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Northwest Fla., Big Bend Business Briefs - Sept. 2008
Cottondale
Green Circle Bio Energy, owned by Sweden’s JCE Group AB, has opened its $100-million, 300,000-sq.-ft. wood pellet manufacturing plant, the world’s largest. Jackson County Development Council estimates the plant will generate $30 million in annual revenue and 51 jobs. Another 150 indirect jobs are expected to be created in the timber industry.
Escambia County
St. Louis-based Solutia Inc. wants to sell its nylon division, which includes a manufacturing plant at Gonzalez with more than 1,000 employees. Rising oil prices have increased the cost of petroleum-based chemicals used to make nylon.
» The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed spending $15 million to clean up groundwater contaminated by chemicals from the former Escambia Treating Co. That’s in addition to $22 million in work under way at the site for removing and capping contaminated soil. Some 400 families were relocated.
Holmes County
Holmes County Development Commission sold the 789 acres earlier announced as a planned site for “Life in the Wild’’ nature park, which was promoted by former “Wild Kingdom’’ TV host Jim Fowler. The sale to Fowler’s group fell through last year. The buyer, identified only as SSRO Inc., hasn’t indicated plans. The development council will use the $3.2 million from the sale to build an industrial park.
Niceville
Okaloosa Walton College is now Northwest Florida State College, reflecting its expansion in bachelor’s degree programs.
Northwest Florida
The Nature Conservancy has purchased more than 1,000 acres near Blackwater River State Forest from Jacksonville-based Rayonier forest products company, expanding a conservation area spanning from south Alabama to the Gulf.
Pensacola
Hixardt Technologies has received a five-year, $18-million contract, its largest to date, from Eglin Air Force Base to provide software support and to manage base software purchases and licensing. Hixardt is doubling staff to 20.
» The Pensacola port is handling shipments of 182 wind turbine generator systems imported from Europe and connecting via rail to a new wind farm development project in Indiana. The port contract with Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, is providing $450,000 in port revenue and some 50 port jobs.
Tallahassee
Florida State University is the lead university for a new Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion, a collaboration of Florida’s top aviation and aerospace researchers, and one of two new Florida Centers of Excellence. State funding of $14.57 million will be shared with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida.
» The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges has removed Florida A&M University from probation. Also, the university has received a $14-million federal grant to support research in drug discovery and in makeup and treatment of various degenerative diseases.
Taylor County
Chemring Group, a British military products manufacturer, is buying Martin Electronics for $70 million. Chemring plans to maintain or expand employment in Taylor County, currently at 250.
