The storm clouds gathered over Cleveland on February 25, however the sun was shinning in the conference room at the old Royal Vendors building as the French corporation, Faurecia announced they were opening a manufacturing facility in Cleveland . In the coming months the business will create over 250 jobs.

"We are honored to have Faurecia come to Mississippi , to come to Cleveland , and we look forward to assisting this fine company in their move to Bolivar County , " said Governor Haley Barbour who's administration played a vital role in luring the company to Cleveland . "The State of Mississippi has committed it's resources along with the local community in making sure that Faurecia has everything it needs to be prosperous in our great state. Faurecia's decision to locate to the Delta proves once again that we can compete and win on an international level."

Joining Governor Barbour in the announcement were Cleveland area elected officials, business owners, and others. The excitement in the room was evident as speaker after speaker saluted the efforts of everyone involved who helped to bring this $10 billion company with 60,000 employees worldwide to Cleveland . Entergy was the other team member that helped bring Faurecia to Cleveland .

"We are very proud to be part of yet another Mississippi success story," said Carolyn Shanks, president and CEO for Entergy Mississippi at the event. "Attracting industries to the state helps our communities in so many ways, and that's an important part of Entergy's local involvement."

Time and again two individuals were singled out in the audience during the event: Sonny Simons of the Mississippi Development Authority and Rick Byars a senior account executive with Entergy's economic development recruiting department. Although many entities participated in the Faurecia project nicknamed “Hope” while the deal was in play, by all accounts Simons and Byars were the two that played the most significant role in bringing the corporation to Cleveland . Initially, Cleveland wasn't on Faurecia's radar screen until Simons and Byars prompted the company to take a look at a building in Cleveland .

Faurecia will invest $12 million in the Cleveland facility. The company's workforce is expected to grow to 250 workers by 2006 with an annual payroll of $6 million.

“There is a word that I want everyone to concentrate on for just one moment,” Mississippi Development Authority executive director, Leland Speed, told the audience. “That word is - ‘partnership'. Because that's what it took make this announcement possible. When we all work together as ‘partners', there is no end to what we can accomplish here in Mississippi . And, let me just say that my boss, Governor Haley Barbour, is one great salesman and that is a great asset we have in Mississippi .”

“The Cleveland-Bolivar County Industrial Development Foundation would like to thank all of the partners that worked together to make Cleveland and the Bolivar County the preferred choice in the site location decision for Faurecia,” said Bob Eley, president of the Cleveland-Bolivar County Industrial Development Foundation. “Without the efforts of the Mississippi Development Authority and Entergy Mississippi , the Cleveland facility would never have been presented to Faurecia for consideration.”

Faurecia is a leading global supplier of automotive seating and interior systems, as well as exhaust systems and front-end modules. The company has several plants in North America and is expanding its operations to meet increasing demand from automakers. Faurecia's sales in the region could reach $1.6 billion in 2006.

"The partnership of local leaders, the Cleveland-Bolivar Chamber of Commerce, the Mississippi Development Authority, Entergy, and Delta Council worked hard and smart to convince one of the world's largest companies to move right here to the Delta," said Frank Howell, director of development for the Delta Council. "This is good news for Cleveland and continued validation that the Delta is on the right track in industrial development." DBJ