NATCHEZ — Enerfab announced Wednesday it would make an $11 million-plus investment that would result in an expansion at its Natchez operations, Enersteel.

The expansion will create 20 new jobs, bringing total employment at the metal fabrication facility to 110.

The company currently fabricates steel plate products including storage tanks and pressure vessels for industrial processes and ductwork for the power generation industry.

The expansion will be made to allow for an increase in tank head production.

“We are proud to be part of the team, along with our local and state officials, providing more jobs and benefits for the hard-working men and women in our area,” Enersteel’s Operations Manager Aaron Shermer said.

Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said the new jobs could be available in four to seven months.

“The expansion is already under way as we speak — it is not one of these commitments that we have wait for,” Russ said. “As soon as the equipment gets in place, they can hire the needed skill set to do the tank head side of things.”

“It is not a year or two years, it is an immediate deal.

Those who want to apply should do so at the WIN Job Center, Russ said.

Enersteel General Manager Mack Van Eaton said expanding operations in Natchez makes sense for the company.

“Building on our base with the infrastructure we already had in place, it is the right thing to do for us as a whole trying to be of good service to the southeast (region),” Van Eaton said.

As part of the expansion, the Mississippi Development Authority will spend $150,000 in Development Infrastructure Grant Funds to improve the access road connecting the Enersteel facility to River Terminal Road.

“MDA is honored to have provided assistance for the expansion of Enersteel and the creation of these new jobs, and we appreciate the company for once again placing its confidence in our business climate and workforce,” MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen said.

“We thank our partners at Natchez Inc. and the Adams County Board of Supervisors for working with us on this project, and we look forward to watching Enersteel continue to grow in the future.”

Russ said local incentives provided by the Adams County Board of Supervisors for the expansion included property-tax exemption for the facility’s machinery and equipment.

“Our hope — as we continue our success in our recruitment of new industries — is to work diligently with the existing industrial base and trying to see it grow and expand,” he said. “(Working with existing industry) is the lifeblood of economic development. Making sure that those (industries) you have are vibrant and healthy is an important part of our overall plan.”

Gov. Phil Bryant said he appreciated Enerfab’s decision to select Natchez for its expansion.

“Natchez’s prime location, along with the supportive business climate found in the state, were key factors in the company’s decision to expand here, serving as further proof that Mississippi is a great place to do business,” Bryant said.

Enerfab is headquartered in Cincinnati. Enerfab purchased the former Dynasteel Natchez facility in 2011.