The city of Blytheville will benefit greatly after a recent announcement.
Zekelman Industries will build a new mill next to their Atlas Tube plant. The project will cost around 150 million to complete and it will create 75 new jobs.
Governor Asa Hutchinson says he’s happy to know that of all of the places they could have expanded, thankfully they chose Mississppi County.
“This most recent announcement shows the continued expansion of the steel industry in Mississippi County. This is a source of pride for our state. It helps the economy here, it helps the school district with expanded tax base, so this is just a great day,” Hutchinson said.
Zekelman Industries is the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in the nation and Atlas Tube provides steel for everyday infrastructures like airports, stadiums, mega warehouses, and large distribution centers.
Although the plant once shut down, County Judge John Nelson says he’s proud to see them back on top.
“It makes me very proud. I'm so thankful for the economy we are living in. At one time Atlas was closed, in fact it sold to an oversees entity and that fell through and Mr. Zekelman got it back. We are tickled to death that he did, and we are happy he brought it back to Mississippi County,” Nelson said.
The new mill is set to begin operations in September 2021.