Photo courtesy of Owl's Head Alloys
Owl’s Head Alloys intends to build a new melt shop facility in Clay County, Mississippi.
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) announced March 21 that secondary aluminum producer Owl's Head Alloys (OHA) intends to build a new melt shop facility in Clay County. The manufacturer intends to make a $29.2 million investment that will create 68 new jobs.
The news follows an earlier announcement in December by OHA, based in Bowling Green, Ky., that it had been awarded a long-term agreement to supply recycled aluminum to Aluminum Dynamics LLC (ADL), a production joint venture of Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI), located in Fort Wayne, Ind.
At that time, OHA said its agreement was designed to "support the $2.2 billion facility for rolling aluminum being constructed in Columbus, Miss., by SDI."
"Aluminum Dynamics received numerous bids from the industry, but Owl's Head Alloys stood out as the leader in the secondary aluminum processing industry due to its exceptional quality and customer service," Bernardo Bulnes, an official with of ADL said last December.
OHA also had reached an agreement to increase its recycled-content aluminum capacity, with a first step being the purchase of property in West Point, Miss., in the northeast part of the state.
"Owl's Head will be investing significantly over the next five years at the new site while hiring locally for production, maintenance and some management roles," the alloys producer said late last year.
OHA noted that its "presence of strong leadership and customer service" was instrumental in SDI selecting Owl's Head Alloys as a supplier. The company was founded in Kentucky in 2002 with a single furnace and a handful of employees, according to Recycling Today.
The manufacturer describes itself as being 100 percent employee owned.
"Now, it has grown to operate five furnaces, a shredder, a landfill and an ingot line with 150 dedicated employee-owners," according to OHA President Michael J. Boyle.
"The opportunity to be involved with the newest rolling mill in North America in over 40 years is the result of hard work by a dedicated team that focuses on its customers' needs at every turn," he added.
Construction on the new aluminum alloy facility is scheduled to begin by May, according to MDA, with completion expected within 18 months.
Mississippi Made Big Push for OHA Facility
The Mississippi Development Authority is assisting with building improvements, while the city of West Point and Clay County are providing local tax abatement assistance.
Golden Triangle Development LINK, headquartered in Columbus, also assisted in attracting OHA to West Point. The non-profit represents the economic development interests of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha Counties in northeast Mississippi.
"This is precisely the kind of development that can offer economic stability and future investment opportunities for years to come," explained Bill Cork, MDA's executive director. "[We are] excited to welcome this new venture to Mississippi, and we look forward to the many benefits it will bring to Clay County's thriving economy."
OHA's Boyle expressed his appreciation to Gov. Reeves, Cork, "and the entire Golden Triangle Development team for the professionalism and urgency that has been provided at every step in the process of locating the new OHA facility in West Point, Miss. The ‘pro-business' approach extended to OHA is a model for the country. We have been greeted with open arms and enthusiasm at every step since day one."
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