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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep.
Bill DeWeese |
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DeWeese, Stout pleased to assist 98-job creation effort
HARRISBURG, Jan. 26 – State Rep. Bill DeWeese said a mining construction company’s decision to relocate its corporate headquarters to Greene County, adding 98 high-paying jobs to the local economy, is proof of the value of state assistance programs.
DeWeese said he worked closely with Gov. Ed Rendell on acquiring $2 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding for the project, which comprised the bulk of the $2.1 million in state assistance given Shaft Drillers International. The firm – a global leader in the heavy, civil and underground mining industries – is moving to a proposed 44,500-square-foot building in Perry Township’s Meadow Ridge Business Park.
"I am pleased to have had a hand in procuring $2 million in state funds to make this worthy project a reality," said DeWeese, who noted in a funds-seeking letter to the governor in October 2009 that Shaft Drillers Inc. "is a company worthy of the capital projects investment money."
"The addition of a firm with the pedigree of Shaft Drillers Inc. – which includes expertise in gas transmission facilities – clearly bodes well for continued development of the Marcellus shale in our region. Hopefully, this is just the tip of a proverbial iceberg when it comes to energy-related local job creation in the coming decade. It also shows that state government, in the hands of those who know how to work those levers, can be a tremendous asset."
Rendell said that landing the firm, in a highly competitive process, took a unified effort that included the Governor’s Action team, economic development officials and elected officials including DeWeese and state Sen. J. Barry Stout, D-Washington/Greene.
"This was a competitive project and SDI’s decision to move its global headquarters to Pennsylvania is a direct result of the commonwealth’s economic development efforts, as well as the diligent efforts of local leaders," Rendell said. "This project, and the 98 high-paying jobs it will create, is great news for southwestern Pennsylvania and its work force."
Stout said that moving the headquarters into a 44,500-square-foot facility continues a positive pattern of economic growth in Greene County. "Any time you can attract an employer of this magnitude, it is welcome news. This project will put people to work and is a sign that the area is being positioned for even more robust economic growth," said Stout.
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