Category Archives: Manufacturing

Natural Gas Expansion Approved for Lowndes, Oktibbeha — Could Bring Jobs to Area

By Golden Triangle, GTR LINK, Manufacturing, PSC

A natural gas expansion has been unanimously approved by the PSC, allowing greater access to our native resources in Oktibbeha and Lowndes Counties. Hopes are high that this will bring both income, and many new jobs, to our area!

gtr linkGolden Triangle, Mississippi –

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley recently announced the approval of $16.7 million in natural gas expansion projects in Lowndes and Oktibbeha Counties to equip two industrial sites with the necessary gas infrastructure to land more jobs for the Golden Triangle region.
“Utility infrastructure is a key to Mississippi’s ability to win the jobs of the future. These expansions will be a great benefit to the Golden Triangle.” said Presley. “I deeply appreciate my fellow Commissioners working with me to get these projects funded.”

“This program is a ‘win-win’ for everyone involved,” said David Gates, President of the Division of Atmos Energy. “Under the program we will be able to invest millions of dollars in natural gas infrastructure in the Golden Triangle. This will make the area, which is already a desirable location, even more attractive to industry and that will mean more jobs and more economic development to the region.”

Funds will be used to expand gas capacity in the Golden Triangle Industrial Aerospace Park and the proposed Starkville Industrial Park currently under development.

Read the full article here: http://gtrlink.org/news_media/article/388

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Local Boy Done Wood — News in the World of Food

By Business, Columbus, Foodservice, Manufacturing, Other Manufacturing, Steel Dynamics

20150424085747-58f2ab97Info courtesy of the Dispatch

Main Street to Get a New Kind of Furniture Store

Mississippi Steel Processing’s president, Chip Gerber, has been waiting a long time to open up a shop that showcases his passion. On Thursday, September 29th, he will get his wish. that will be the first operating day of his new shop, The Steel Forest Furniture Company at 515 Main Street. Gerber has been making hand-crafted furniture as a hobby out of Mississippi wood and steel for years, and now he’s had the opportunity to increase production of his custom pieces, and share them with his eager customers. Please come on out to show your support for this new type of store, run by a local hobbyist-turned-artisan!

 Under New Management: Cattleman’s Steak and Fish

One of Columbus’ best-known restaurants will re-open at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 29th. They are  located at 301 Tuscaloosa Road, and they will now be offering an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, in addition to their other fare. They will be open from 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday with a lunch buffet.

 Avast, Matey! Krispy Kreme Shares the sweet Booty!

Monday was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and Krispy Kreme has continued its popular tradition of giving out free donuts to patrons who come in dressed as pirates, or who were at least talking like them, on that day. Store Manager Jessica Carpenter reports that they gave away more than 6,300 donuts to gleeful participants this year.

For more info, you can read the full article at the Dispatch: http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=53022

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The TVA Infinity Megasite is Online in Columbus!

By Columbus, GTR LINK, Manufacturing, PACCAR, Steel Dynamics, Yokohama

The TVA Infinity Megasite is Online in Columbus!

Bill Johnson, President and CEO of the TVA (Tennesse Valley Authority) announced today that the Infinity Site is open and ready for a manufacturing business to move right in. Infinity is a TVA Megasite in the Columbus area; two others also exist as part of the industrial park off of Hwy 82, which houses Steel Dynamics and part of PACCAR. This is now the third such site in the Columbus area, and the eighth in the state of Mississippi.

Megasites are large (1000+ acres) industrial production sites designed to be everything a manufacturer could want, all set up and ready for them to move in and get down to business in short order: The buildings themselves, land and parking, infrastructure, and easy access to major transportation routes such as interstates and railways. On average, as many as three thousand jobs are created as part of a megasite’s creation and usage.

joe max higginsJohnson gave JoeMax Higgins, CEO of the GTR LINK, an award recognizing the hard work the LINK has done in order to facilitate speedy certification of the site – a process which can normally take a year and a half was done in half the time due to their efforts.

Mississippi is growing ever stronger, and word is spreading!

Colin Krieger of our own Good for Business was on had to record the announcement on video. 60 Minutes also had reporters on-hand to cover the story, as a testament to the ongoing improvements in economic development.

Link to our video here:  https://www.facebook.com/colin.krieger.92/videos/1131807593532839

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Golden Triangle Manufacturers Honored

By Business, Golden Triangle, GTR LINK, Manufacturing

Courtesy of WCBI

Golden Triangle, Mississippi

Southern Business and Development Magazine has released its 2016 Best of Economic Development in the South ratings.
The Golden Triangle was awarded top rankings in three categories, including excellence in aerospace and automotive manufacturing.

“This is the short-list for successful places for economic development and growth,” said Brenda Lathan, Senior VP of Economic Development at the Golden Triangle Development LINK. “The professionals that vote on these are the best of the best, and they know economic quality.”

SB&D is the only media property that covers economic development in the American South, the world’s fourth-largest economy. For more information, visit www.sb-d.com.

The Golden Triangle Development LINK is the regional economic development organization for Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties.

For the full article, click here: http://www.wcbi.com/gtr-development-link-lands-major-awards/

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EMCC Job Fair – Today!

By Airbus, Business, EMCC, Golden Triangle, Military, PACCAR, Yokohama

A job fair is happening today at EMCC’s Golden Triangle Campus! Polish up your resume, put on your Sunday best, and come on by! All are welcome!

EMCC Office of Public Affairs – PRESS RELEASE:

Employers on hand will include manufacturers like Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, Airbus Helicopters Inc. and PACCAR Engine Company, along with representatives from other businesses seeking everything from health care workers to diesel technicians and fast food workers. Some employers will fill immediate openings while others will offer training that could lead to a job.The job fair is open, and free of charge, to all college students and area residents. The list of employers signed up to participate in the job fair is available on EMCC’s website, eastms.edu. Look for the East Mississippi Job Fair link on the home page.

For more information, contact Melanie Sanders at (662) 243-1904 or msanders@eastms.edu.

Click here for the full article: http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=49759

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EMCC Honors PACCAR, Yokohama, Baptist at Industry Luncheon

By EMCC, Golden Triangle, Health & Medicine, PACCAR, Yokohama
emcc-logoEast Mississippi Community College held its Industry Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday at the Golden Triangle campus. They chose to honor businesses that have invested countless hours – and dollars – to help improve the Golden Triangle and make it a force to be reckoned with on a national scale.

MAYHEW, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) –

PACCAR and Yokohama both received the Director’s Award, the event’s highest honor.

Also honored was Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle, which was granted the Best Practices Award, and Special Recognition Awards for developer Mark Castleberry and Lt. Col. Richard T. “Sonic” Johnson (retired).

EMCC President Dr. Thomas Huebner Jr. proudly told the assembled that “We are proud to serve the people of this region. When your people, our people, take what they have learned in these four walls and they make a better product, provide a better service, earn a higher wage, send the next generation to college, change the trajectory of their families, we are all better.”

PACCAR received the Director’s Award for “the highest level of recognition through workforce training, demonstrating management excellence with superior outcomes, continuing to improve and build upon outstanding results and excellent systems and deploying world-class processes.”

Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, which took the Director’s Award last year, accomplished a repeat performance this year for “the highest level of recognition through workforce training, demonstrating management excellence with superior outcomes, continuing to improve and build upon outstanding results and excellent systems and deploying world-class processes.”

Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle earned the Best Practices Award for “providing outstanding examples of workforce training, quality management and business practices that serve as models for others.”

More information may be found at the link below, courtesy of WCBI:

http://www.wcbi.com/local-news/emcc-holds-industry-appreciation-luncheon/

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Aurora Wins Major DARPA Contract for VTOL Drone Aircraft

By Aurora Flight Services, Golden Triangle, Mil. Manufacturing

lightningstrikeAurora Flight Services recently announced that they have beat out several high-end competitors – including Boeing – for am $89 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract. They will be designing and constructing a VTOL drone, which could also be modified to accommodate a pilot, for future use in the military.

 

Aurora reports that they have been working on a design for such a craft for about two years now, and that they will be able to go ahead and create the actual “LightningStrike” plane, as it has been dubbed, in anticipation of a 2018 test flight series. It is hoped that the whole process will help to bring a number of additional jobs to this area. Aurora has roughly twenty years of experience creating VTOL aircraft, so the project is in good hands.

 

“Aurora is proud to support DARPA on what we all hope to be a truly historic breakthrough in aviation technology,” Aurora chairman and CEO John Langford said in a statement. “If successful, the VTOL X-Plane’s radically improved flight capabilities could lead to revolutionary advancement of the U.S. military’s future missions capabilities.”
For more info, and a video, check the link here: http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=49332

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Winston Plywood Wins Major Award and Brings Jobs

By Business, Manufacturing, Other Manufacturing

winston plywoodLOUISVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) —

Winston Plywood and Veneer in Louisville has been awarded the 2016 Corporate Investment and Community Impact Award. They were one of fifteen companies selected for this honor nationwide. After their plywood mill was destroyed by a tornado in April 2014, they got right back on their feet and gathered $50 million in funds to rebuild the plant; it is expected to provide 400 local jobs.

More information at the link below:

 

 

http://www.wtva.com/news/Winston_Plywood_and_Veneer_wins_national_business_award.html

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Franklin Furniture Institute’s Annual Summit at MSU

By Business, Education, Golden Triangle, Manufacturing, MSU, Other Manufacturing, Starkville

msu-ffi logoSTARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) —

Representatives from manufacturing businesses statewide have been attending the the Franklin Furniture Institute’s annual Manufacturing Summit, and this year was no exception.  The event took place recently at the MSU campus. The subject matter for this year included things such as security and defense from cyber attacks. Roughly one hundred attendees were present, including engineering scholars from MSU.

“Today, 19,286 men and women have great careers in furniture industry, manufacturing furniture, in Mississippi and that number has grown recently,” Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Glenn McCullough said. “Payroll from the furniture industry is approaching half a billion dollars a year. It’s a very important part of our economy.”

You can find more info at this link: http://www.wtva.com/news/local/Annual_summit_attracts_manufacturers_to_MSU.html

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“Basically, you declined because you were successful.”

By Business, Columbus, Golden Triangle, Manufacturing, Other Manufacturing, Starkville, West Point

Columbus Remains In Top 10% Of Economic Strength

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