Construction could begin in December on the new Viking Range Corp dishwasher manufacturing facility, expected to bring 250 jobs to Greenwood.
The plant, valued at more than $10 million, will be built behind the company's distribution facility on U.S. 82.
"We have spent two years developing a state-of-the-art dishwasher unlike anything on the market," said Bill Crump, director of government affairs for Viking Range Corp. "Not only will we produce this dishwasher here, but we'll be building jobs."
On Monday, the Leflore County Board of Supervisors approved an application for a $648,800 Community Development Block Grant from the Mississippi Development Authority.
As part of the project, the company also will renovate the old Rocky manufacturing building on U.S. 82. The building will be used to house the Viking product support facility.
The support facility, which is currently split between two other sites, handles all service calls, Crump explained.
Relocating the support facility will create space for the refrigeration engineering division, which is moving from Memphis.
The grant money will be used to create a new intersection on U.S. 82 and to extend water and sewer lines from Greenwood.
Grenada-based Willis Engineering assessed the road construction cost at $406,720 and sewer additions for $69,575.
The road project is expected to be fully funded, said Steve Russell, senior planner for the North Central Planning and Development District.
After approval, which Russell expects around October, the money will be drawn in increments from the Development Authority.
The grant will provide 6 percent of the funds. Viking is expected to pay $8.7 million with other local funds to contribute to the $10.6 million building.
Dishwashers are the only major Viking appliance not manufactured in Greenwood.
