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Council, Mayor Praise Almco Progress In Tight Economy

By JIM BARBIERI
Bluffton City Council not only approved a required tax abatement compliance filing by Almco Steel Products Corp. this month but also commended the Bluffton manufacturing firm.
Council’s review was on an investment project of recent years in the amount of $2.5 million in real estate and improvements (the plant building) and $4 million in added machinery and equipment.
When Almco was approved earlier for tax abatement, the company had projected that 12 additional jobs would result from the investment.
As it turned out, via the report this year, the company had come through a period of well-known very soft conditions in the heavy manufacturing field and tighter economy, but had continued a prior number of 85 jobs including skilled personnel with higher pay level and recognized value to the company.
And a total of seven jobs had been added.
Although this was less than the 12 projected, there had been three more added since the report was made.
Council members were openly impressed that the home-bred company has invested like this during modern times in an important manufacturing role in industry and continued to provide good jobs plus community-spirited leadership.
To the further good, signs were reported that conditions may be getting better too.
Mayor Ted Ellis took the occasion to speak out publicly to note that the Almco business had been a good corporate citizen through a lot of years and had provided economic and other benefits to Bluffton.
The Howard Almdale-launched industry -- continuing in the same family with son, Jim Almdale -- has operated in the same location since 1946, although the facilities have multiplied in size, equipment, technology and capacity.