A Brandon-based consulting firm was tapped to help Continental Tire with the company’s air-permit applications.

The company, which recently broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in western Hinds County, announced this afternoon that FC & E Engineering LLC has been awarded the contract “to provide comprehensive development of Continental’s Air Permit application including regulatory applicability, air modeling, selection of air pollution control equipment and expertise in all aspects of environmental permitting and compliance.”

Kenneth Faulkner started the firm in 2004, state records show. Faulkner completed his bachelor’s and masters degree at Mississippi State University; before starting FC & E, Faulkner worked for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and Mississippi Chemical Corporation.

Company, state and federal officials broke ground for the 5.2 million square-foot industrial facility in early November.

In early 2016, legislative and local leaders approved an incentive package worth approximately $600 million. As part of its deal with Mississippi, Continental agreed to create 2,500 jobs that pay an average of $40,000 per year.

Continental previously contracted with a Georgia-based company to clear the site in preparation for construction.

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Ryan L. Nave, a native of University City, Mo., served as Mississippi Today's editor-in-chief from May 2018 until April 2020. Ryan began his career with Mississippi Today February 2016 as an original member of the editorial team. He became news editor August 2016. Ryan has a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has worked for Illinois Times and served as news editor for the Jackson Free Press.