Hundreds of New Jobs, and Another Doomed Plant in Stillwater is Saved

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Industrial fabricator Total Energy is expanding into Stillwater, a move expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to the area by the end of 2013.

Total Energy — which makes storage tanks, high-pressure vessels and other products for industrial and utility customers — will move into the Quad/Graphics plant, which is slated for closure this year.

This is the second manufacturer this month to announce expansion plans in Stillwater. Belgian aerospace company ASCO is moving in, too, and will start hiring up to 250 workers in September. ASCO is also making use of a doomed manufacturing facility, the Mercury Marine plant, which closed down last December.

Total Energy’s Stillwater location will become the company’s new engineering and construction division, and serve as its new corporate office, reports the Stillwater NewsPress. Company officials say 100 additional jobs are likely to be added by 2015. The company has about 100 employees and is currently headquartered in North Salem, N.Y.

CEO Robert Armentano praised the “strong engineering program” at Oklahoma State University, where it’s planning to help build and fund a research program, reports The NewsPress:

“Stillwater and the state of Oklahoma are business friendly with strong ties to the oil and gas industry, as well as they offer a quality workforce and convenient location to many of Total Energy’s customers.”