Vital Records Control to Build New Facility
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Published Article: Greater Jackson Alliance Mississippi New Room
The Hinds County Economic Development District (HCEDD), the Hinds County Board of Supervisors and the City of Jackson have finalized negotiations with Vital Records Control of Mississippi, LLC (VRCM), one of the Vital Records Control (VRC) family of companies, to build a new 74,680 square foot warehouse in the Northwest Industrial Park in Jackson. The park is located on Beasley Road just west of Interstate 220. Belz Construction, a division of Belz Enterprises, Inc.,of Memphis will build the new facility.
VRC started as a small, local storage facility in Memphis in 1988 and has grown to be one of the best information storage and management companies in the country with facilities across the southeast.
VRC entered the Jackson market with the purchase of Mississippi Filing Systems, Inc. in 2006. Over its 25-year history, Mississippi Filing had grown from a small office equipment company into the largest information storage solution company in Mississippi. The joining of the two companies has provided excellent synergy and offers many additional new benefits for all of Mississippi Filing’s loyal customers.
Danny Palo, Chief Operating Officer for VRC, stated that “To service the needs of our existing customers as well as add growth for new customers, it became necessary for VRC to develop plans to consolidate our current operations, which are located in multiple facilities, into one central location relative to our customer base. After an exhaustive search, the Northwest Industrial Park was identified as the prime location to accommodate our future operating needs.”
In addition to the Northwest Park’s central location, company officials cited the excellent infrastructure available in the park as an integral part of their location decision. According to Blake Wallace, HCEDD Executive Director, “as is the case with most companies today, VRC was searching for a location that would enable them to move quickly. The Northwest Park has excellent transportation ingress and egress, sufficient water capacity and pressures to charge the company’s state-of-the-art fire suppression system and sufficient sewage and electrical capacity in place enabling the company to move at their desired pace.”
According to Charlie Holmes, VRCM’s Vice President, “the new facility will be constructed of tilt-up concrete and steel, designed to withstand up to 130 mile per hour winds and offer the highest level of security and safety to protect our customers’ vital records—from state-of-the-art fire protection to biometric access systems to the latest in security monitoring equipment.”
The initial capital investment in the facility will be $3.68 million dollars. “We are delighted to enter the Jackson market” said Russ Petty, President of VRC. “We are excited about this project and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with the City of Jackson and Hinds County.
In addition to the initial investment, VRCM will invest an additional $500,000 dollars in capital improvements during the first year of operation and an additional $500,000 dollars over the next four years. With the consolidation, VRC will add 15 new positions with an additional $300,000 dollar annual payroll to its existing workforce of 45 with an existing annual payroll of $1,000,000 dollars.
Mayor Frank Melton stated, “We are pleased that VRCM has chosen to add additional investment and jobs in our community. We have skilled, enthusiastic people in our city that will enable VRCM to continue to serve their existing customers’ needs as well as play a vital role in the company’s future growth in Jackson.”
In addition to storing and managing paper documents and computer media for some of the nation’s largest companies, hundreds of national, state, and local government agencies, and thousands of legal and medical groups, VRC also offers confidential destruction services, digital imaging services, sales and service of scanning equipment, sales of filing supplies, as well as sales and installation of all types of shelving—anything from high-end movables for medical clinics to full warehouse systems.
We are very proud to announce the expansion of one of our local companies,” stated Peggy Calhoun, President of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors. “As we all know, most of the jobs in our community are created by the expansion of existing companies. We are delighted to have a company of the caliber of VRCM in our community, and we look forward to their continued growth in Hinds County.”
Jimmy Heidel, former Director of Planning & Development for the City of Jackson, stated, “VRCM, like Mississippi Filing before it, will continue to invest and grow in the City of Jackson. Our city officials appreciate their additional investment and new jobs. Their project will greatly assist in the growth and redevelopment of our city.”
According to Benjie Barham, Business Development Director for HCEDD, “the company will receive a local incentive package totaling $190,000 dollars. This amount will be recovered through local property taxes resulting in a nice return on investment for our taxpayers as the company will not receive local property tax abatements.”
Leroy Walker, Jr., President, HCEDD Board of Trustees stated, “it has been a pleasure for myself and the HCEDD Board of Trustees, to work with VRCM, VRC, Belz, the City of Jackson and Hinds County to bring this project to fruition. It is definitely a win-win scenario for the company and the community.”