FV Recycling reopens in Sumrall

SUMRALL, MS (WDAM) - FV Recycling reopened Tuesday and Mississippi lawmakers are calling it a win for the state's economy.

"It's a great day for all of the employees here at FV," said Gene Smith, president of FV Recycling. "We closed on December 22, so we've really been hard at it trying to get to this point and get it organized and get it running like we wanted it to run and quite honestly, build it. Grow it. There's room for more here at this plant than what we're doing right now, so we want to find more recyclable material to bring into this plant, process it and get it ready for transportation to an end user."

The reopening comes after FV Recycling, owned by Jones Companies, Inc., acquired Sumrall Recycling. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said business-minded leaders and legislative policies at support the private sector are essential for this type economic growth in Mississippi.

"We're trying to create an environment in Mississippi which encourages the private sector, capital investment which leads to private sector job growth," Reeves said. "What you see with this grand reopening is, it illustrates that our policies are working, that folks in the private sector are actually pumping money back into businesses and creating jobs right here in Sumrall, Miss. in the Pine Belt."

Reeves said there are three things the state needs to do to encourage economic growth.

"One, we have to have a fiscally responsible budget that sets our priorities," he said. "Two, we must have a tax code that is fair. One that is flat, and one that encourages economic development, not one that discourages it. The third thing and this is imperative, (if) we're going to see economic growth in our state, we must improve the educational attainment level of our citizens."

Jonathan Jones, CEO at Jones Companies, Inc., said, "It's proof to me and all of us that we can do bigger and better things in Mississippi. I think we as a community need to focus on educating our young people and giving them healthy exposure, avoiding bad counsel, and trying to believe in ourselves and create that in our community."

FV Recycling is the largest independently owned recycling company in Mississippi.

"(We) probably handle more recyclable tons than anybody else in Mississippi," Smith said. "We're not satisfied with it. It's a great platform for us to jump off of and reach forward and reach up from and try to grow this business even further. But it does give us some wherewithal to some things that we didn't have before."

Reeves said, "It's just an honor for me to be down here and celebrate this occasion, but it really just illustrates the growing of our state's economy and the growing of the Pine Belt's economy."

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