Crediting a “made in America,” resurgence as well as its focus on quality, Bay State Cable Ties LLC celebrated its growth with the recent grand opening of a 20,000-square-foot addition in Crestview, Fla.
“The last couple of years — the more we promoted “made in America,” the better we do,” said CEO and founder Robert Sires, in a telephone interview.
The company hosted Florida Gov. Rick Scott among other dignitaries on Sept. 24, and Sires was presented with the Governor's Business Ambassador Medal for creating jobs and opportunities for Florida families.
The expansion boosts the size of the building to 75,000 square feet, and will position the company to possibly double in the next five years.
“We moved to Florida 12 years ago and we had four employees. Now we have 110 and we are looking to add 40-50 jobs,” Sires said.
He said the expansion was part of $16 million investment in the community. It includes the building as well as machinery. The company is adding Sumitomo presses, robots and other auxiliary equipment. The company runs 15 presses.
“We added four lines in the last year and a half. We have three on order and as soon as they come in, we will order two more,” he said.
Sires said Bay State makes its own specialty ties, with more than 20 types and each coming in at least 12 colors. The company also offers the patented Ez-off design tie.
The company has worked with DuPont Co. to develop ties that work in extreme conditions and Sires noted that “opened up a lot of markets.”
For Bay State, it marks the second expansion in the past year and half, as it added 10,000 square feet in 2014. The company, which was founded in 1998, relocated to Florida in 2004. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Bay State worked with the governor's office, Enterprise Florida, the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County, other agencies and local officials on the expansion.
