By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
March 21, 2001
DEKALB Economic development officials say a manufacturing company launched as a public-private venture a year ago has given the economy here a half-million-dollar boost.
Nokomis, a large manufacturer of industrial sinks and a division of New York-based Advanced Tabco, opened with investment from the Tennessee Valley Authority and its own private funds. A $254,000 TVA loan to Kemper County paid for the construction of a shell, and the company invested $750,000 for electrical and plumbing fixtures, a concrete floor and plant equipment.
The 50,000-square foot building is located in the Stennis Industrial Park on Highway 16. Its 23 employees manufacture 20-25 industrial sinks daily. The three-compartment, stainless steel sinks are the type used in commercial kitchens, such as restaurants and hotels.
Mike McGrevey, Kemper County Economic Development Authority executive director, said TVA officials recently turned the building over to Kemper County officials. To get the loan, county officials had to find a company to invest in the site and hire 20 full-time employees to work there.
McGrevey said the company is the largest industrial sink manufacturer in the nation. Plans are to increase production and hire up to 17 more employees within the next year and a half, he said.
Much of the company's equipment is computer driven, integrating modern technology with manufacturing processes, and the company employs both men and women in a variety of specialized jobs.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.