Jacksonville engineering service firms adding 65 high-paying jobs

[thelakelander]

By David Bauerlein
Two Jacksonville firms that specialize in railroad and aviation engineering services are seeking financial incentives for creating 65 high-paying jobs.

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the requests.

Xorail, a Jacksonville-based subsidiary of Wabtec Corp., would add 55 jobs at its Gate Parkway location on the Southside by the end of 2012. Xorail was founded in Jacksonville in 1988 as Southwest Signal Engineering Co., according to a JEDC staff summary of the proposed incentives.

The average wage for the new jobs will be $57,000 a year.

Aviation Systems Engineering Company, Inc. would add 10 jobs by the end of 2010 to a Jacksonville branch office at Golden Wings Road on the Westside. The average wage would be $79,242. The company's headquarters is in Lexington Park, Md.

The incentives would come through a state program for business that create new jobs in targeted industries.

Aviation Systems Engineering would be able to get a state tax refund of up to $50,000. The city's share would be $10,000 for the cost of that refund.

Xorail would be able to get a state tax refund of up to $165,000, with the city's share of that cost at $33,000.

http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-04-12/story/jacksonville-engineering-service-firms-adding-65-high-paying-jobs

[RiversideLoki]

That's great news. I know a lot of engineers that are hurting right now.

[Captain Zissou]

Obviously it would be better if they were DT, but rail companies and aerospace are very important to our local economy. 

[jandar]

Xorail paid less per square foot than it would have downtown.
Blame the COJ for not doing better incentives or the greedy realtors downtown.

[mtraininjax]

Xorail was recently purchased by another firm, another outside Jax firm. I don't see these as long term Jax jobs.

[jandar]

Xorail was recently purchased by another firm, another outside Jax firm. I don't see these as long term Jax jobs.

The Jobs would still be in Jacksonville. Xorail is a subsidiary of Wabtec. It will still keep the Xorail name and be based here in Jacksonville.

[mtraininjax]

The Jobs would still be in Jacksonville. Xorail is a subsidiary of Wabtec. It will still keep the Xorail name and be based here in Jacksonville.

Think this all you want, one of the firms that used to be in Orange Park doing CSX work, was recently purchased and all their jobs are headed to Kentucky, because its cheaper labor up there. Do not think that these jobs will not end up somewhere else.

After all, surely no corporate company would break their deal with the City.

[jandar]

The Jobs would still be in Jacksonville. Xorail is a subsidiary of Wabtec. It will still keep the Xorail name and be based here in Jacksonville.

Think this all you want, one of the firms that used to be in Orange Park doing CSX work, was recently purchased and all their jobs are headed to Kentucky, because its cheaper labor up there. Do not think that these jobs will not end up somewhere else.

After all, surely no corporate company would break their deal with the City.

Wabtec has acquired lots of other companies, and in each case, kept the original office open.

Wabtec has no other subsidiaries that do the same work that Xorail does. Where would they move the jobs? Their HQ in Pittsburgh couldn't hold all the jobs, and CSX is Xorail's major customer. Why move the jobs away from the customer?

Did they close Standard Car Truck when they bought them?
Did they close Schaefer?
How about Motive Power or Q-Tron?

If they will buy Xorail and move them, why does their IT department have staff (not just helpdesk/desktop support but high level staff) located at almost all of their former locations before buyouts? Why not consolidate IT into the Wilmderding office?