PACCAR, a global leader in the design and manufacture of premium light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks, will construct its newest engine manufacturing and assembly plant on a 394-acre site in LowndesCounty.
The company will invest $348 million in the project, which will create 500 new jobs for the area. In addition to direct jobs, the plant will produce nearly 5,000 indirect jobs and has already attracted two Tier 1 suppliers. The plant’s annual payroll will be roughly $18 million. Production is expected to begin in 2010.
To help make the project a reality, the Mississippi Legislature approved a state bond package totalling $48.4 million. The package included $23.9 million for on-site improvements such as roads, site preparation, fire service, and water and wastewater extensions. The other $24.5 million will support off-site infrastructure and training, including road improvements and a training center.
“The outstanding site and strong labor force in the region were important factors in this location decision,” said Jeff Forsythe, senior consultant at McCallum Sweeney Consulting and project manager for PACCAR’s ‘Project Jupiter.’ “It was a highly competitive project, and in the end the Mississippi team prevailed over locations in 12 states.”
“PACCAR’s announcement to locate on the Crossroads Megasite provides an optimal location for the company’s new facility and brings quality jobs to the Columbus-LowndesCounty area,” said TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley.
“The creation of 500 new jobs and the public and private investment in LowndesCounty will contribute significantly to continued economic growth in Northeast Mississippi,” said Governor Haley Barbour. “I am pleased with the decision of this major international company to locate here, which is further testament to the tremendously skilled work force and ‘can-do’ attitude at every level in this region,” Governor Barbour continued.