October 11, 2007
Tifton -- Over the next nine months the HeatCraft will build a second, 300,000 square foot facility to house operations currently done in Danville, Illinois. Some workers are expected to transfer, but it will also mean new jobs for skilled workers at two Tifton plants that recently announced closures.
It was a typical day inside the HeatCraft plant in Tifton. Workers continued to manufacture industrial refrigeration units that can be found both inside and out of most Wal-Marts. Across town, the big announcement was made. Operations in Danville will cease and move to Tifton.
"We'll expand the current facility, We'll add about a 300,000 square foot addition, well actually it will be a second building and then all of those products will come here," says Mike Vincent, HeatCraft V.P. of Operations.
That includes HeatCraft's products on the evaporation side of their refrigeration business. They'll bundle those products with what's made at the Tifton plant. In part the move can be credited to the skilled workforce in Tift County.
"Proximity to our headquarters in Stone Mountain Georgia, high caliber of worker in Tifton, growth of our customer base in the southeast," said Vincent.
The news is welcome especially with the recent closures of Tifton Aluminum and Prestolite Wire, and many of those workers will qualify for these new jobs.
"These are skilled employees and skilled employees are hard to come by in this area so therefore some of the people who lost their jobs from some of the recent closing can actually go there, and be ready to start work without a lot of additional training," said Cal McMillon, Tift Regional Chamber of Commerce Chairman.
HeatCraft's expansion could also bring new industry, companies that supply parts to HeatCraft.
"Hopefully suppliers will actually want to come here and actually be adjacent to this company and actually help in this process for us, so it's vitally important for our success," McMillon said.
The success of growing a business that's been a part of Tifton for 30 years.
HeatCraft currently employs 300 workers at the Tifton plant. Several years ago the State named the facility Manufacturer of the Year in the medium-size business category.
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