More jobs coming to Cairo

Grady County Joint Development Authority Executive Director Julian Brown updated the members of the authority on this recent development at the JDA’s monthly meeting Tuesday.

“It’s unfortunate that jobs are being lost there, but if they had to move we are glad they are being moved here,” Brown said.

The Tampa sewing operation will be relocated to the Cairo plant and an additional 27 new jobs will be created, according to Nivel officials. Brown says that putting all of the company’s manufacturing under one roof will conservatively bring total employment here to 85 jobs and possibly more.

Windshields and tops for golf carts were already being manufactured here, but now all of the company’s sewing operation will also be housed at the plant, which is located at 2051 Second Ave. N.E.

Brown also reported that on March 14 several of the employees who had previously been based at the Tampa operation will be here to meet with local realtors as they contemplate relocating to Cairo or the surrounding area.

“This is certainly positive news for our community. Nivel is an outstanding company and we are proud to have been able to work with them to accomplish their goals here at their Cairo facility,” said J.D.A. Chairman Charles M. Stafford.

Nivel is already accepting applications for new positions with the firm. According to Brown, interested parties should contact Nivel Human Resources Director Chelsie Cosby. Resumes may be emailed to her at Chelsie.cosby@nivelparts.com.

Brown said that anyone who would like more information on the career opportunities here may contact him by calling his office at (229) 377-3663.

Madjax, which is a subsidiary of Nivel, had been operating a warehouse operation for golf cart parts and accessories at the 112,000 square foot facility before the company’s manufacturing operations were relocated here last year.

The origins of Nivel date back to a single Cushman dealership in Miami that opened in 1968. The company has since become North America’s largest provider of golf cart after-market parts and accessories. The company offers over 10,000 items for all of the three major brands, Club Car, E-Z-GO and Yamaha as well as for Columbia/Harley Davidson, Cushman, Hyundai, Jacobson, Legend, Melex, Noland, Nordskog, Pargo, Taylor Dunn, and vintage, discontinued golf carts. Nivel also specializes in providing exclusive, hard-to-find and discontinued parts.

Brown said that representatives of the Quick Start program offered through the Technical College System of Georgia had been here assisting in the training for new Nivel employees who will be involved in the expanded manufacturing process at the Cairo plant.

In other business Tuesday, Brown reported that he is in negotiations with a prospect interested in leasing warehouse space at the Heritage Industrial Complex. The J.D.A. executive director could not discuss the details of the possible deal, but the firm he is in negotiations with is in need of some warehouse space close to its existing operation.