County gives Shoreline tax break
BY BRUCE BRANUM
The Greenville Standard
Shoreline Transportation, LLC located in the Butler County Industrial Park (BCIP) will invest approximately $18 million and create 50 new jobs to meet the regional logistics needs of its expanding customer base.
At the Friday March 1 special called Butler County Commission meeting, Statutory Sales / Use Tax Abatements were granted. The tax abatements will cover soft assets such as trucks and trailers.
Shoreline Transportation of Alabama began operations in 2005. They currently have 194 employees and are expected to add 16 new positions in 2019, with 17 more positions added in 2020 and an additional 17 positions added in 2021. The wage for the positions will average $26 an hour.
It will result in an additional payroll in excess of $2.7 million and increased revenue to the Butler County School System of over $300,000 in the next 10 years, according to a press release.
Butler County Commission Chairman Darrell Sanders stated, “It’s a great day in Butler County when an existing industry chooses to invest and create new jobs in our Community. We are proud of Shoreline Transportation and the contributions they make to our economy”
Butler County Industrial Development Authority Chairman and Probate Judge Steve Norman commented, “The long term investment in the development and marketing of the Butler County Industrial Park continues to pay dividends for the citizens of Butler County.”
David Crenshaw, Chairman of the Butler County Commission for Economic Development (BCCED) said, “The commitment by Shoreline Transportation to continue to invest in Butler County is the most recent example of the BCCED existing industry retention and expansion program. We want to express our appreciation to Ted Clem at the Alabama Department of Commerce for his assistance as well.”
Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon added, “We are delighted that Shoreline, by announcing their business expansion plans, has committed to create new jobs and wages that will result in additional income to the Butler County School System.”
The capital investment and new jobs, beginning in April 2019, will take place over the next three years. The BCIP, with the assistance of Power south Energy Cooperative and Pioneer Electric Cooperative, has been marketed by the BCCED as a Logistics/Warehouse site location for the past few years due to its proximity to Interstate Highway 65 and US Highway 31.
The industrial park’s geographic location is halfway between New Orleans and Atlanta and Birmingham and Mobile. It has an excellent in-place infrastructure including water, sewer, electricity, gas, and fiber optics.
