After approval from the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, a Port Washington-based manufacturer will expand its operations and keep more than 300 jobs in Nassau that might have been moved out of state, county officials said.
Long Island Fireproof Door Inc., also known as LIF industries Inc., had considered relocating to Connecticut but decided not to after receiving a grant for up to $500,000 in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits from Empire State Development, state and company officials said.
Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency and aims to encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, according to the corporation.
The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency approved the economic development agreement on June 28. IDA officials said the $7 million expansion and renovation project will create 18 full-time-equivalent jobs within three years of its completion.
The project is also estimated to result in the creation of 12 to 17 construction jobs and have a total economic impact on the county of $108 million, company officials said.
In addition to tax breaks, LIF industries Inc. will be provided with 290 kilowatts of low-cost electricity from the state Power Authority.
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano credited the IDA and other county programs with maintaining a strong economy.
“Nassau County continues to lead the region with the lowest unemployment rate due to my economic development teams’ success in retaining local employers and attracting new companies and their jobs to our communities. The retention and growth of these two companies and their 500 jobs ensures residents continue to have local job opportunities and helps maintain the tax base for schools and other municipalities,” Mangano said.
State officials also touted their role in the state’s economy.
“Under Gov. Cuomo’s leadership, manufacturing continues to grow in New York, creating jobs and providing the backbone of regional economies,” said Howard Zemsky, president, chief executive and commissioner of Empire State Development. “LIF Industries is part of a company that has been producing goods on Long Island for the past 80 years, and we are pleased to see them remain and expand here.”
LIF industries Inc., a manufacturer of baseboard heating equipment and one of the top manufacturers of gas and water boilers, will spend $3 million to modernize its building and retain its unionized workforce of 229 in Greenvale.
The company plans to increase its space by 25 percent through the purchase of a 40,000-square-foot building at 10 Harbor Park Drive in Port Washington, which is across from its headquarters and factory at 5 Harbor Drive. LIF industries Inc. also has additional facilities at a 40,000-square-foot building located at 18 Industrial Park Drive in Port Washington.
Officials said the new facility will also help LIF expand its manufacturing capabilities, as it taps into new markets throughout the United States.
