Manufacturers Keep Steely Eye on Delta, Says Grant Tennille

Grant Tennille

Economic development officials tend to be an optimistic lot. They pretty much have to be. The job is full of heartache.

This is by way of preface to say that Grant Tennille, head of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, told your Whispers staff last week that the state is “continuing to have conversations with companies from throughout the world who want to be close to independent sources of steel.”

Translation: There’s a potential for other manufacturers to locate near Big River Steel once that $1.1 billion mini-mill project gets built in Mississippi County. And not just because of the proximity of Big River, but because its steelmaking rival, Nucor Corp., also makes northeast Arkansas home.

“I think they see the opportunity because there’s available land out there to shorten their supply chain but also to have competitive vendors who want their business,” Tennille said. “I think that from the manufacturers’ side this looks like a good deal.”

He promises to keep us — and, consequently, readers — up to date.