WireCo WorldGroup, 24150 Oak Grove Lane, a leading global manufacturer of steel and synthetic rope, specialty wire and engineered products, has announced a $14 million investment to expand their facility in Pettis County.

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WireCo has started working on the addition to their existing manufacturing facility and is targeting completion by the end of the first quarter 2017 with equipment installation expected to be completed by the end of summer 2017. This growth will add more than 30 jobs in Sedalia which offer competitive starting salaries, benefits and comprehensive training.

The expansion includes adding approximately 90,000 square feet to the facility which will enhance the volume and number of products made right here in Pettis County. New products will include crane ropes used in construction, fine wire products such as aircraft control cables, large mining ropes and structural strand used in architecture and for suspension bridges.

“Our plant in Sedalia has a long-established history of producing products for the most demanding applications”, said Philip Crouse, Senior Vice President of North American operations. “The expertise to manufacture such ropes takes years to establish and requires a reliable workforce. When we were looking for the ideal location to centralize our U.S. rope manufacturing of these technical products, it made the most sense to choose a location where we had an infrastructure established and a relationship with the community. Sedalia was the right choice."

Crouse stated that over the next six months, WireCo will be bringing equipment into the Sedalia facility that is capable of producing bridge strand of at least four-inch diameter. “The equipment will be undergoing mechanical and technical upgrades during the installation, with the intent of allowing us to expand our corporate capabilities.

EDSPC Executive Director Jessica Craig said that "we as a community were able to compete for not only the retention of that facility, but also an expansion. You will see, if you drive out there on Oak Grove Lane, they are actively building on and investing $14 Million here in our local economy," Craig noted, "adding 25 to 30 jobs."

WireCo will also be bringing in our largest steel rope manufacturing equipment increasing the capability to create a rope with a total weight in excess of 100 tons. These exciting developments will provide long-term growth for the facility and allow us to continue to meet the changing demands of future rope markets,” said Crouse.
WireCo’s expansion would not have been possible without the support of Pettis County and Economic Development leaders in the community. The Pettis County Commission unanimously approved the issuance of Chapter 100 bonds in December 2016.

Chapter 100 bonds are a mechanism in the State of Missouri authorizing cities and counties to issue bonds to facilitate industrial development to occur by providing real estate and personal property tax abatement on new equipment and improvements to existing facilities.

According to the WireCo website, the company, based out of Prairie Village, Kan., operates 25 facilities around the world, including five in Missouri -- Carrollton, Chillicothe, Kirksville, St. Joseph and Sedalia.

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