The reopening of the former Globe Metallurgical plant onin Niagara Falls, New York, has taken longer than anticipated but the proposed creation of 500 jobs is reportedly still on the radar.
Clara Dunn, the city’s Empire Zone coordinator, provided an update on the plant’s progress Monday to City Council members, who say they’ve been receiving numerous phone calls from people wondering why nothing seems to be happening on the highly publicized economic development project.
“It’s something we’ve been banging the drum on for a while and saying it’s going to create 500 jobs ... but we’re not seeing it happen,” Council Chairman Chris Robins said.
Dunn said she recently took a tour of the site and was told interviews to fill jobs at the plant have restarted and more updates could be announced in the upcoming weeks. Currently, 23 employees have been hired, including seven from Niagara Falls.
“There’s every indication from inside the plant that things are moving forward,” Dunn said.
One of the world’s largest producers of metallurgical and chemical-grade silicon metal and silicon-based specialty alloys, Globe Specialty Metals announced in May 2008 plans to reopen and expand production at its old plant, which closed down production and moved to Ohio in 2003. The $60 million investment proposed creating 500 “green collar” jobs, most of which will be tied to the construction of a new 100,000-square-foot facility by Solsil, Inc., a subsidiary of Globe that refines silicon metal to create solar panels.
The first phase of the project consisted of restarting operations at the existing building, creating about 100 jobs within the first year, company officials have said. However, Globe’s Human Resources Director Lee Payssa said back in January some of the goals included in the tentative production schedule were delayed as the company awaited funding from economic inventive programs and grants. Difficulties securing construction materials and harsh economic conditions were also named as deterrents.
However, Dunn said Monday company officials remain optimistic about their future in Niagara Falls and that the project will happen as proposed.
n Dunn also provided a report on the hiring of local residents at Ascension Industries. Last year, the City Council amended the city’s charter to allow the North Tonawanda metal manufacturing company to be recognized within a state Empire Zone, opening it up to tax credits. In exchange for the approval, Ascension officials promised to make hiring Falls residents a priority.
Dunn reported the company has since hired 18 new employees, including 11 from Niagara County and four from Niagara Falls. The company has also advertised openings locally prior to expanding the search, she said.
“In all actuality, they’ve done what they said they were going to do,” Dunn said.
Ascension is required to provide the city a detailed business report including hiring statistics by next April.
Source: Niagara Gazette
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