Steel structure for UMES Engineering, Aviation, Computer and Mathematical Science Building designed and fabricated by Crystal Steel
Caroline Economic Development Corp. has announced that Crystal Steel Fabricators, Inc. is expanding to Federalsburg. Crystal Steel is headquartered in Delmar, Delaware and has facilities in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and the Philippines. The company is continuing operations in its current locations and adding additional manufacturing capacity in Federalsburg.
Crystal Steel is a family-owned structural steel fabricator specializing in large-scale projects such as stadiums, hospitals, bridges, and schools. Significant projects completed in Maryland include MGM Resort Casino at National Harbor, the Ocean City Convention Center, and Salisbury University Perdue School of Business, among others.
Crystal Steel has acquired the former ES Steel building in the Frank Adams Industrial Park, which totals 100,000 square feet. The company is also acquiring a 4.8 acre lot in the Park for additional development. Over the next two years, Crystal Steel expects to create 126 new jobs at its Federalsburg facility.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Crystal Steel to Federalsburg and Caroline County,” said Angela Visintainer, Director of Economic Development. “We’re thrilled about the job creation and investment they’ll be making of course, but we’re also excited that they’re such a good cultural fit for our County. They have a hardworking, down-to-earth culture. Members of their team have already begun working with Caroline County Public Schools to advise on the new manufacturing curriculum launching in the spring.”
Crystal Steel is currently accepting applications for a variety of positions including CNC Machine Operators, Structural Steel Fabricators, Welders, and Structural Steel Helpers. The company offers a robust training program and will consider applicants with limited experience as long as they can demonstrate a strong work ethic.
“We are always excited to provide people with great career opportunities, and many of our employees have been with us for ten years or more,” said Emad Mohamed, Executive Vice President at Crystal Steel. “We expect strong growth, which will provide folks in Federalsburg with the chance to move up and become leaders.”
Crystal Steel was initially attracted to Federalsburg because the building site has direct rail access and was designed for steel fabrication. The State of Maryland offered strong incentives including the One Maryland Tax Credit and the Enterprise Zone Tax Credit programs, as well as a $315,000 conditional loan through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund (MEDAAF), which is based upon the company’s commitment to job creation and capital expenditures.
“Crystal Steel’s plan to invest more than $4 million and create more than 126 jobs is exactly the kind of economic development our administration pledged to bring to Maryland,” said Governor Hogan, a strong advocate for Maryland manufacturing jobs. “In addition to bringing high-paying jobs to the Eastern Shore, employees will learn new skills like lean manufacturing and CNC programming. This project is a win for Crystal Steel, a win for the Caroline County, and a win for the citizens of Maryland.”
Crystal Steel will also utilize the manufacturing tax credits offered by both The Town of Federalsburg and Caroline County. These tax credits incentivize local investment for new and/or expanding manufacturing businesses.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Crystal Steel to our business community,” said Federalsburg Mayor Chuck Planner. “It’s an honor to have a company of Crystal Steel’s caliber choose our community for their future growth.”
Caroline County Commissioner Dan Franklin, who also serves on the Caroline Economic Development Corp. board of directors, said he is pleased to see more manufacturing come to the County. “Caroline County has a great workforce for manufacturing,” he said. “Because of our agricultural roots, we have a lot of people who like to work with their hands and tackle mechanical challenges. It’s very exciting to have new career opportunities open up for our residents, especially at a business as strong as Crystal Steel.”
The Crystal Steel team has met with Caroline County Warden Ruth Coulbourne to discuss the possibility of training inmates on work release. “Sometimes people make a mistake in life that they regret, and they need a second chance to get on a positive track,” said Jeff Weaver, Director of Operations at Crystal Steel. “We’re happy to provide that chance to anyone who is willing to work hard.”
Crystal Steel will begin filling some positions immediately and will continue to scale up over the next two years. Anyone interested in applying for a position with Crystal Steel should submit a resume to alana@crystalsteel.net.