Howard Industries
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Howard Industries is an electrical products manufacturer located in Laurel, Mississippi. Howard Industries was founded in 1968. Howard Industries is currently the world's largest manufacturer of distribution transformers, and is the largest employer in Laurel, as well as one of the largest in the state.
Howard Industries is a privately owned company based in south Mississippi, with a net worth nearing 1 billion dollars. Founded in 1968 by Billy W. Howard Sr. and his wife, Linda, there are 4 main divisions of Howard Industries:
1) Howard Transformer Division: The original company and leading manufacturer of oil-filled electrical distribution transformers in the United States, with over 6 million in service throughout the world. Howard Transformers boasts a 1,600,000 square feet (149,000 m²) facility in Laurel, Mississippi, making it the largest transformer plant in the world.
2) Howard Transportation: A wholly-owned subsidiary consisting of 160 tractor/trailers and a brokerage firm.
3) Howard Lighting: Offers lighting solutions for both commercial and residential use.
4) Howard Technology Solutions: Leading reseller and manufacturer of computer hardware and related equipment and solutions. Offers 24/7 support and customizable options.
5)Howard Substation Division: The newest addition to Howard Industries, formed in April 2005, creates substation power transformers with ratings of up to 60MVA(Million Volt Amperes).
Howard Industries is the largest employer in Laurel. The speed at which Howard Industries is growing has caused the company to need to expand, and they are doing so via the Howard Technology Park in Ellisville, Mississippi. The Tech Park is heavily state subsidized. Unfortunately the 5000 jobs promised from the computer division of the company in 1997 have never materialized. As of 2007 no tenants have moved into the facility.
