NYS to give low-cost power to a dozen LI employers
From left, chief financial officer Paul V. Rossi and CEO and owner Jeffrey W. Evans, of Evans & Paul LLC, at their Plainview manufacturing headquarters, Friday, March 27, 2015. Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
A maker of sinks, countertops and partitions that plans to almost quadruple its workforce is among a dozen local businesses and nursing homes receiving low-cost electricity from New York State, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Friday.
In total, the 12 employers have pledged to add 226 jobs and invest $15 million in return for the discounted power over seven years.
The company doing the most hiring is Evans & Paul of Plainview, which expects to add 125 people to its payroll of 45. Demand is increasing for its kitchen and bath products, which are made from DuPont's Corian material, granite, stone and other solid surfaces.
Paul V. Rossi, chief financial officer at Evans & Paul, said it was experiencing a sales surge after several lean years. Under chief executive Jeffrey Evans, Rossi said, the business turned a profit last year and will resume an expansion that had been shelved.
Rossi said discounted electricity from the state Power Authority -- 236 kilowatts -- will allow Evans & Paul to buy machinery, computers and, eventually, its own building on Dupont Street in Plainview. "This is a turnaround situation; there's now a backlog of orders," he said.
Evans & Paul recently secured a $900,000 loan and plans to seek tax breaks from the state and Nassau County, Rossi said.
Among the dozen power recipients, Century Direct LLC has the biggest project, valued at $4.2 million. The printing and direct-mail marketing business is moving from Queens to Islandia. It will retain 312 jobs and create 75 more in return for 256 kilowatts.
The biggest power allocation, 596 kilowatts, is going to Creative Bath Products Inc., which turns out plastic soap dispensers, wastebaskets and toothbrush holders in Central Islip. A thousand kilowatts equal 1 megawatt, which is capable of powering 800 to 1,000 homes.
Creative Bath has pledged to add 10 people to its workforce of 200 as part of a $1 million project.
The others receiving help through the authority's ReCharge NY program are: Eyeking LLC in Melville, RSM Electron Power Inc. in Deer Park and Hauppauge, Beach Terrace Care Center and Grandell Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, both in Long Beach, East/West Industries in Ronkonkoma, GSE Dynamics in Hauppauge, Oceanside Care Center in Oceanside, Parfuse Corp. in Westbury and Precision Metals Corp. in Bay Shore.
