Area Development
Dayjon Inc, a manufacturer of conveyor systems, opened its new $2.8 million production facility, with plans to create 50 new jobs in Bessemer, Alabama, over the next two years.

The Alabama Department of Commerce said the expansion will broaden the company’s core business, from refurbishment and refabrication of conveyor systems used mainly in the coal mining industry to full conveyor manufacturing capabilities for a wide range of industries.

“I am excited to join Dayjon in expanding its facilities in Bessemer and for the new jobs the expansion will create,” said Governor Robert Bentley. “Companies such as Dayjon are the foundation of our business community and I am proud that they found Alabama’s business climate is ripe for growth.”

Dayjon recently relocated its operations from a 5,000-square-foot shop to a 6-acre, 35,000 square feet, campus in nearby Academy Business Park. The firm’s expansion included equipment updates, modifications to the new building and the addition of a dedicated research, development and product improvement area.

John Taylor, founder and president of Dayjon, said the company’s growth already has garnered it a new contract with Kraft Foods to redesign and build a conveyor system for a plant in Norfolk, Va.

Dayjon holds a number of exclusive manufacturer’s rights to patented products that keep the heavily regulated mining industry in compliance with the Mine Safety Health Administration.

Taylor said the new building in Bessemer presents endless opportunities for Dayjon, particularly with research, development and product improvement capabilities. He said the company is in talks with joint-venture partners to utilize these capabilities, and representatives from companies in China, Australia and Germany have already toured the new facility.

Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley said, “We are proud that Dayjon has decided to grow its innovative company in Bessemer. These new jobs will further enhance Bessemer’s quality of life and the established manufacturing base here.”

As an incentive, Dayjon worked closely with the Bessemer Industrial Development Board, which leased the new building to Dayjon and provided tax abatements.