By Roby Brock
Allied Wireless Communications Corp. (AWCC) announced it would locate its headquarters in west Little Rock, a move that could employ 200-250 white-collar workers initially. Many candidates for the positions could come from the retired and laid-off former Alltel Corp. work force in Central Arkansas.
Governor Mike Beebe said average salaries would be higher than $87,000 a year.
AWCC is a subsidiary of publicly-traded Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN), a Massachusetts telecom that is in the process of acquiring 36 former Alltel markets valued at $200 million from Verizon Wireless as part of a deal to satisfy anti-trust regulators.
Southwestern Energy to spend $1.5 billion in Arkansas in 2010
Natural gas producer Southwestern Energy, which has the biggest stake in Arkansas’ Fayetteville Shale play, said it would spend $1.5 billion in the state next year.
The Houston-based energy company announced its capital investments guidance for 2010 and said that if low natural gas prices climb higher it could accelerate development in Arkansas.
“While we are proud of the accomplishments we have made in the Fayetteville Shale play, which has resulted in another year of significant production growth and record cash flow, we are just beginning to unlock the true value of this play,” said CEO Steve Mueller.
Billion-dollar pipeline project gets regulatory OK
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a certificate permitting the construction and operation of the Fayetteville Express Pipeline, a joint venture between Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P.
The pipeline is an outgrowth of the Fayetteville Shale play, the natural gas reservoir arching across north central Arkansas. The $1.25 billion pipeline project is expected to create 2,000 jobs in the state.
FERC approval authorizes the 185-mile natural gas pipeline to begin construction, which should start in early 2010.
Trade agency ruling could impact $100 million Mitsubishi plant
Bloomberg News reported that a legal controversy pending before a federal trade agency could have a major impact on the $100 million Mitsubishi operation planned for Fort Smith.
According to the report, competitor General Electric is locked in a patent battle with Mitsubishi regarding wind turbine construction. If the U.S. International Trade Commission rules in favor of GE, it could make it difficult for Mitsubishi to build wind blades in America.
If the ruling sides with Mitsubishi, it could hasten plans for the $100 million manufacturing facility.
Polymarin wind turbine plant alters plans
Windmill blade maker Polymarin has delayed, and perhaps canceled, its plans for a manufacturing facility in Little Rock. Polymarin Composites, a subsidiary of Emergya Wind Technologies, announced in October 2008 that it would locate a $16 million manufacturing facility in Little Rock in the former Levi Strauss building on I-530, ultimately employing 630 workers.
Tight credit markets and a slowdown in worldwide demand caused Polymarin to re-evaluate its plans for Arkansas. The company still has a multi-year lease on the Levi Strauss building and could go ahead with its plans if the economy rebounds.
Arkansas jobless rate falls
Arkansas’ unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percent to 7.4 percent in November. One year ago, the state jobless rate stood at 5.5 percent. U.S. unemployment leveled at 10 percent during the month.
The Leisure and hospitality industry experienced the largest decline losing 1,800 jobs during the month. Education and health services, which has been adding jobs for nearly a year, saw its numbers tumble by an estimated 1,500 workers.
Professional and business services decreased by 1,300, while the trade, transportation, and utilities sector added 3,000 workers in November in large part due to holiday shopping expectations.
LaBarge awarded new helicopter contract
LaBarge Inc. has been awarded a multi-year $18.9 million contract from Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to produce electronic assemblies for various models of the U.S. Army’s Blackhawk helicopter program through 2014. Work will take place at the company’s Huntsville plant, where LaBarge has manufactured cables and electronic assemblies for the Blackhawk program since 2005. A spokesperson for LaBarge said that no new hires will be made to service the contract. Currently, LaBarge employs 160 workers at its Huntsville location.
Judge: Poultry litter not waste
U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell has ruled in favor of several poultry companies accused of polluting the Illinois River watershed by throwing out a claim by the state of Oklahoma that poultry litter is solid waste. Frizzell considered several motions by defense attorneys for Tyson Foods, Inc. and other poultry companies. The companies argued that the state had not proven its case of phosphorus pollution nor its possible causes if such pollution existed. The high-stakes trial has been developing for more than 12 weeks.
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Roby Brock, a freelance journalist based in Little Rock, writes weekly for the Arkansas News Bureau. His weekly television program airs at 10 p.m. Sundays in Central and Northwest Arkansas. His e-mail address is roby@talkbusiness.net; his Web site address is www.talkbusiness.net.
