Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber issued the following statement:
Seraphim Solar To Build Manufacturing Facility in Jackson Creating Up to 250 Jobs
Seraphim Solar Manufacturing USA Inc. has announced plans to construct a solar module assembly plant in Jackson that is expected to create 250 jobs during the first five years of operation.
The project represents a $50 million investment with an anticipated annual payroll of up to $7.3 million.
With the addition of this Made in the USA facility, Seraphim’s global expansion will have reached 1.2 gigawatt of capacity worldwide, company officials said.
“We are extremely excited about successfully recruiting Seraphim Solar to our city,” said Mayor Tony T. Yarber. “We’re partnering with a company that will provide innovative solutions that will lead and model how the country consumes energy.”
The Mayor said he was appreciative of the assistance being provided by the Mississippi Development Authority to help recruit Seraphim.
Phase 1 of the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015. Phase 2 of the project will begin in 2016.
The jobs created will range from high-level management to administrative and line worker positions. The project will offer on the job training and benefits for employees. The company plans to partner with the City of Jackson’s Jobs for Jacksonians program to recruit qualified individuals and construction firms to meet the company’s needs.
“Seraphim Solar shares our passion for building capacity in this city by ensuring Jackson residents have solid employment opportunities,” Yarber said. “This partnership brokered by the city’s Economic Development division is a true win for Jackson.”
The project will be located at 3111 Lawson St. It represents the redevelopment of an underused property and will provide much-needed road and rail improvements for the area.
The company is known for its high-quality modules, having been the first module manufacturer to pass TÜV SÜD’s ‘Thresher' test, which was created to provide better understanding and insight into the longer-term reliability and power output performance of modules, compared to standard tests such as IEC61215.
Seraphim provides both high-efficiency monocrystalline modules and standard high-specification multicrystalline modules, including black aesthetic and compatible with microinverters, widely used in the U.S. residential rooftop market.
25 comments:
Way to Go Jackson and MDA!
3111 Lawson St. Just Northwest of Fondren. They better have great security at the building.
The devil is in the details. What was given away? What were the incentives?
I bet it turns out to be a con game.
Like Haley Barbor said to folks who protested the tax incentives that lured the Mississippi Braves, "50% of something is a lot more than 100% of nothing".
Look at Pearl now. Lots of other development around there since the Braves came in.
What did the state give in incentives? The state has already gotten into the solar business with Stion. They have failed to create the jobs promised.
And 10:52 - check out that "jobs for jackson" inclusion. If it is anything like the recent RFP for construction/engineering of the infrastructure spending, the successful bidder will have to have the corporate headquarters in Jackson to qualify. Not just an office. Not just hundreds of employers. But the corporate headquarters. Makes one wonder just who Mayor Tony is trying to pass the dollars on to.
End result of his JFJ program might be like Harvey ran into with WorldCom. His personal agendas might cause many good companies to leave Jackson with a net loss of jobs.
"Solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer Seraphim Solar System (Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China) announced to be operational with a PV module assembly plant with 300 MW annual capacity in Jackson, Mississippi, US, in August 2015.
Seraphim Solar USA Manufacturing, Inc. would be one of the first ever Chinese PV ventures to manufacture in the US"
Where else in America could you hire 250 people for an AVERAGE annual salary of $29,200.00 ?
Wonder if this $50 million is going to get 100 EB-5 visas for wealthy Chinese? The EB-5 program allows a visa for a 500K "investment" for five years promising 10 jobs (in a TEA Targeted Employment Area). Bureau of Labor Stats does that. I'd be willing to bet JackTown has unemployment at 150% of the national average. Sounds like another GreenTech deal. Or maybe they wrote it as 50 visas for Chinese families at 1 mil a pop. Love to see the buyback provisions, too. Ka Ching. Here's your green card. C U L8R as you move anywhere in the US.
A Chinese business? This will never happen and lets hope too much money is not lost while it never happens. No one has worst leadership than Jackson but MDA is not much better.
"The White House is expected to announce new programs on Tuesday that will bring more solar panels to low income communities and renters, reports the New York Times. The move shows how solar panels are increasingly moving beyond the industry’s initial niche market of wealthy home owners in sunny states in the U.S.
Obama administration officials are supposed to make the announcement in Baltimore later today. The details will likely include a plan to triple the capacity of solar panels for federally subsidized housing by 2020, and a pledge of $520 million — from the private sector as well as states and cities — to install solar panels and energy-efficiency projects in low income communities." 7/7/15 Fortune
"This announcement is one that we may look back on and say it's the most important change that has done the most good for the people of Mississippi than any other. And I don't say that lightly."
Haley Barbour
KiOR announcement press conference
August 26, 2010
"It's almost like making gold out of straw."
Haley Barbour
KiOR groundbreaking
May 12, 2011
Mississippi Business Journal reporting:
"City and state officials didn’t immediately respond to questions about whether Seraphim would receive incentives or tax breaks."
This is not a good time to be doing business with a Chinese company as the Chinese stock market is crashing, another day late & dollar short story for Jackson & MS.
Glad to hear the news. Has the company been advised that construction/improvements will be done by small, start up, inexperienced, under-funded, "wanna-bees?" That proven, reputable companies will be turned away due to their not hiring enough of those who live in Jackson, who only work when they feel like it, and then their work is substandard at best. Have they been made aware that many to be employed are either Nissan rejects or failures and expect wages well in access of $12/hr (with no experience). Are they aware that any criticism of employees quality of work and non-Asian work ethics will be met with calls to the Civil Liberties Union, NAACP and calls for Unionization to prevent discrimination? Seraphim doesn't have a clue who it's gotton in bed with.
Hell we may be at war with China soon over all this and I will side with China.
Welcome to your Frag @4:09
A small company like Seraphim doesn't have the political clout that Nissan has. If their product made here is inferior or just continually defective, it could easily put them out of business in this state and also keep other business away. It's a very risky deal to depend on a majority unskilled labor market. Yes Nissan trained their employees, but their training/screening process is unbelievably meticulous and they also have billions of dollars to make it work. There is a big difference.
Did you get your invite to the Water Carriers Convention 6:58?
Read the entire lead post and still have no friggin' clue what they intend to manufacture. Anybody care to post a photo?
Lawson Street? 3111 Lawson Street ( parcel 423-2-5) is owned by N B Properties P.O. Box 12348 Jackson, MS 39236 ( Lawler McKay) Kingfish, can you shed some light on the connection between N B Properties and the Mayor?
World Com moved because of lack of response from the Jackson City Council and then one building owned by a local engineer doubled its price when they discovered it was World Com. This price hike caused them to look at Clinton who was waiting with open arms. But, as it turned out, MCI World Com was doomed by its CEO. Lawson Street is between Fondren and the Medical Mall and is not a bad location but security will be extremely important as will almost any location near the existing railroad in any city. This situation is not unique to Jackson. I do not see anywhere that the "majority" of workers will be lazy good-for-nothings. Why are so many naysayers posting that refuse to believe that "Jacksonians" cannot be trained to work? Surely there are many who want jobs and will excell with proper training and incentives -- like self respect and a pay check. If not, then we might as well fold up shop here and nationwide.
" Surely there are many who want jobs and will excell with proper training and incentives -- like self respect and a pay check. If not, then we might as well fold up shop here and nationwide. "
I admire your optimism, although I don't share it.
Pay close attention. There is a real why Yarber isn't divulging the details behind the carrots that were dangled.
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