Wheel equipment maker to spend $8 million to expand, hire 60 in Durant facility

Published 2:40 pm Tuesday, September 25, 2018

DURANT, Miss. (AP) — A manufacturer of wheel alignment and balancing systems will spend $8 million to expand a Mississippi plant, hiring 60 new workers.

Hunter Engineering of Bridgeton, Missouri, announced the expansion Tuesday at its Durant plant, which now employs 192.

Hunter’s city-owned building will be expanded by 80,000 square feet, with completion set for 2020.

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The Mississippi Development Authority is giving $1.2 million in federal community development money and $500,000 in state money to pay for infrastructure improvements. The Delta Regional Authority is giving $425,000.

MDA spokeswoman Tammy Craft says Hunter could seek property tax breaks on equipment.

Craft says the jobs qualify for incentives rebating some worker income taxes to the company. That requires Hunter pay workers at least $32,930 annually. Hunter could get $725,000 over 10 years.