Video: Silicor Materials Looking at More Delays

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LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A company expected to bring more than 900 jobs to Lowndes County is falling short of its breaking ground deadline. With several million dollars already invested developers and county supervisors are hoping for the best.

Link CEO Joe Max Higgins met with county supervisors Thursday morning not to ask for another extension but to inform the board on where they are at as far as securing funds to get the project off the ground. With a deadline looming ahead developers feel it wont be until next summer until any ground breaking takes place.

Formerly known as Calisolar Incorporated, Silicor Materials is the leading producer of silicon which is the largest component of the solar PV cells and modules that are becoming a critical part of the world’s energy supply. With a project in the works to secure a plant in Lowndes County, developers are saying they company may need a little more time to secure funding.

LINK CEO Joe Max Higginsa says, “This week and last week there was a series of meeting in Jackson and here in Columbus with the bankers and company representatives and we learned they are probably not going to meet the December deadline.”

The deadline was set for December 31st but according to Thursdays update that timeline is looking closer to April or June of 2013.

The site will not only bring in big business but with it will come big tax revenue and 900 new jobs for area residents.

The next Board of Supervisors meeting is set for December 3rd. During that meeting Supervisors will decide whether to extend the $94 million incentives package the county has offered for locating to the area.

According to Higgins, “We will spend these next two weeks working hard with the company trying to some up with terms and conditions of an extension if we decide that’s the way to go. On the same flip of the coin we’ve got state assets pledged to this project, we have county assets pledged to this project and we have land tied up. For that matter there are other industries out looking that are conscious and aware.”

The reason it’s critical to get the ball rolling on the project is other industries are paying attention and with over 900 jobs expected to be added to the area another company may not to follow such a big development.