Aqua Marine brings jobs to Hartselle
Danville’s Aqua Marine Enterprises, Inc., will be opening a manufacturing operation in the Hartselle-Morgan County Industrial Park, which could add as many as 15 new jobs to the local economy.
Jeremy Nails, president and CEO of the Morgan County Economic Development Association, said the Mitchell Investment Properties, LLC has purchased the former Clayton Homes building in the industrial park and is planning to lease the property to Aqua Marine Enterprises.
R. Brent Mitchell, vice president and chief operating officer of Aqua Marine, told the Hartselle City Council Monday during a work session that they plan to add 15 to 20 jobs over the next three to five years with an average salary of $15 to $20 per hour. Currently, they have 23 employees that are working out of their home office in Danville.
“Most of our current employees will stay at our home office, which is where we handle the administration and marketing of our business,” Mitchell said. “Aew of them might move to the Hartselle facility, but most of the workers will be new employees.”
Robert Mitchell, president of Aqua Marine, said they have installed community storm shelters from as far west as Oklahoma and as far north as Illinois and the demand continues to grow. Currently, they have community shelters that can house up to hundreds of people.
“We have already installed 100 so far this year and we have orders for 100 more,” Robert Mitchell said.
The Hartselle City Council is considering whether to approve abating all of the non-educational property taxes for the next 10 years, which is expected to be $1,867 per year.
“None of the educational taxes will be abated,” Nails told the council. “They are just asking for the noneducational taxes to be abated.”
According to the tax abatement request, the building appraises for $483,600 and Mitchell Investment Properties plan to invest $250,000 in facility upgrades.
Mayor Don Hall said he was excited about the development.
“It’s great that they are able to use a building that has sat vacant for the past three years,” Hall said. “It’s great news for the city and our local economy. That could mean an increase of more than $600,000 in new payroll to the city.”