK and The Dispatch
[VIDEO] link to Brody
Courtesy The GTR LINK
Courtesy The GTR LINK
Category Archives: Manufacturing
Courtesy The GTR LINK
Business After Hours at the GTR Airport – Jan 17, 2019 (image gallery)
COLUMBUS – Courtesy of the Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce
This month’s Business After Hours was a rousing success! Here are some photos of the event, courtesy of the CoC:
Photo gallery above. Original post and more photos can be found here.
Regional Business After Hours for Jan 17, 2019
If you are a member of any of the area Chambers, Partnerships, etc…or if you just want to meet some good people and mingle, swing by for Business After Hours at the GTR Airport tonight!
Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce
Golden Triangle Development LINK
Greater Starkville Development Partnership
European Journalists Flock to Visit Local Airbus Plant
COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch
German journalist Steffen Weyer was just one of over two dozen European journalists and Airbus reps who took in a tour of the Airbus facility while on the North American Airbus Tour. “It’s interesting to see how they’re built here and how they’re organized,” Weyer said.
He went on to say that the Hamburg, Germany Airbus location mostly produces airplanes, whereas the Columbus facility produces helicopters. He also said that he had no idea how large the facility was, nor of its community impact: “It is a very small city, but it seems that a company like Airbus comes here offers education and possibilities for people to stay here,” Weyer said. “I see that there is
The Airbus North American tour began at their Canadian facility, followed by Columbus and then Mobile, AL, and was aimed primarily at visitors who were not part of the European operation.
Airbus, an international company, has nearly 25,000 employees worldwide, including its four locations in America. The Columbus location opened in 2006 and has nearly 200 employees who manufacture two to three Lakota Helicopters each month for the U.S. Army.
“I can’t tell you how that decision changed this region,” GTR LINK Joe MAx Higgins said. “I don’t know if we could have attracted Steel Dynamics or Paccar if it weren’t for (Airbus).”
International Paper Issues Nearly $100K in Grants to Schools & Nonprofits
GOLDEN TRIANGLE – Courtesy of the Dispatch
International Paper has a regular program which issues grants to local educational and nonprofit groups in areas where they operate. This year, they are issuing a total of $95 thousand to local beneficiaries.
“As part of the IP family, we are privileged to assist these schools and area non-profits in their efforts to make an impact on the lives of those throughout our communities,” said Columbus Mill manager David Phillips. “We offer our heartfelt appreciation to each of these organizations and their volunteers. The … work you do is critical to the success of our community.”
IP’s grant program addresses needs in four main areas: education, hunger, health/wellness,
19 local organizations received funding this time around.
“It’s absolutely huge for us,” said YMCA Director Andy Boyd. “The adaptive therapy we provide depends on grants like the one we received from International Paper. We just couldn’t do this work without it.”
“IMPACT is a pre-school program for children from birth to 5 years old who have special needs and challenges,” said Janie Cirlot-New, Director of Starkville’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability at MSU. “In addition to the classes and we do assessments to determine if children are going to need special services. . . We rely almost completely on these kinds of soft-money donations,” Cirlot-New said. “These grants are what allow us to provide the services we offer.”
Please click here for the original article, including a breakdown of the grants issued.
Godfather’s is Coming to Town
GOLDEN TRIANGLE– Courtesy of the Dispatch
STARKVILLE
Pizza and buffet chain Godfather’s Pizza is opening a local store in Midtown at 301 University Drive, Suite 2. They plan to open their doors sometime this spring. The chain has been in business since 1978, and currently has more than 600 locations in 40 states. More options for tasty food in this burgeoning town are always good to have!
Starkville’s Cadence Bank main branch building, located at 301 E. Main St., is back on the market. The Board of Aldermen considered buying the property in 2014, but the project was eventually voted down. The 30 thousand sq ft building is currently listed at $2.5 million.
Ceco Building Systems, which makes materials needs to construct pre-fab homes, will be moving to a new location a few blocks down Hwy 45 N, according to Human Resources Director Tim Lamm.
Nails and Spa, located at 1726 Hwy 45, has put up an “opening soon” sign, but no date has yet been announced. The nail salon will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
COLUMBUS
K-Mart has officially closed its doors here as of late November. Future plans for the retail space, if any, have not yet been announced.
Penny Ridge Grocery, located at 2003 Ridge Road between Caledonia and Columbus, is on the market. Owners Deanna Jordan and John Wooten have said that they are in the process of finding a buyer, but that they would close for business by the end of the week.
AzkoNobel Has New Owner, New Name: Nouryon
COLUMBUS – Courtesy of the Dispatch
AkzoNobel Specialty Chemical’s global operations have been acquired by the Carlyle Group; their name at all locations, including their Columbus office, is changing to Nouryon. “Launching our new company is a significant milestone to add to our proud history, and we are all looking forward to this exciting new chapter,” said new CEO Charles W. Shaver, according to a Nouryon press release.
As a Nouryon plant, the local one will produce specialty chemicals. There are some plans in the works to improve productivity, and possibly hire some new employees, but nothing it set in stone just yet.
“We’re looking forward to the new ownership and the positive things to come out of it,” Columbus Site Manager Kathy Scott said. “We are positioning ourselves for growth. The main thing that will change will be the name on (employees’) uniforms. It is an exciting time now, because it’s all going to be focused on us producing chemicals.”
Please click here for the full article.
Mississippi Steel, Liberty Steel Announce New Partnership; New Shops in Columbus and in Starkville
COLUMBUS – Courtesy of the Dispatch
Columbus’ Mississippi Steel Processing has announced their majority acquisition by North Jackson, Ohio’s Liberty Steel Products Holding. MSP processes rolls of steel to the tune of 750 thousand tons annually; the company also runs and makes handcrafted steel and wooden furniture for their downtown shop, Steel Forest Furniture. Their president, Chip Gerber, made the announcement Wednesday night via press release: “We are excited for the future of MSP and our partnership with Liberty,” Gerber said. “The experience and reputation of Liberty in the industry is a welcome addition to our team at MSP.”
Susan McKay, the owner of Party and Paper, plans to open her new shop, Impressions by Susan, at 424 Main St by November. The new venue mainly offers event printing, personalized invitations, gift-wrapping, and the like. The store will be open from Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Kate Cryder will be opening an organic spray-tan business for those interested in safer methods of getting tanned in the next few weeks. Gypsy will be located at 109 5th St S, in the location formerly occupied by Fin’s Bobby Pin. She will be open from Tuesdays through Saturdays. Appointments can be scheduled online at tangyspy.co, and a personal consultation is included for each client.
Brickerton Day Spa now has new ownership: Amy and Matt Bogue will continue the spa as it is now, but they are looking to expand its services in the future, with medical treatments as the first thing on the list.
STARKVILLE
Starkville Nutrition, which offers healthy shakes and teas, has opened up at 500 Russel St, Ste 18. They had their grand opening in August, and will be open from Mondays through Saturdays.
Thrive Health, which used to be located on Hwy 12, has moved to the same building; their new address is 500 Russel St, Ste 29. They offer Chinese medicine, acupuncture, CBD oil, etc. They accept walk-ins from Mondays through Fridays.
CAFB and Other Bases to Receive New Training Jets, Simulators
COLUMBUS – Courtesy of The Dispatch
CNN reports that Boeing recently agreed to a contract to produce a number of new T-X trainer jets, which will replace the T-38 trainer jets, which have been in use for nearly six decades.
“The Air Force currently plans to purchase 351 T-X aircraft, 46 simulators, and associated ground equipment,” the Air Force said in a statement announcing the award, according to CNN.
CAFB’s PAO, 1st Lt. Kara Crennan reported that the contract calls for as many as 475 new jets to be built and distributed among air bases; CAFB is one of the nation’s three major training bases.
“Columbus Air Force Base is excited to get a new trainer,” Crennan went on to say. “This is showing the progress that the Air Force is making as far as innovation and ensuring we are keeping up with the advancements in technology. While the T-38 is a wonderful trainer and aircraft and has served us faithfully the last 60 years, we are excited for what the future holds in this new T-X aircraft that Boeing is going to make for us.”
4-County Electric Welcomes its New CEO
GTR Region – Courtesy of The Dispatch
Incoming 4-County Chief Executive Officer Brian Clark works at his desk Wednesday – Clark will replace Joe Cade, who plans to retire at the end of the month, as CEO and general manager Oct 1 – Photo by Isabelle Altman, Dispatch Staff
4-County Electric Power Association’s Asst General Manager Brian Clark has been named the non-profit cooperative’s new CEO in a recent press release; he will take over for outgoing CEO Joe Cade, who will retire at the end of the month. Clark first joined the company as a staff accountant about thirteen years ago, and worked his way up the corporate ladder to CFO in 2013m and then AGM in February.
Cade, who took over as CEO in 2010, is credited with working closely with the GTR LINK to help bring big businesses such as Yokohama to the area, as well as improving efficiency, work safety, and community engagement in the nine counties they serve. Clark means to continue and improve upon those successes: “I think 4-County’s in a great place,” Clark said. “I know that’s easy to say, but Mr. Joe and the board, they really have done the right things at the right time, which makes my job easy coming in. But it’s kind of like being a pristine athlete at a pro level. You have to work hard at staying in physical shape, so we have to work hard at maintaining what they’ve already built for us.”
Clark also serves as the LCSD board of trustees’ President, having been a member since 2010. Superintendent Lynn Wright speaks highly of him: “He’s willing to ask good, tough questions and he expects solid answers,” Wright said.
“He’s well-educated, he knows what he’s doing and he’s been real good in his jobs here so I don’t have any doubts about him,” Outgoing CEO Cade said. “I think he’ll do a really good job. . . I’ve had over 25 years of good relationships with everyone I’ve worked with and I know Brian has got the personality to do very well,” he added. “He’s a rock-solid good Christian man.”