Tulsa Chamber, Companies Announce Hundreds Of New Jobs

Lacie Lowry and Staff Reports, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The Tulsa Metro Chamber joined with a group of Tulsa-area companies Thursday morning to announce plans to significantly increase the companies' workforces.

The companies involved are:

• Fisher Products
• Avery Barron Industries
• AT & T
• Process Manufacturing

The companies say they are adding up to 370 new jobs. 

Avery Barron Industries opened its doors in July of 2010. Booming business has propelled the metal fabrication shop to expand from its one employee at start-up to 50 employees at its two locations.

"I think it's important to note that most of these people were unemployed before joining ABI," said Bruce Barron, Avery Barron Industries CEO.

ABI needs a painter, a welder, a press break operator and a machinist immediately, and hopes to hire a total of 50 people by next year.

"ABI will create an additional 100-150 jobs over the next five years," he said.

Barron and the CEO's of two other small businesses announced their expansion plans at the news conference.

Fisher Products is a machine shop, specializing in hard-surface coated parts used in the oil, nuclear and pump industries. It currently has 60 employees and plans to hire about 67 more.

"We're looking at precision shafts, a quick turnaround shop and our sales have grown since this time last year 70 percent," Mike Short, Fisher Products CEO, said.

And Process Manufacturing produces finished units for the drilling rig service industry and does as much as it can in-house.

"We have grown from 3 employees and 3,000 square feet to 160 employees and we're under construction now to finish 200,000 square feet," explained Process Manufacturing CEO Frank Chrisco.

Process is looking to hire 100 new employees by spring. According to the chamber, those new jobs will boost local sales and property taxes by $4 million and support an additional 750 jobs.

"The impact that has on the community will be immediate, but the good news about that is -- its long term impact," said Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett.

AT & T is the fourth company expanding locally. Representatives say they started hiring last month for 100 new customer service jobs at their Tulsa call centers. They hope to be finished filling those positions next month.