JACKSONIVLLE, Fla. –
A Scottish company formally announced Thursday it was opening its United States headquarters in Jacksonville.
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City Refrigeration Holdings specializes in the installation and maintenance of commercial cooling equipment and air-conditioning systems, including walk-in chillers and freezers. This week, the company also announced a partnership with Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, Bi-Lo and Harveys grocery stores.
The company will open a $5.7 million facility that will initially employ 51 people with an average wage of $67,000. The expect to ramp up to 100 jobs at their facility in the Cypress Point Business Park on the Southside.
“We want to launch our operations in the U.S. utilizing the knowledge and skills of existing employees and local talent,” says Gerry Phimister, City's chief executive officer. “In keeping with our company ethos, we will provide training and new opportunities to help develop our associates with greater skills for their personal development.”
City Refrigeration will receive a grant of up to $3,000 per new, full-time job created, up to a maximum of $153,000 -- 80 percent of which will be covered by the state.
Mayor Lenny Curry said the deal was one of the wins from city leaders' annual trip to London for the Jacksonville Jaguars international game.
"Our trips to London have a significant return on investment," Curry said.
City Refrigeration is the second United Kingdom company to indicate interest in Jacksonville in several months.
In November, London-based Resource Solutions, a recruiting company, said it wanted to open a global service center and create 75 jobs in Jacksonville. The city and state agreed to award $225,000 in taxpayer incentives to the project.