Governor Robert Bentley joined company, state and local representatives were present in Bessemer for a ribbon cutting commemorating Dayjon Inc’s expansion which was hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance. The $2.8 million expansion will create up to 50 new jobs over the next two years.
“I am excited to join Dayjon in expanding its facilities in Bessemer and for the new jobs the expansion will create,” said Governor Bentley. “Companies such as Dayjon are the foundation of our business community and I am proud that they found Alabama’s business climate is ripe for growth.”
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield also expressed his appreciation to the company for its decision to expand its operations in Alabama. “I am glad that we could play a role in helping Dayjon bring its vision to life. We also appreciate the leadership efforts of the Birmingham Business Alliance on this project. Our department stands ready to help the company continue its growth in the future.”
The expansion will broaden the company’s core business - from refurbishment and refabrication of conveyor systems, used mainly in the coal mining industry, to full conveyor manufacturing capabilities for a wide range of industries.
The turning point for this nine-year-old company of 17 employees came when it recently relocated its operations from a 5,000-square-foot shop in Bessemer, to 6 acres and 35,000 square feet in the nearby Academy Business Park. The expansion includes equipment updates, modifications to the new building and the addition of a dedicated research, development and product improvement area in the building.
John Taylor, founder and president of Dayjon, said the company’s growth already has garnered it a new contract with Kraft Foods to redesign and build a conveyor system for a plant in Norfolk, Va. Dayjon’s national reach and scope enables it to increase revenue by $5 million annually, said Taylor.
Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley said, “We are proud that Dayjon has decided to grow its innovative company in Bessemer. These new jobs will further enhance Bessemer’s quality of life and the established manufacturing base here. We look forward to working with Dayjon for many years to come as it continues to grow its reach both nationally and globally.”
“The expansion of established companies like Dayjon is critical to our community and our local economy,” said Fred McCallum, incoming chairman for the Birmingham Business Alliance and president of AT&T Alabama. “Our region is committed at all levels – from Governor Bentley’s office to those working in each city – to helping innovative companies like Dayjon reach their full potential.”
Dayjon worked closely with the Bessemer Industrial Development Board (BIDB), which leased the new building to Dayjon and provided statutory tax abatements; the Birmingham Business Alliance, which helped facilitate the abatements; the Alabama Department of Commerce; AIDT, which will develop a program to help train new workers for the company; and consultant B.T. Crowe.
John Taylor is a mechanical engineer from Newcastle, United Kingdom, who came to Alabama in 1988 to work for U.S. Steel. After a number of years in consulting and working for a local fabricating company, he opened a small shop in Bessemer in 2004 to refurbish conveyors and equipment used in mining.
Dayjon holds a number of exclusive manufacturer’s rights to patented products that keep the heavily regulated mining industry in compliance with the Mine Safety Health Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Dayjon recently began marketing its newest product, the Center Loading, a patented product that Taylor said minimizes spillage in materials handling and transfer points. This improves the bottom line by eliminating labor for cleanup and damage to belts. The company also produces the Long Haul Idler and Roller, which has a bearing life three to four times longer than any on the market today.
Taylor said the new building in Bessemer presents endless opportunities for Dayjon, particularly with research, development and product improvement capabilities. He said the company is in talks with joint-venture partners to utilize these capabilities, and representatives from companies in China, Australia and Germany have already toured the new facility.
For more information, visit the Alabama Department of Commerce Web Site: http://commerce.alabama.gov/
