By Roby Brock
Electric grid coordinator Southwest Power Pool will build a $62 million new headquarters in west Little Rock adding 200 jobs at its new facility.
SPP is a non-profit organization funded by fees from electric utilities. The group coordinates the transmission of electricity across a nine-state area, including Arkansas.
With the addition of jobs, SPP will employ more than 600 people with average salaries of around $83,500. SPP plans to occupy the new headquarters in mid- to late-2011.
Wal-Mart getting greener
Wal-Mart is going greener. On Thursday, the world’s largest retailer announced an ambitious new goal to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its global supply chain before 2016.
Wal-Mart contends that the effort is the equivalent of taking more than 3.8 million cars off the road for a year.
The retailer has partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the University of Arkansas to institute and monitor its progress on the goal.
Wal-Mart to add jobs, stores in Canada
Wal-Mart says it will open 35 to 40 supercenters in 2010 in Canada, a move expected to create 6,500 store and construction jobs, according to the retail giant.
The projects will include new stores, relocations of existing stores, store expansions and remodels, representing a combined investment of almost half a billion dollars in Canadian communities, Wal-Mart says.
In addition to store expansions, Wal-Mart Canada is adding its first sustainable refrigerated distribution center, which is anticipated to open in Balzac, Alberta, in the fall of this year. The company is investing $115 million in its construction and says that it will create 1,400 jobs, including trade and construction jobs.
Car-Mart net income jumps
America’s Car-Mart nearly doubled its profits as sales rose and its margins improved. The Bentonville-based “buy here, pay here” discount car dealer reported third-quarter revenue of $83.8 million compared to $73.5 million one year ago. Same-store sales were up 11 percent. Net income for Car-Mart rose to $6.3 million, up 75 percent from last year’s comparable quarter.
Deltic Timber gets fourth-quarter boost
Deltic Timber’s commercial real estate division led to a strong fourth quarter and helped the timber and real estate firm survive a rough year.
The El Dorado-based company saw its fourth-quarter sales stay relatively even at $31 million, while profits rose to $3.7 million. One year ago, Deltic posted a $255,000 quarterly loss.
For the year, Deltic’s sales and net income slumped. The company recorded a $3.7 million annual profit compared to $4.4 million one year ago. Revenue declined from $129.5 million to $112 million for the full fiscal year.
Census Bureau hiring up to 5,000 in Arkansas
The U.S. Census Bureau will temporarily hire as many as 5,000 Arkansans to help with its efforts to count heads. The work will last from now until July 2010.
Interested applicants must be 18 years or older, have a valid Social Security number and be available to work 20-40 hours per week. Applicants must take a general competency test and undergo a background check. For more details, call 1-866-861-2010 to find out how and where to apply.
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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.
