Archived Story
Local company to partner with fracking company
Published 11:47am Wednesday, April 18, 2012NATCHEZ — Blain Companies of Natchez and a new company to town will partner in a support industry related to fracking.
Each business will create 30 new jobs for a total of 60 jobs in Adams County.
“Today we are announcing a new business agreement,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “Believe me it’s a game changer in the energy industry.”
Blain Companies will be known as Magnolia Frac Sand LLC and will produce what is known as frac sand.
The new Blain company will produce frac sand for the new company, Fores Frac Sand LLC.
Fores Frac Sand LLC will work with the frac sand after it is produced. Fores Resin Coating LLC will add a resin coat to produce resin coated frac sand that is harder and able to go deeper in oil and gas recovery.
The product is used by the oil and gas industries in the hydraulic fracking process.
Blain Companies will invest $7 million in the Adams County facility. Fores will invest $27 million.
Fores expects to start work in the fourth quarter of this year. They will construct a loading and unloading storage facility at the port of Natchez.
The state is assisting with $264,000 for rail upgrades in Adams County and $253,000 for an upgrade to an existing access road.
“It takes all of you working together,” Bryant said. “It is the local chamber of commerce, the mayors and boards of supervisors that really bring this together. Today’s announcement is very important.”
Lee Stevens is president of Blain Sand and Gravel of Blain Companies, which has been operating since 1945. Blain Sand and Gravel mines raw materials and has operated in Natchez and surrounding communities.
Mayor Jake Middleton presented the company with a key to the city.
“Once you take the key you are in, there’s no getting away now,” Middleton said.
