PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WRBL) — A day after a California window manufacturer selected Phenix City for its new Southeastern United States plant, there was still a lot of excitement.

Monday, Sierra Pacific announced a manufacturing facility that will create at least 300 new jobs and $60 million dollars in investment.

The East Alabama community is on a roll in recruiting businesses and creating jobs.

The Sierra Pacific Windows plant was confirmed by Mayor Eddie Lowe after months of due diligence. Couple that economic development win with the Daechang automotive facility that was announced a year ago and is almost ready for business and you see the momentum.

“One thing that I’ve been determined to do, and as every time we can, I want to make sure the governor has to come to Phenix City,” said City Manager Wallace Hunter. “When you create jobs, that 300 or more the governor visits. And I want to make sure they know that we are a vital part of the state of Alabama.”

A year ago, Phenix City announced a new facility and an expansion in the Phenix City Industrial Park. It called for $23 million dollars in investment and 300 new jobs.

Sierra Pacific Windows is a family-owned business based in Redding, California. It has purchased the old Johnston Textiles plant and plans to spend $60 million to convert it into a plant that makes high-end windows and doors.

At least 300 jobs are coming with the promise of more.

“So coming out of Covid we have seen about $100 million dollars, a little over, invested,” said Shaun Culligan, the Economic Development Manager of Phenix City. “Once full build-out is done, it will be about 600 jobs over that period of time. So, obviously, jobs are what drive a community. So we want those high-wage, high-skilled jobs. And that’s exactly what Sierra Pacific is bringing to the area.”

The Sierra Pacific jobs start at just under $20 dollars an hour. The types of jobs the company plans to create include technicians, managers, engineers, machine operators, and maintenance, among others.

“But it is much larger than what people think,” Hunter said. “It’s not just the entry-level jobs and mid-level management jobs and a high-level management job. With that particular company, they take care of their employees very well.”

Those types of jobs and pay to create momentum. And catch the attention of other companies.

“It’s put a feather in our hat,” Hunter said. “For other people to look at and say, ‘if they were to make this choice and look at this area, it’s got to be something nice about it.’ And we want to make sure they can see that.”