Video: Start-Up Company Promises 200 Jobs in Tishomingo County

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BURNSVILLE, Miss. — Gov. Phil Bryant and officials announced today that Mississippi Silicon will locate a new silicon metal production facility in Burnsville in Tishomingo County.

Mississippi Silicon is investing $200 million in the project, which will create 200 jobs.

The project originally was slated for Lowndes County but county officials pulled the plug last year after the company missed repeated deadlines to close the deal.

Company founder John Correnti, who started the steel company that now is Severstal in Lowndes County, continued working with the state and potential investors to find another location and make the project a reality. Tuesday’s announcement comes a year to the day after Lowndes County ended talks with the start-up venture.

At the time, the Mississippi Development Authority helped put together a $75 million incentive package, but didn’t release the money because the deal fell through. The project also was previously pitched in Arkansas and Ohio before finding its way to Lowndes County.

The new Mississippi-based facility, which will cover about 107,000 square feet and take 18 to 20 months to build once final engineering plans are completed, will produce silicon metal for a broad range of industries in the United States including the aluminum, automotive and chemical industries. Mississippi Silicon’s high-tech facility is expected to be one of the most efficient and cost competitive silicon metal production facilities in the world.

Mississippi Silicon is a strategic partnership between Rima Holdings USA, Inc., and domestic investor group Clean Tech I, LLC.

According to state environmental permit applications, the plant will be built along the Tenn-Tom Waterway just south of Burnsville east of County Roads 365 and 210 in the Yellow Creek Port.

“I congratulate the team at Mississippi Silicon for becoming the state’s newest corporate partner and for choosing Tishomingo County,” said Gov. Phil Bryant. “Mississippi is strongly positioned for growth in advanced manufacturing, and I am pleased to see another company placing its faith in our world-class workforce. We look forward to working with Mississippi Silicon and wish the company many years of success.”

“Rima is proud to be joining forces with a high-profile group of investors, and we look forward to supporting our global network of silicon metal customers and especially our United States-based customers with this new facility,” said Rima Industrial CEO and President Ricardo Vicintin. “Rima considered many locations around the world for the new facility, and we greatly appreciate the support and enthusiasm shown by the citizens and government leaders in Mississippi.”

“The tremendous support at the local and state levels was a key factor in the decision to locate our operations in Tishomingo County,” said Mississippi Silicon Chairman of the Board John Correnti. “Mississippi Silicon looks forward to becoming an engine of economic growth in northeast Mississippi.”

In support of the project, the Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance through the Mississippi Industry Incentive Financing Revolving Fund for building construction and workforce training, as well as the state’s New Market Tax Credits. Tishomingo County and Tennessee Valley Authority provided assistance for the project, as well.

“This is an exciting way to enter into the New Year as Mississippi Silicon announces it is locating manufacturing operations in northeast Mississippi and creating these jobs,” said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. “We appreciate our partners in Tishomingo County and at TVA who worked with us to make this project a reality, and we wish Mississippi Silicon many years of success in our state.”

Rima Holdings USA, Inc. is owned by the Vicintin family, who also owns Rima Industrial S/A in Brazil, which currently employs more than four thousand associates in diecasting, magnesium, silicon metal, and ferroalloys.

There’s no word on when construction may start.