MEDC 2010 NEWS

Weekly Mississippi Economic Development News Archives -
Carol's Web Blog
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Please send your news, articles and press releases to carol@medc.ms for consideration for inclusion on this website.
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Scroll down for listing of Towns and Cities in 2010 News
Chronological listing of 2010 News
News on Individual Members - Member News
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NEWS ARCHIVES
Click below for news articles in each year.
2009
2008
2007

2010 CEDA WINNERS
EMINENT DOMAIN NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED IN THESE PROJECTS:

List by town - linked to chronological list below:

Amory - Anshan Iron & Steel | Madison House LLC
Ashland - Abby Manufacturing
Baldwyn - Toyota Auto Body
Batesville - Parker Hannifin
Bay Springs - Hol-Mac
Booneville - ACCO
Bogue Chitto - Gatlin Corp
Byram - MBCI Metal Roof
Canton - Mississippi Film Studios | Nissan
Clarksdale - Drumheller
Columbia - Pioneer Aerospace
Columbus - Janesville Acoustics | KiOR | MS Steel & New Process Steel | PACCAR
Copiah County - DG Foods
DeKalb - IGCC Plant
Flora - Monsanto
Fulton - Max Home
Grenada - Advanced Distributor Products | Grenada Stamping & Assembly
Hazlehurst - Pipeline Contractor
Horn Lake - Newly Wed Foods
Iuka - Dennen Steel | Ershings, Inc.
Jackson - Comcast Expansion | Solar Panel Plant
Louisville - Polo Custom Products
Monroe County - Townhouse
Noxubee County - Shuqualak Mill
Olive Branch - Guardian Fiberglass | Hamilton Beach | Soladigm
Pascagoula - Signal International
Philadelphia - AlphaGen
Pontotoc - Delta Furniture Company | Southern Motion
Purvis - South MS EPA
Senatobia - Twin Creeks Technology
Southaven - Fiskars Brands | Siemens
Starkville - SemiSouth | Sitel
Tippah County - Albany Industries | Hudson Salvage
Tishomingo - Jamco Furniture
Tunica - Wilh Schulz GMBH Plant
Tupelo - Lane | MTD Products | Martinrea | Renasant Center | Sleep Innovations
Tylertown - Brigade Manufacturing, Inc.
Union - DuraSip
Water Valley - BorgWarner
Webster County - Sly, Inc.
West Point - Navistar Defense
Wiggins - Enviva LP
Winona - Anel Corporation

Chronological list:

ALPHAGEN PLANT BRINGING 200 JOBS TO PHILADELPHIA
December 21, 2010 - (No Link)
AlphaGen formally announced that it will open a plant in the former U. S. Motors building, bringing up to 200 new jobs to Philadelphia initially and more as it expands in the future.
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MISSISSIPPI POWER BREAKS GROUND ON KEMPER COUNTY COAL PLANT
December 16, 2010 - The Neshoba Democrat
The 582-megawatt, clean coal technology electric power plant represents an investment of $2.4 billion by Mississippi Power and will create 260 permanent jobs and an additional 1,000 jobs during peak construction.
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ERSHINGS, INC EXPANDING OPERATIONS IN IUKA CREATING 52 NEW JOBS
November 30, 2010 - Trade & Industry Development
A $1.62 million company investment, the new building will house large diameter cylinders manufactured by the company until they are shipped out by barge. The expansion will create 52 new jobs.
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GRENADA'S ADP TO EXPAND
November 27, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Advanced Distributor Products has announced that it will expand its evaporator coil factory in Grenada to accommodate a new fabrication process. A 26,000-square-foot building is going up next to the company’s existing facility in Grenada’s Air Industrial Park for the expansion, which will create 26 new jobs.
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NAVISTAR DEFENSE FILLING 120 JOBS IN WEST POINT
November 24, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Navistar Defense has started hiring 120 workers at its plant in West Point, Miss. The company announced this week that it had received a $253 million contract from the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command to build 250 International MaxxPro Recovery vehicles.
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DELTA FURNITURE ADDING 50 JOBS IN PONTOTOC
November 22, 2010 - (No Link)
Officials from Delta Furniture Company, manufacturer of upholstered living room furniture, have announced the company is expanding its operations in Pontotoc, Miss., to accommodate an increase in production. The company will relocate from its current 100,000-square-foot facility into an existing 220,000-square-foot city-owned facility, also located in Pontotoc. Through this expansion, the company will create at least 50 new full-time jobs and invest more than $590,000 over the next three years.
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ANEL CORPORATION UNVEILS EXPANSION PLANS
November 18, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Anel Corporation, supplier of steel fabrications and hydraulic and fuel tanks, will expand its operations in Carroll County. Anel vice president Jamie Holder says the company will add to its existing plant in Winona and buy new machinery to increase production capacity and efficiency. Holder says the project will create 20 new jobs.
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HOL-MAC EXPANDS IN BAY SPRINGS
October 31, 2010 - (No Link)
Hol-Mac Corporation will expand its operation in Bay Springs and create 35 new jobs. Hol-Mac is a supplier of steel fabrications, cylinders and tanks.
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SIGNAL INTERNATIONAL IN JACKSON COUNTY PLANS TO HIRE 200 WORKERS
October 24, 2010 - (No Link)
Signal International in Jackson County wants to hire at least 200 people over the next six months to join its team.
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SEMISOUTH TO DOUBLE WORKFORCE
October 23, 2010 - The Dispatch
With the infusion of $30 million from a California-based clean technology company, Starkville's SemiSouth Laboratories plans to expand and bring more than 70 new jobs to the Golden Triangle.
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MADISON HOUSE LOCATING FURNITURE MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN AMORY
October 20, 2010 - Trade & Industry Development
Officials from Madison House LLC, a start-up upholstered furniture company, announced today that the company is locating manufacturing operations in Amory, Miss. The project will create a total of 85 jobs by the end of the company’s second full year of operation. Twenty of those jobs are already in place.
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BIOMASS COMPANY BUYS WIGGINS PELLET PLANT
October 13, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Enviva LP, a leading manufacturer of processed biomass fuel in the United States and Europe, announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Tomorrow’s Energy, LLC and its Piney Woods pellet manufacturing facility in Wiggins, Mississippi. Enviva anticipates creating 22 new jobs at the facility and providing jobs for an additional 30 employees throughout its logging and forestry supply chain.
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COLUMBIA PLANT EXPANSION TO CREATE 50 NEW JOBS
October 11, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Pioneer Aerospace, a designer and manufacturer of parachutes and other equipment, has announced a plant expansion in Columbia that will create 50 new jobs.
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DRUMHELLER IN CLARKSDALE TO ADD 20 JOBS
October 7, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Drumheller Packaging, Inc. is expanding its Clarksdale operation which will create 20 additional jobs over a three-year period.
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SLY, INC. TO EXPAND PLANT, ADDING 33 JOBS
October 7, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Sly Inc. officials say the company will expand its Webster County operations and create 33 new jobs.
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SCOTTS BRINGING OPERATIONS TO RANKIN COUNTY
October 5, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Officials from The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company, the lawn and garden products company, have announced the company is locating production operations in Pearl. The project represents a company investment of approximately $17 million and will create 95 new jobs, once fully operational.
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SLEEP INNOVATIONS TO EXPAND BALDWYN'S MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES
September 28, 2010 - SleepInnovations.com
Sleep Innovations will add to its existing production facility, creating a polyurethane foam manufacturing center of excellence. The center will focus on the development of groundbreaking new products, including mattress toppers, mattresses and pillows that utilize the company’s proprietary memory foam technology. The project will result in the creation of approximately 40 new jobs and generate an additional $30 million of annual revenue into the Tupelo / Lee County area and Baldwyn Community.
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BIOFUEL COMPANY TO LOCATE IN COLUMBUS, ADDING JOBS
August 26, 2010 - The Dispatch: Columbus, Starkville & The Golden Triangle
Governor Haley Barbour announced Thursday KiOR of Houston, Texas, has agreed to invest $500 million to build three facilities in Mississippi and create an estimated 1,000 jobs. The first, which will be located at the Port of Columbus on the southern tip of "the island," will employ approximately 50 workers on its 22-acre site.
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BORGWARNER ADDING NEW JOBS IN WATER VALLEY
August 25, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Auto parts maker BorgWarner Drivetrain Systems has announced it will expand its operation in Water Valley, adding 120 new jobs by the end of 2012. Currently, the facility employs 300 workers.
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PACCAR ADDS 90 WORKERS AT COLUMBUS PLANT
August 24, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
PACCAR Inc. has hired 90 workers and officials with the Bellevue, Wash., truck engine manufacturer expect to meet the goal of starting production in December.
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SMEPA LAUNCHES $62M PLANT UPGRADE
August 16, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
South Mississippi Electric Power Association’s (SMEPA’s) plant in Purvis has begun a $62-million environmental upgrade project. The project will create 125 construction jobs and pump an estimated $7.5 million in construction payroll into the economy. It’s scheduled to be completed next summer.
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SITEL EXPANDING STARKVILLE CALL CENTER, ADDING JOBS
August 13, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Sitel has added more than 110 full-time positions within the past month, and more than 300 full-time positions expected by the end of October.
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SOUTHERN MOTION BREAKS GROUND IN PONTOTOC
August 10, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Southern Motion says it’s investing $7 million in its new 180,000-square-foot production facility in Pontotoc. The expansion represents a company investment of $7 million and will create a minimum of 200 new jobs over the next two years, with the potential to create a total of 400 new jobs over the next five years.
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DURASIP LEASES IDLED PLANT, BRINGING 40 JOBS
August 6, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Supervisors in Neshoba County have agreed to pay $900,000 for the former Brook Manufacturing plant in Union and then lease it to a company that will employ 40 by the end of the year.
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GROUND BROKEN FOR TWO NEW STEEL PLANTS IN COLUMBUS
August 5, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Mississippi Steel Processing is investing $15 million in its new Columbus facility, and New Process Steel’s new facility represents a $10-million company investment; the two companies will create 55 and 30 new jobs, respectively.
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SOLADIGM BRINGING PLANT, JOBS TO MISSISSIPPI
August 2, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Soladigm, a supplier of next-generation green building solutions, is locating manufacturing operations in Olive Branch. The project represents a capital investment of more than $130 million by the company and will create more than 300 new jobs.
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TOYOTA AUTO BODY TO RESTART CONSTRUCTION, BRINGING NEARLY 300 JOBS
July 30, 2010 - (No Link)
Governor Haley Barbour announced the restart of construction on the $200 million facility in Baldwyn. The plant is expected to employ close to 300 people.
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HAMILTON BEACH MOVING TO OLIVE BRANCH, BRINGING 125 JOBS
July 29, 2010 - MDA Press Release
Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc., a leading designer, marketer and distributor of small electric household appliances, as well as commercial products for restaurants, bars and hotels, is relocating its distribution operations to Olive Branch, Miss. The move will bring 125 jobs to the area.
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POLO ADDS EMPLOYEES, CELEBRATES JOB CREATION
July 19, 2010 - (No Link)
Polo Custom Products of Louisville celebrated its continued growth Thursday, July 15. The company recently met its job creation goal of 160 jobs in Louisville.
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ALBANY INDUSTRIES BUYS PLANT, ADDING JOBS
June 2, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Furniture manufacturer Albany Industries is expanding its operation in Ripley in northeast Mississippi and could hire up to 200 more workers.
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TWIN CREEKS BREAKS GROUND FOR PLANT
June 1, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Twin Creeks Technologies has broken ground for its new solar panel manufacturing facility in Senatobia. The project will create 512 jobs in two phases, and it represents a company investment of more than $175 million.
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COMCAST EXPANSION ADDS 40 NEW JOBS IN JACKSON
June 1, 2010 - (No Link)
Work continues on the old Kmart building on the frontage road along I-55 in north Jackson as the cable company plans to house some 350 employees.
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WISCONSIN COMPANY TO BRING NEW PLANT TO COLUMBUS
May 28, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Officials say a Wisconsin automotive supplier will locate a plant in Columbus and bring in about 240 jobs.
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BYRAM ROOF PLANT EXPANDS, ADDING 50 JOBS
May 22, 2010 - (No Link)
A Byram plant specializing in metal roof and wall systems and insulated paneling is beginning anew as it produces a new product. The expansion is creating 50 jobs, with 31 people already on site and the rest to start working in the next few weeks.
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GUARDIAN FIBERGLASS EXPANDING PLANT IN OLIVE BRANCH
May 18, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Guardian Fiberglass Inc. is expanding operations at its facility in Olive Branch to accommodate an increase in production. The $9.5-million expansion will create 30 new jobs at the plant.
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ANSHAN AGREES TO INVEST IN STEEL PRODUCT IN U.S. FOR TECHNOLOGY
May 17, 2010 - (No Link)
Anshan Iron & Steel Group, part of China’s fourth-largest steelmaker, agreed to build a reinforcing bar plant with Steel Development Co., making a first investment by a Chinese company in a U.S. mill.  The project to make construction steel will be located in Amory, Mississippi.
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FISKARS BRANDS, INC. TO BRING 100 JOBS TO SOUTHAVEN
May 15, 2010 - The Commercial Appeal
Fiskars Brands Inc., a company best known for its scissors, axes and high-quality knives, is set to open a distribution and warehouse center in Southaven. The Finland-based company is bringing 100 new jobs when it moves into an existing 260,000 square foot facility in September.
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DG FOODS EXPANDING, ADDING JOBS
April 28, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
A Copiah County chicken processing facility is expanding its operation and adding 200 jobs. DG Foods currently employs 350 workers.
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ACCO BRANDS EXPANDING, ADDING JOBS
April 15, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Office products company Acco Brands Corp. is expanding its operations in Booneville, adding another 35-40 workers to one of its manufacturing plants.
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PIPELINE CONTRACTOR EXPANDS HAZLEHURST LOCATION
April 2, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
A pipeline contractor has announced it will expand its Hazlehurst operation, adding a fabrication shop and 25 new jobs at its facility.
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GRENADA PLANT EXPANDING, ADDING WORKERS
March 30, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
A $300,000 investment by the company, the expansion will create 40 new jobs, bringing the total number of employees at the Grenada facility to 180.
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LANE FURNITURE EXPANDING IN LEE COUNTY
March 26, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
The expansion is creating a total of 186 new jobs, bringing the total number of Lane employees in Lee County to 2,051. Eighty-five of the jobs created through the expansion are already in place.
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NISSAN PLANT COMPLETES $118M EXPANSION
March 25, 2010 - Clarion Ledger
A $118 million expansion to the plant that will allow it to build Nissan's first light commercial vehicles for the North American market has wrapped up, and about 600 of the plant's 3,300 employees are training to help make the vehicles.
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SIEMENS BRINGING 150 JOBS TO SOUTHAVEN
March 19, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Siemens, a leading supplier of manufacturing, transportation, building and lighting systems, is locating one of its distribution operations in a 619,000-square-foot building at the Airways Distribution Center in Southaven. It is expected to bring approximately 150 jobs to Mississippi.
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LAWMAKERS OKAY FUNDS FOR SOLAR PANEL PLANT
March 12, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Mississippi lawmakers have passed a $50-million bond bill to attract a company that might build solar panels in the state. the company would create 500 jobs within five years with salary and benefits packages averaging at least $34,000.
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FILM STUDIO TO OPEN IN CANTON
March 12, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
State officials say the 39,000-square-foot facility, called The Mississippi Film Studios at Canton, could employ up to 250 workers when film production is underway.
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OFFICIALS BREAK GROUND ON NEW PIPE PLANT IN TUNICA
March 11, 2010 - Bloomberg Business Week
The German company's initial $80 million investment is expected to create 200 jobs. Schulz plans to increase that to $300 million over the next five years, boosting the number of new jobs to 500.
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MONSANTO BREAKS GROUND ON $2.4M CORN FACILITY
March 9, 2010 - (No Link)
Monsanto held a ground-breaking ceremony today for a $2.4 million corn breeding station in Flora.  The 26,000-square-foot corn breeding station in the Flora Industrial Park will employ approximately 10 full-time and up to 50 seasonal workers.
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HUDSON SALVAGE ADDING DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN TIPPAH COUNTY
March 4, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Officials from Hudson Salvage, LLC, leading purchaser of retail salvage merchandise, have announced the company is locating a distribution center in Tippah County in Northeast Mississippi. It offers the potential to create several hundred new jobs at the facility over the next several years.
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MTD EXPANSION BRINGS JOBS TO LEE COUNTY
March 3, 2010 - (No Link)
Lawn care equipment manufacturer Modern Tool & Die (MTD) Products Inc. has announced a $6.25 million expansion of its operation in Lee County. Officials say the company will add 107 new jobs.
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WALTHALL COUNTY LANDS 100 NEW JOBS
February 23, 2010 - (No Link)
A new local apparel company, Brigade Manufacturing Inc., has committed to employing 100 plus by 2011, with a goal of eventually employing 200 plus.
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NEWLY WED FOODS ADDING JOBS IN HORN LAKE
February 19, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Newly Weds Foods, a producer of food coatings, seasonings and ingredients for the food processing and foodservice industries, is investing $1.25 million in new equipment and creating 20 new jobs.
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MARTINREA EXPANSION MEANS 50 JOBS TO LEE COUNTY
February 17, 2010 - Nems360
In about six months, another 53,000 square feet will be added to Martinrea Automotive Structure’s plant in the Tupelo-Lee Industrial Park South.  And with it will come another 50 much-needed jobs.
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TOWNHOUSE FURNISHINGS EXPANDS AND ADDS JOBS
February 11, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Townhouse Home Furnishings, located in Monroe County, will create 15 new jobs and represents a $20,000 investment by the company.
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JAMCO FURNITURE EXPANDING FACILITY
February 11, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Jamco Furniture Industries is expanding its facility to accommodate an increase in production. The 5,000-square-foot expansion represents a $200,000 investment by the company and will create 10 new jobs.
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COMPANY ADDS JOBS, EXPAND IN BATESVILLE
February 10, 2010 - Mississippi Development Authority
Manufacturer Parker Hannifin has announced an expansion in Batesville that will add 50 jobs.
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MAX HOME TO ADD 100 JOBS IN FULTON
February 5, 2010 - Nems360
Max Home is investing over $850,000 in equipment and building upgrades for the expansion, which would add 100 jobs at the facility. The company will now have 375 workers in Fulton. The company also will continue operations at Iuka facility, where it employs 150.
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TUPELO'S RENASANT CENTER EXPANSION
February 2, 2010 - (No Link)
Construction of a $5.4 million business-incubator expansion could start by mid-February that will bring an additional 200 jobs. In the long run, it will create an estimated 179 new jobs from the businesses currently interested in a slot at the center.
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SHUQUALAK MILL ADDING PLANT IN NOXUBEE COUNTY
January 27, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Shuqualak Lumber is retaining its existing workforce and plans to add 15 new jobs as a result of the expansion. It operates two plants in Mississippi — a planer mill in Shuqualak and a nearby sawmill.
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ABBY MANUFACTURING RELOCATING, ADDING JOBS IN BENTON COUNTY
January 11, 2010 - Mississippi Business Journal
Abby Manufacturing, a fabricated structural metal manufacturer, has announced the expansion of its operations into a county-owned building in Benton County. The expansion will create approximately 35 new jobs at the Ashland, Miss., facility.
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