Posted by Heidi Schwartz
During a recent visit to Joplin, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon celebrated the addition of more jobs in 2014 than any year since 1997. He also participated in the grand opening of Joplin, MO’s newest manufacturing company, Cook Portable Warehouses.
“After a phenomenal year for job growth, it’s clear the Show-Me State is moving forward, and there’s no better example than Joplin of a resilient community with strong economic momentum,” Gov. Nixon said. “By working across the aisle to keep our fiscal discipline and make smart, strategic investments in education and infrastructure, we will continue to create opportunities for companies like Cook Portable Warehouses to invest and grow.”
Joined by Joplin Mayor Michael Seibert, Gov. Nixon and company leadership cut the ribbon to celebrate Cook Portable Warehouses’ new manufacturing facility. The company’s expansion to Joplin includes a capital investment of more than $2 million and is expected to create up to 80 new jobs over the next 12 months.
Cook Portable Warehouses, founded in 1984 and headquartered in southern Illinois, is a manufacturer of portable residential and commercial sheds. The original Cook Portable Warehouses were entirely pressure treated as a result of the materials that were on hand at the time, making Cook the first company to build portable buildings completely from pressure treated lumber. Customers enjoyed the benefit of their buildings having a lifetime warranty against decay and termite damage for as long as they owned it.
The company opened its second plant in Valdosta, GA in 1990. Subsequently, other plants were opened in Bastrop, TX and Purvis, MS. With the addition of the Joplin location, the company now operates five manufacturing facilities and more than 300 sales offices across the United States, employing a total of 250 workers nationwide. The new 79,000-square-foot Joplin manufacturing facility will help Cook Portable Warehouses access currently untapped markets and will support approximately 100 new sales offices to be established across Missouri.
“The Joplin location represents our fifth manufacturing facility that will ultimately result in approximately 80 new jobs for the region,” said Greg Cook, co-founder and president of Cook Portable Warehouses. “The economic incentives, quality workforce, and the geographic location are what attracted us to Joplin. We could not be happier with our decision to locate here, and we look forward to being a part of the community for many years to come.”
To assist Cook Portable Warehouses with its expansion in Joplin, the Department of Economic Development has offered a strategic economic incentive package that the company can receive if it meets strict job creation and investment criteria.
