McLaughlin Family Companies expands operations

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- An Iowa based company has announced its plans to open a factory in Booneville that will employ more than 100 people.

A ribbon-cutting in front of the Prentiss County Courthouse, the Mississippi Development Authority, along with the Prentiss County Development Association, announced a big economic development for the community. The McLaughlin Family Companies, the maker of New Way Refuse Trucks, will expand its operations.

“We’re extremely excited about the partnership that we’ve developed with New Way and their interest in our community. Beginning about three and a half months ago, the company chose to take a look at one of our existing facilities. From that point on, we striked up a good relationship working with them,” said Leon Hays.

“We have a very skilled workforce. The demand has grown and grown over the years. And we are at full capacity at our facility in Scranton. And we needed to find another facility and have gone around the U.S. looking for another factory location. And we found Mississippi and Prentiss County and Booneville. We found a nice location here and a very talented economic workforce to help put a package together,” said Mike McLaughlin.

And the company says Northeast Mississippi Community College was a major factor in their decision to locate in Booneville.

“It was very welcoming to us. They brought us on campus. They showed us the programs that they have and the education that they have for the future employees of our plant. They have programs for welding, machine operations, and all those things that are just so vital to what we’ll need. And it’s right here in Booneville, right here where we want to set up shop. So that was huge,” said Steve Goetzch.

And Jimmie Veach will be the plant manager.

“I think that Booneville Mississippi is a good pick because of the family core values, the work ethics, the education. We came down just recently with my wife, felt right at home. Everybody was eager to help, eager to do whatever needed to be done,” said Veach.

Veach says the plant could have a four to five million dollar economic impact on the community.

They hope to have everything up and running early next year.