December 12, 2019 - Originally posted by conwayarkansas.org
Company to add up to 75 new positions over the next 18 months
CONWAY, Ark. (Dec. 12, 2019) — Conway-based manufacturer SFI Arkansas today announced plans to expand its facility and hire up to 75 new employees over the next 18 months.
“Our reinvestment into our Conway facility is very intentional,” said Jim McGill, vice president and business unit manager for SFI Arkansas. “Our employees work hard every day to assure we stay globally competitive. They deserve to have the best tools and technology to maintain that competitiveness.”
McGill says the expansion is the result of continued manufacturing growth in the South as well as the increased presence of steel manufacturing in Arkansas.
“We are happy to support the expansion of the SFI plant in Conway and the additional jobs it will create,” said Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston. “This is a testament to how a skilled, advanced, manufacturing workforce influences decision-makers when it comes to locating, moving, or expanding. SFI employees and their families, their clients, and Arkansas as a whole will benefit from this smart business decision for years to come.”
SFI Arkansas has been located in Conway for more than 40 years and currently has approximately 70 employees. The company develops, supplies, and services medium- to heavy-gauge components and value-added services for a select group of original equipment manufacturers in the agricultural, construction, industrial, transportation, and defense industries.
SFI is a fully integrated fabricator encompassing two plants located in Memphis, Tennessee, and Conway. Under the same ownership umbrella of one of the largest steel service centers in the country, SFI brings the strength and breadth of over one million tons of steel and metals, sourced, processed, and distributed across all industries each year.
“The best economic news a community can get is that one of its longtime employers is expanding,” said Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry. “SFI has an excellent reputation in the manufacturing community. Their employees and management deserve a lot of credit for working in a way that is creating opportunities for even more Arkansans.”
McGill said that the new investments and positions would represent a move toward increased mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills. The average wages for new positions could approach $25 per hour. Hiring would begin in early 2020.
“It’s cliché to say our employees are the key to our success,” said McGill. “But it’s true. The folks who work at SFI and other small businesses in Conway, Faulkner County, and beyond are the backbone of our state.”
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