Tennessee Steel Center Makes Eastbridge Home
Mayor Mike Ragsdale, executives from Tennessee Steel Center, Inc. a subsidiary of Sumikin Bussan Corporation a leading Japanese steel processing corporation and the Knoxville Chamber announced the location of the company to Eastbridge Business Park in Mascot, TN. The company will create thirty new jobs and build a $5 million, 40,000 square foot facility at the East Knox County location.
Sumikin Bussan Corporation also operates a steel processing facility in Berea Kentucky known as the Kentucky Steel Center, Inc.
This is another great company coming to our Great American Community, said Mike Ragsdale, Knox County Mayor. Im proud to welcome Tennessee Steel to Knox County and look forward to seeing their business and facility grow.
As a part of the design for the 40,000 square foot facility, Tennessee Steel has planned for two expansions of 40,000 square feet each. If the companys customer base and production grows as the company expects, the facility could eventually be 120,000 square feet.
Kentucky Steel Center is excited to become part of the Knox County community with the expansion of our newest facility, the Tennessee Steel Center, said Seiji Motoni, President of both the Kentucky Steel Center and the Tennessee Steel Center. We look forward to establishing a successful, long term relationship with the Knox County community and surrounding industry.
Tennessee Steel Center was attracted to Eastbridge in part because the companys largest customer is located there. The company also saw great potential for expanding its customer base in the area. Tennessee Steel supplies Exedy America Corporation, an Eastbridge auto parts manufacturer, with cut steel that is used in the production of torque converters.
Mascot has become a center for auto parts manufacturing, and Tennessee Steel will help supply those manufacturing facilities, said Doug Lawyer, the Chambers Director of Economic Development. The recruitment of Exedy America Corporation has paid dividends many times over. It has helped attract companies like Tennessee Steel and made Knox County a recognized player in the auto parts manufacturing arena.
In addition to making the announcement that the company was coming to town, Mayor Ragsdale and Motoni broke ground for the construction of the facility. Tennessee Steel is anxious to have the facility operational and construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2006.