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Electric Vehicle Plant Planned For Century, Over 1,000 Jobs Possible
October 10, 2008
NorthEscambia.com has learned that an electric car manufacturing company that could eventually employ over 1,000 people has planned to locate its primary plant in Century.
The Escambia County Commission will consider an ordinance next Thursday in support of the project, which will reportedly bring about 250 jobs initially to the area.
“The electric car assembly plant is planned for the Century Industrial Park,” said Larry Newsom, director of Escambia County’s industrial development effort. “The details are still being worked out, but the resolution in support of the project is needed next week so the state can provide the company with a grant.”
The project is being headed by Jay Patel, owner of LHS Companies in Pensacola. According to their web site, LHS operates several hotels in Pensacola and Gulf Shores, including a Howard Johnson, Days Inn and a Ramada.
Art Rocker, vice president of the car company, being developed under the name LHS EZ-Concept, LLC, said the company was not releasing any information until after the resolution was approved by the county.
“This is a very positive thing for Escambia County,” Newsom said.
The chargers for the vehicle — where it is actually plugged in to be recharged — will probably be manufactured in Fort Payne, Alabama, Escambia County Administrator Bob McLaughlin said Thursday.
“But Mr. Patel’s intentions are to try to bring all of that back into Escambia County,” McLaughlin said. “In the meantime, he will also have his corporate headquarters for the electric car company also located in Escambia County. That’s what the concept is and how he plans to proceed.”
“He’s dead set to locate as much of this in this county as he can,” Newsom told NorthEscambia.com, “and in the town of Century.”
Newsom said project plans call for the initial production of 150 cars per month. The plant is expected to employee about 250 people shortly after startup, with an eventual employment of 1,100 to 1,200 within five years.
“I certainly welcome it, and I welcome any industry to Century,” Mayor Freddie McCall said. “I am for it 100 percent.” McCall said he had not yet spoken to Patel about the project’s details, so he did not have further information.
“It’s a good thing for this county,” District 5 Commissioner Kevin White told NorthEscambia.com. “It’s a really good thing for us, and I am so glad that they are going into Century with their plant.” White said he had the opportunity to ride in one of the electric vehicle prototypes, and he was very impressed.
“It certainly will put a lot of people to work and off welfare,” Century Chamber of Commerce Director Benny Barnes said. “It will cause our area to grow; we could see a lot of changes here in Century. It would be big for any small town, but especially big for Century.”
NorthEscambia.com was the first to report this story, and we will continue to keep you updated as further details emerge.
Pictured above: The Century Industrial Park could soon be home to an electric vehicle manufacturing company that might eventually employee over 1,000 people.
Comments
8 Responses to “Electric Vehicle Plant Planned For Century, Over 1,000 Jobs Possible”
WOW…… THIS WOULD BE GREAT. BUT I PRAY THAT THIS WILL GO THROUGH AND DEVELOP INTO SOMETHING GREAT FOR OUR AREA, UNLIKE THE VAN NEVEL HELICOPTER COMPANY. IT WOULD ALSO BE A CLOSER DRIVE THAN HAVING TO DRIVE TO CRESTVIEW, FL
George Van Nevel is holding up this project after all that Century has done for him and Van Nevel Helicopters. Century went out on a limb time and time again.
THANK U JESUS!!!!! I PRAY THAT THIS PLANT DO COME TO CENTURY , BECAUSE WE NEED BETTER JOBS INSTEAD OF TRAVELING UP & DOWN THA ROAD WITH GAS PRICES UP AND DOWN. WE NEED TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY WITH BETTER JOBS AND BETTER HOMES. MINIMUN WAGES JOB IS BETTER THAN NO JOB, BUT WE NEED A LITTLE MORE JUMP START SO WE CAN COME UP. WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO COME UP AND LOW PAYING JOBS IS ONLY GOING TO PUT US ON A SLOW START. I PRAY THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR FUTURE AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY . ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS THAT’S GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. WE NEED MORE DAILY ACTIVITES FOR OUR COMMUNITY SO THE STREETS CAN BE CLEAN AND PEOPLE CAN STOP BEING HARRASS BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE FAILURES. I’M LOOKING FORWARD FOR SOMETHING NEW AND SOMETHING EXCITING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
!!!!! PRAY CENTURY PRAY!!!!!
I’ll be very cautious when thinking and talking about this…….sometimes when it glitters,it is not gold………when it begins construction,then I’ll be a bit more excited…..
Wow! this is great news. I just hope and pray it really happens. It sounds to good to be true, but at least it gives us hope and jobs for our area.
Boy . . . that would be alot shorter drive to work than Mobile, AL.
This is the most exciting news that we have had in a very long time! It is about time that Century be considered the home for future growth in industry and etc…
We have alot of great people living in Century and the surrounding area who would love the opportunity to get off of government assistance and be able to help themselves, they just need the window of opportunity in order to do it.
And also, we have alot of smart young people in this area who cannot relocate to other states to better themselves for personal family reasons and this would be a great opportunity for them to better themselves into a market that would offer them growth and a future, other than stocking shelves and ringing up groceries from now on!
THANK YOU MR.PATEL FOR GIVING THIS COMMUNITY THE GIFT OF HOPE
Does the new company plan to use the former Helicopter Tech building, or would the old saw mill be a better fit with its larger area? If in the industrial park, the city needs to move quickly to regain control of the facility from Van Nevels. Either way, this is fantastic news and a win for Century and North Escambia.