New Manufacturing Jobs Announced in Holmes County: GreenCore Earth Products Makes Public Start-up Plans

Bonifay, Florida – Officials in Holmes County, Florida, formally announced the location and start-up of GreenCore Earth Products, Inc., a multi-faceted manufacturer of housing systems. The company is expected to eventually create 95 new manufacturing jobs and is locating in the Holmes Manufacturing building situated on St. Johns Road, adjacent to Interstate 10 in Bonifay. Company officials received their Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax incentive application approval this week from the Governor’s office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED).

GreenCore Earth Products will manufacture housing and housing systems and concentrate on the development of energy efficient construction. Products will include, energy efficient modular housing and structural insulated panel (SIPS) systems. While the company will serve domestic markets, a key target for GreenCore products will be export customers. Company spokesman Dan Frazier indicates that the majority of current orders are scheduled for offshore markets.

GreenCore’s local management team includes Dan Frazier, Vice President, a 25 year veteran of the construction trade and construction project management and Carl Hewlett, Secretary, a Florida native, educated as an architect with 24 years in the modular housing industry. Company president Joe Delano Brooks is also CEO and founder of Essex Newbury North Construction of Newburyport, Massachusetts. The team is rounded-out by Peter F. Spittler an architect and principal with Forum Architects of Cleveland Ohio, engineer Felix J. Spittler, and Eric Offenberg, President of Northeast Engineers & Consultants, Inc. in Middletown, Rhode Island.

During a recent local community breakfast meeting, Frazier publicly thanked local leadership, specifically the Holmes County Board of County Commissioners, for their help with site preparation and access to the property. The Holmes County Development Commission requested project assistance from the Holmes County Commission. “Chairman Raymon Thomas, and Commissioners Phillip Music and Jim King have been particularly helpful and supportive” said Frazier.

Chairman Raymon Thomas cited the cooperation among the county development commission, the City of Bonifay, the board of county commissioners and the local electric cooperative as key to making the project a reality. “Ninety-five new manufacturing jobs are an incredible blessing during these worried economic times,” says Thomas.

“West Florida Electric Cooperative manager Bill Rimes was responsible for the project referral and promotion of Holmes County as the preferred location,” according to Jim Brook, development commission executive director. West Florida’s Bonifay district office is located adjacent to the Holmes Manufacturing building. “A team sales effort is critical to a successful economic development process,” said Brook. “West Florida Electric, Florida’s Great Northwest and Chipola Regional Workforce, were all vital to the success of this project.”

Florida’s Great Northwest (FGNW) is Florida’s premier regional economic development entity that provides marketing and business development assistance to a 16 county area including the panhandle. “Project Director Roger Miller assisted us every step of the way, remarked” Brook. Miller, before joining the FGNW team, was Vice President for Enterprise Florida.

“We expect that GreenCore could have an annual economic infusion of $3.5 million to $10 million in new money to our local economy” said Holmes County Development Commission Chairman, Gary Deal.