Premium ContentMouse over Home then click on Premium Content for information.A Sioux City, Iowa, manufacturer of electrical and communication transmission equipment has announced plans to nearly double its workforce after it completes an $18 million expansion.
Sabre Industries plans to break ground this spring on a new, 192,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and expects to be up and running in the new facility by October. It will add 192 new positions in areas ranging from management to sales, human resources, welding and shipping. The company currently has 208 employees in Sioux City.
The additional space will be used for the production of tubular steel poles. Workers in Sioux City already build other types of utility towers.
Connie Aasen, Sabre's vice president of marketing, said the company considered locations in several parts of the country but wanted to expand in Sioux City because of its long history in the community.
Sabre Industries was founded in Sioux City in 1977, but moved its headquarters to Pennsylvania a few years ago. Currently, Sabre is headquartered in Alvarado, Texas, and has divisions with facilities in Oklahoma, Indiana and Florida.
"I think that a part of it was that we've been here, so we already know the work ethic, the quality of people we can get, so it seemed natural to keep it here," Aasen said,. "I know they had good offers from other places, but Sioux City came through."
Marty Dougherty, the city's economic development director, said officials have been working with the company for years. When they learned of Sabre's plans to expand, they did everything they could to keep them around.
The new facility will be located on a 150-acre site in the city-owned Southbridge Business Park, on the south end of town between Interstate 29 and the Missouri River. The company's existing facility is nearby, outside of the business park. It will continue to operate out of that building in addition to the new plant.
Dougherty said the company will be eligible for local financial incentives — the investment will qualify for special financing — and should receive some support from the state. He said the amount of the incentive package is still being finalized. The City Council has yet to sign off on an application that will be sent to the state, but he said that's on the agenda for later this month.
"This is the type of company, these are the kinds of good-paying jobs, that qualify for a whole range of programs both at the state and local levels," he said.
Dougherty said the city is pleased with Sabre's growth over the last several years, and expects it to continue to build on growth in the transmission industry. He hopes the company's presence in the city-owned development will spark other business growth.
"This will be a big step for us to have a company of their quality moving into the business park," he said.
Aasen said the company is focused on getting the plant up and running, but see potential for additional expansions and more new jobs in the future.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1543, erin.golden@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
