Posted on 08/14/2017 10:18:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The lights are back on at TMK IPSCO in the Port of Catoosa.
After over a year of no operation, the plant announced this week they are re-starting business.
TMK IPSCO is one of the largest North American producers of welded and seamless pipe and premium connections dedicated to serving the oil and gas industry and many industrial markets
The announcement of the re-start was celebrated with a press conference that featured guest speakers like Congressman Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma State Representative Terry O’Donnell and TMK IPSCO Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Joel Mastervich.
During the festivities, TMK announced that the restart of the Catoosa location “will have a major economic impact on the local economy and will create 168 jobs by year’s end, representing about $10 million in annual wages and benefits. This is also creating several jobs that need to be filled by the end of the year.”
The conference was well attended and was livestreamed online—so other Port industries could share in the celebration.
During the presentation, Mastervich said, “It's a pleasure to be here and talk about bringing back jobs and re-starting production here in Catoosa, especially since as many of you know there's been one of the longest and most severe downturns in the history of the oil and gas industry.”
He said the company has re-started all of their welding operations, bringing back “over 1,000 jobs to communities in Iowa, Kentucky, Arkansas and here in Oklahoma.”
Mastervich said they took advantage of the downturn, though, and prepared for the re-start.
O’Donnell took the opportunity to say he thinks manufacturing jobs are “what make this country great.”
“Over the last 10 years in the United States we’ve lost five million manufacturing jobs,”O’Donnell said. “But I tell you what: In Oklahoma we’re reversing that trend. Over the last seven month we have created, in the state of Oklahoma, 2,900 manufacturing jobs. Those are good jobs. They support families, and they support communities.”
O’Donnell thanked TMK IPSCO for bringing their business back to Oklahoma, and bringing jobs back to the community.
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