Milwaukee Tool will construct a 500,000-square-foot plant in Grenada County, creating 800 new jobs within eight years and adding another 400 jobs to its existing Mississippi locations.

“When an industry leader such as Milwaukee Tool chooses to grow its footprint in Mississippi by building a new manufacturing facility — in addition to its existing facilities — it sends a strong message to the world that we take business seriously and work hard to ensure companies’ long-term success in our state,” Gov. Tate Reeves said in a press release Tuesday.

The company is investing $60 million in its Grenada County expansion, part of a decade-long expansion that has seen the company grow from 526 jobs in Mississippi in 2010 to more than 2,343 in 2020. The Wisconsin-based company has sites in Greenwood, Jackson and Olive Branch.

Milwaukee Tool Group President Steve Richman in statement said “the state of Mississippi has continued to be a valuable partner.”

“We look forward to bringing more jobs to this state,” Richman said.

Taxpayers, through the Mississippi Development Authority, will provide the company a $26 million grant for construction of the plant, in exchange for the company meeting its promised investment and job creation. Grenada County and the Tennessee Valley Authority also are providing assistance.

MDA Director John Rounsaville said the Greater Grenada Partnership, Grenada County, Delta Strong, Tallahatchie Valley Electric and TVA helped bring the new operations and jobs to the area.

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Geoff Pender serves as senior political reporter, working closely with Mississippi Today leadership on editorial strategy and investigations. Pender brings 30 years of political and government reporting experience to Mississippi Today. He was political and investigative editor at the Clarion Ledger, where he also penned a popular political column. He previously served as an investigative reporter and political editor at the Sun Herald, where he was a member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team for Hurricane Katrina coverage. Originally from Florence, Mississippi, Pender is a journalism graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and has received numerous awards throughout his career for reporting, columns and freedom of information efforts.