Council OKs tax abatement for a $17.6 million investment that will create about 35 direct jobs with full benefits
Foley Pipe Co., hopes to open its new pre-cast concrete plant in Flomaton by October, 2020, with a $17.6 million investment and about 35 jobs that will average $18 per hour plus full benefits.
Jess Nicholas with Coastal Gateway Regional Development Alliance and Allen Butcher, chief financial officer for Foley Pipe Co., appeared before the Flomaton Town Council Monday to make the official announcement. The council later approved a resolution giving the company a 10-year non-educational tax abatement and approved resolutions to seek Community Development Block Grant funds to extend sewer to the plant location, which is on Highway 31 behind the Tri-City Ledger office.
“They have agreed to come to Flomaton,” Nicholas told the council.
Nicholas also said the plant will likely add additional jobs after five years and the plant will also create about 30 indirect jobs for the area.
Butcher said Foley Pipe Co., has been in business since 1981 and is based out of Columbus, Ga. It currently operates nine plants and is the largest concrete and precast company in the southeast.
Butcher said the company picked the site due to its location and the fact that it has owned the property for a few years.
“It's a project we've been working on for two years,” Butcher said.
He said they looked in Texas but that didn't fit well with the management structure. He said they also looked in Florida but settled on Flomaton.
“It was pretty much what we needed,” Butcher said of the Flomaton site, “but a little small. We want to be in Flomaton with our precast.”
The town is still working on an agreement to either sell or donate land north of the site that now houses a baseball practice field. Butcher said the plant needs the extra space and will help relocate the baseball field to another area.
Councilman Buster Crapps asked Butcher what attracted them to Flomaton and he said the location, in addition to already owning the land.
He added when the company originally purchased the land, it's intentions were to put in a ready-mix plant, but those plans changed.
Butcher also said the company's plan is to purchase the raw materials needed to make the precast components, which will also provide an economic impact to the area.
“We plan to buy our sand and gravel local,” he said.
He said while the target date is to be operational on Oct. 1, 2020, jobs will happen before that date.
“With a trained workforce we'll be ready to go,” Butcher said.
