Custom Collars to expand
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Nothing could be farther from the truth for an Opp company whose slogan claims “it has gone to the dogs” after getting a boost from a $150,000 grant awarded by Gov. Bob Riley.
Tuesday’s funding announcement will help Custom Collars to relocate, expand and add 15 employees to its six-member workforce. The business, which is owned by Bruce Cauley of Opp, manufacturers numerous items for hunting dogs and pets and is diversifying its line of products to reach other types of markets.
The award to the city of Opp will help provide water and sewer service to the company’s new industrial park location. The infrastructure improvements also could help the city attract additional businesses to its industrial park.
Custom Collars, which has been in Opp since 2000, will relocate to a new 10,000-square-foot building being constructed by the city at Opp East Industrial Park off the U.S. Hwy. 84 bypass.
With the larger space and more employees, company officials said they hope to be able to accept additional work and clients.
Riley notified Mayor H.D. Edgar that the Community Development Block Grant had been approved. The city is supplying an additional $45,240 in local funding for the project.
Funds for the CDBG were provided to ADECA by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is the second economic development announcement benefiting Opp’s Industrial Park. In November, a $350,000 grant was awarded to the city to construct a new industrial access road.