'Jasper's Day'
Company to add 100-200 jobs to Jasper economy
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Newsboy photo/Charles Kerr WITH A TIGER TRUCK in the background, Chief Executive Officer for Tiger Truck Michael Ward shows off some of the features of the vehicles to U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady during Monday's press conference at the Lone Star Community Center in Jasper.

Heralding it as "Jasper's Day," Michael Ward, Chief Executive Officer for Tiger Truck, formally announced the company's purchase of the LP sawmill plant on Hwy. 63 East.

"I would like to welcome you to Jasper's Day," Ward said in making the announcement at the Lone Star Community Center Monday, March 12. "Today is not a day to celebrate Tiger Truck coming to Jasper but a day to celebrate Jasper's successful recruitment of a manufacturing company that will bring direct jobs and significant economic impact to the entire county."

Ward said he hopes to have the plant up and running by January of 2008.

He said the company, which is headquartered out of Dallas, is presently evaluating whether to fully relocate its home base to the Jasper location.

He said a human resources manager is close to being hired for the company who would then oversee the hiring of workers for the Jasper plant.

"As soon as that person is in place, we are going to clean out an office and start recruiting right away," Ward said. "By mid first year, we should have more than 100 people hired and by our third year, we should have more than 200 people employed out here."

He added that the company has budgeted approximately $500,000 to rehab the LP plant and get it ready for business.

Tiger Truck will open the first-ever manufacturing plant for a Chinese-engineered and designed truck in the United States in Jasper at the former LP plant on Hwy. 63 East.

"We're here to do our part and we think we are coming to a community that is going to do their part," Ward said.

Ward said four states courted the expansion project including 33 cities in Texas alone.

"It may be a little rainy outside, but the future is bright in Jasper," said Congressman Kevin Brady. "We are excited about Tiger Truck's investment in this community but in truth, you are investing in our people and our future."

Brady believes Tiger Truck's decision to locate this plant in Jasper may have a domino effect for other companies to come to this area as well.

"This might be the first in ever-increasing production opportunities in East Texas," Brady said.

Brady also commended the decision to use the former LP sawmill site by Tiger Truck.

"You are choosing a site which has an existing 150,000 square foot building on it and bringing it back to use," Brady said. "That building has been a big part of this community's history and now it can be a big part of its future.

"Jasper's greatest untapped resource is its people and you will have no problem gaining the best new members for your team," Brady said. "Tiger Truck is ready for the future on transportation in this country and it's exciting that they are doing it in Jasper, Texas."

Ward said the existing building on site would be used with "only minor alterations" and that played a major role in deciding to come to Jasper.

"We also felt the Jasper community had the available pool of labor that we would need to staff the plant without having to rob everybody else," Ward said. "

Ward said one of the main reasons Tiger Truck selected Jasper was due to the hard work of Jasper Economic Development Corporation's Executive Director Tom McClurg.

"Like most situations in life, there is a key player who is the master conductor," Ward said. "Jasper and Jasper County is blessed with an extraordinary person who is a band leader and Jasper's band leader is Tom McClurg.

"I cannot say with any surety at all that I would be standing here in Jasper if it wasn't for Tom McClurg," Ward said. "He dotted the I's and crossed the T's and he answered the phone."

Ward admitted Tiger Truck would not go down in history as the largest truck manufacturer ever but he said it would take its place as elite, high quality truck builders.

"Tiger Truck will be noted in history as changing the automotive manufacturing paradigm of it's kind," Ward said. "While other manufacturers are going to manufacture in China, I am pleased to be investing in truck manufacturing in Jasper, Texas USA and having local workers build class, quality vehicles for domestic and overseas sales," Ward said. "I could not be more pleased with our long standing relations with Changan Automotive Group in Chongqing, China."

Changan Automotive is the third largest automobile manufacturer in China and also has joint manufacturing agreements with Suzuki, Ford and Mazda.

"This is a great step forward for the city of Jasper and the county," said Jasper Mayor David Barber. "This just shows what this part of the country can do when you pull together and do something positive for this area."

The company received tax exemptions from the county and Jasper Independent School District to help cushion the deal.

Eddie Hopkins, president of the JISD board, said he was surprised when the board was asked to participate in the recruiting of Tiger Truck to Jasper.

"We have never been asked to be involved in any kind of economic development," Hopkins said. "It was a win-win for the school district. For us to approve this tax exemption, it is something that is good for everybody involved."

He pointed out that the tax exemption would not only apply to Tiger Truck but to any manufacturing business that wishes to locate in Jasper.

Ward pointed out the school district's early decision also played a major role in the decision process.

"That has never been done before," Ward said, who added the county approved a tax abatement plan as well during Monday's Commissioner's court meeting.

Tiger's off-road vehicles cannot be driven on public streets or roads. Tiger's target markets include large campus environments, such as colleges, universities and Federal and State compounds.

Tiger's line of vehicles includes electric, gas, E-85 and hybrid configurations. The Jasper location will assemble two new truck platforms.

The first, called the Champ, will be the approximately size of a full-size U.S. pickup truck and will be available in two and fourdoor models.

The second version of this truck, called the Leopard, will also be available in twoand four-door versions but is for export only, primarily to Mexico and South America.

Walter Diggles, executive director for the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, said he was pleased that Tiger Truck's announcement was made at the Lone Star Community Center on Burch Street.

"We appreciate that you chose this facility in this part of the community to make this announcement to show the importance of jobs to our community," Diggles said. "This is not only a great day for Jasper but a great day for Deep East Texas."