A Franklin company that designs and builds conveyor systems is expanding and planning to move.
Direct Conveyors, which is currently located on Forsythe Street, plans to invest more than $2 million in a new 30,000-square-foot facility on Commerce Parkway.
The company asked for a five-year tax break on $337,000 worth of equipment and a seven-year tax break on the $1.9 million new building. The Franklin Economic Development Commission unanimously approved the request this week, which now would need to be approved by the city council.
Direct Conveyors employs 18 people and plans to hire another eight with the expansion, co-owner Ron Wood said.
The company’s average wage is $20 per hour, which is the type of jobs the city wants, Mayor Steve Barnett said.
Expanding the facility will allow the company to get added clients and hire new workers, Wood said. The company currently designs and builds conveying systems for more than 350 customers, including in robotics, assembly and testing, food processing, pharmaceuticals and automotive industries.
The company hopes to continue growing and potentially double in size in the next five years, and has bought additional land for future expansions at the new location, Wood said.
