PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — One of Bay County’s newest manufacturers took time Thursday to honor and thank the Bay County’s first responders. The company is also celebrating the completion of a “finished goods” yard.

Central Moloney Incorporated, expanded to the venture crossing industrial park here in Bay County in April 2022.

In a little more than a year, the Pine Bluff, Arkansas-based company has embraced the community. And the community has embraced Central Moloney.

“We’re so excited that they’re in our area in Bay County because what they bring to this area is tremendous. The job opportunity that’s here helps everybody in Bay County,” said Bay County Commissioner Bill Dozier.

CMI builds electrical transformers of all sizes. Workers build an average of 100 transformers a day.

Once they’re completed, they’ve got to be stored somewhere. That’s where the finished goods yard comes in.

“Once they are actually completely manufactured past all their quality inspections, that’s basically a holding area where they will sit in their zones. So as you can see, the trucks will roll in and they will be able to load them up. Our goal is to get them on those trucks as quickly as possible,” said Central Moloney Inc. HR Director of Florida Operations Alexandra Murphy.

The yard is five and a half acres of concrete at a cost of $5 million. The money came from a triumph Gulf Coast grant.

“The demand is real. And the fact that we have this wonderful new finished goods yard is going to even give us the opportunity to produce more,” Murphy said.

Central Moloney already employs more than 100 people. And that number will continue to grow.

“As the business picks up. And as materials come in, they’re going to be putting on a third shift. So, they’ll be hiring more people,” Dozier said.

Thursday’s event was a double celebration.

CMI invited Bay County’s first responders to show their appreciation. And that appreciation was mutual.

“We will absolutely be back. We hear they’re going to cook again. We’ll definitely be back,” Bay County EMS Captain Matt Gothard.

Central Moloney hires people with or without experience.

For a link to their employment page, click here.