Hunter Expands Mississippi Plant

Hunter Engineering Co.'s Durant, Miss., manufacturing plant recently completed a 60,000 square-foot addition.

"The new space will provide increased capacity for existing four-post and scissor lift manufacturing, as well as for future product lines," say company officials. "Included will be state-of-the-art assembly systems, additional storage for materials and finished goods, a new maintenance facility and manufacturing engineering center, loading docks and a loading bay for heavy-duty lifts."

The Durant manufacturing plant produces alignment racks, brake lathes and other undercar service equipment. Hunter has two additional plants in nearby Raymond, Miss., as well as a distribution center in Madison.

A self-funded project, Hunter says it will continue investing millions "in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, workforce development and the creation of new jobs moving into the new space."

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves attended the opening, along with Hunter Executive Vice President Steve Brauer Jr., Operations Vice President Hunter Jones, Durant Mayor John Haynes, Police Chief Demarcus Friend, Fire Chief Marcus Landfair and numerous additional Durant city council members and administration officials.

“Hunter manufactures these products right here in America, right here in Mississippi and right here in Durant,” said Gov. Reeves. “That’s exciting to me. It tells people across this country and across the world that if you’re looking to make stuff, and you’re looking to bring manufacturing back to American shores, Mississippi is the place to invest.”

This year marks Hunter’s 80th in business and the 50th anniversary of the Durant plant. Since opening in 1976, the facility has expanded six times, and the company invested over $10 million to expand "high-tech manufacturing and engineering space" for this project. 

A Top100 Mississippi employer, Hunter says it is "committed to being American made, with 1,300 employees in the U.S. and more than 280 in Durant."