Article by Rhett Morgan for Tulsa World
Webco Industries plans to invest at least $10 million into a leadership campus expansion adjacent to the company’s two manufacturing facilities in Sand Springs.
Purchased from the Sand Springs Economic Development Authority, the 48-acre site will become the new home of Webco’s corporate headquarters and house the company’s technical development and testing facilities, along with other important shared-service initiatives.
“For us, we started here,” Dana Weber, Webco CEO and chairwoman, said Wednesday at a news conference. “Sand Springs has been a partner of ours. We tend to be relationship-based, long-term based.
“… They’ve been great to work with. Our preference was to always stay here and continue that relationship.”
A maker of carbon and stainless steel specialty tubing products, Webco employs 621 in Sand Springs and 1,300 people company-wide. It was founded in 1969.
“Since we have managed to maintain and grow over the first 50 years of our existence, we hope to continue to grow over the next 50 years of our existence,” Weber said. “This will give us the ability to do this on this campus.”
The new campus, which will be built in phases and contain at least 75,000 square feet of facilities, will be just east of the existing Star Center production facility on Oklahoma 51.
“Webco’s decision to locate its leadership campus in Sand Springs keeps the 150 corporate office jobs in Sand Springs and is expected to add another 30 at the new site over the next few years,” Phil Nollan, Sand Springs city councilor and Sand Springs Economic Development Authority member, said in a statement. “And as Webco continues to grow and prosper over its second 50 years, the number of jobs and economic impact to our community will be immeasurable.”
Sand Springs Mayor Jim Spoon lauded Webco’s vision.
“Sand Springs is in a time now of growth,” he said at the news conference. “We’re having really good things happen in Sand Springs. Webco is a part of that.”
Weber said the next year will be spent on site development, with construction of the technology center and Webco University following that. Eventually, a new corporate headquarters will be built to replace the existing 26,000-square-foot facility at 9101 W. 21st St.
With the new jobs, Webco will become the top employer in the city, Nollan said.
“It was a no-brainer decision to say, ‘Hey, what can we do to make this happen for you guys and allow you all to expand your campus,’” he said.
