The electrical distribution equipment company Sunbelt Solomon Services will be opening a new $5 million facility in Coffee County, creating 50 jobs in the Southeast Alabama city of Elba, according to an announcement by Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday.
Among the world’s largest providers of commercial and industrial electrical distribution equipment, Sunbelt Solomon will invest $5 million to outfit an existing building with the infrastructure needed to repair and recycle electrical transformers. The facility is planned to open for business in June, with a recruiting event to be held “in the coming weeks.”
The 50 jobs created by the investment will pay from $18 to $37 an hour, and include health care coverage and annual incentive compensation. The average pay of the 50 new jobs is considerably higher than the average hourly wage for manufacturing jobs in Coffee County, which according to the Alabama Department of Labor was $17.19 in 2020.
“Sunbelt Solomon is a welcome addition to Alabama’s dynamic business community,” Ivey said in a statement. “The company has made a great choice by locating this new operation in Coffee County, and I know the hard-working people of Elba will help make it a long-lasting success. This is just another reminder that Sweet Home Alabama is a top state for business.”
Coffee County is home to a number of manufacturing jobs, with M1 Support Services – an aircraft maintenance business – employing more than 5,000 people as the county’s largest employer. Manufacturing jobs make up almost 25% of all jobs in Coffee County, with the next highest sector being retail trade at almost 15%.
In a statement, Elba Mayor Tom Maddox praised Sunbelt Solomon’s decision to invest in his city, noting the positive economic impacts the investment will have on the community.
“On behalf of the citizens of Elba, we are thrilled to have a new corporate citizen in Sunbelt Solomon,” Maddox said. “The investment and jobs that will be provided bring a great deal of energy and excitement to our community.”
Jesse Quillen, the executive director of Wiregrass Economic Development Corporation, a Southeast Alabama economic development organization, also noted the economic impact of the investment in a statement.
“The new jobs, new capital investment and new energy provided by Sunbelt Solomon are all incredibly important and attractive for Elba citizens, but I believe the most important and welcome attribute that Sunbelt Solomon brings to Elba is its tremendous corporate culture, as exhibited throughout this process,” Quillen said. “Sunbelt Solomon’s corporate culture will be a perfect fit in Elba.”
Sunbelt Solomon’s new facility comes just after another investment in Alabama, following the company’s acquisition of Holland Industrial Services in Bay Minette near Mobile.