A. Lee Graham
Reporter
Energy Worldnet Inc. plans to expand its Decatur location nine years after relocating to the community.
According to the Decatur Economic Development Corp., the firm will add 4,600 square feet of office space and hire at least five additional full-time employees within a year. The company provides operator qualification training, technical workforce development training and compliance management solutions to the energy and utility industries.
The Decatur EDC board approved an economic development agreement valued at $50,000 in late September, followed by City Council approval on Oct. 27.
“Our mission is to attract and support business growth in Decatur,” said Mary Poché, executive director of the Decatur EDC, commenting in a news release.
“The company also provides stable, high-paying jobsIt is in the best interest of our community for the [Decatur EDC] to support the company’s equipment investment and workforce training needs,” Poché said.
“The support from the Decatur EDC for our business has been crucial for us to be able to grow with customer demand here in the U.S. and internationally,” said Geoff Isbell, Energy Worldnet president.
The company will expand its current location or through additional locations in Decatur, yielding more than 12,000 square feet of occupied space. The agreement calls for the company to complete the expansion project by Sept. 30, 2015.
As part of the contract, the firm will maintain its current 23 employees and add five full-time employees for a total of 28 employees for a minimum of three years. The average annual salary for these jobs must be at least $50,000 plus medical benefits.