Video: Ackerman Landing 60 New Jobs

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JACKSON—Mississippi Forge (PVF), Inc. has announced it is making a $9 million corporate investment and creating 60 new jobs over three years by locating manufacturing operations in Ackerman, Miss.

Mississippi Forge, manufacturer of steel forged flanges and fittings for use in piping systems, is locating in the facility formerly occupied by Ackerman Forge. The same facility once housed Taylor Forge, which operated in 1960’s before becoming Trinity Industries in 1980’s. Trinity Industries manufactured Ladish flanges for the global marketplace.

“I am proud to welcome Mississippi Forge as the newest member of the state’s business community, and I am grateful to the company for investing in Mississippi and providing these job opportunities for the residents of Choctaw County,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “I have no doubt that our skilled workforce and supportive business climate will help Mississippi Forge succeed in Ackerman.”

“Our aim in reopening the plant in Ackerman, Mississippi is to provide the North American market with 100 percent locally-produced, high-quality forgings. Each year, billions of dollars’ worth of pipe fittings are being imported in the U.S., and we need several such facilities to improve our trade balance and achieve manufacturing independence,” said Jigar Kadakia, president of Mississippi Forge. “I’d like to thank MDA, Choctaw County and the people of Ackerman for their dedication and support that helped make this project a reality.”

The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the project to help transport equipment to the facility.

“We appreciate the team at Mississippi Forge for choosing to locate in Choctaw County and revitalizing an existing facility that previously sat vacant for several years,” said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. “Part of MDA’s mission is to assist companies such as Mississippi Forge as they prepare to locate in our state or expand existing operations here. We wish the company many years of success in Ackerman, and we thank our partners in Choctaw County for working to make this project possible.”

Mississippi Forge is completely owned and managed by Jigar Kadakia, current CEO of Britex Engineering, a similar forging plant located in India that produces stainless steel forged flanges. The company’s Ackerman forge shop is currently equipped with high-production forging presses and will be housing the latest technology machining centers that can deliver high volumes efficiently at extremely competitive rates.