The Liberty County Development Authority on Monday authorized a Midway Industrial Park chemical company to install a ModSpace office trailer within the park to accommodate additional staff.
The request, submitted in writing by SNF FloQuip Service Manager John Rankin, said the business has outgrown its current building and needs the temporary space to accommodate new hires within a couple of weeks.
The group also will conduct a feasibility study for future expansion operations, according to the email request.
The Courier was not able to touch base with Rankin by press time to find out how much the company plans to expand, and the LCDA was not able to provide a number.
“This is a good request because FloQuip has been growing out there in the Midway Industrial Park …,” LCDA CEO Ron Tolley said, calling the expansion “good fortune.” “We were just glad to hear that they were needing more space.”  
Midway Industrial Park also will see a new addition when The Sand Box food truck, a Richmond Hill-based business, rolls in to serve subs, sandwiches, hot dogs, snacks and beverages on a semi-weekly basis.
The board granted business owner Schyler West permission to use space in the park’s parking lot to accommodate pedestrian traffic from the local industrial tenants and customers within the area.
Tolley said staff surveyed existing industries and found that “one of their greatest desires was to have greater availability of food options, particularly for lunch.”
An estimated 1,200 employees within the area have the freedom to leave their premises for lunch, he said.
The food vendor also was authorized to set up shop at two locations that would serve the Tradeport East Business Center employees nearer to Interstate 95.
Currently, TPE tenant Tire Rack allows the truck to operate biweekly within its parking lot, but a new location on a gravel lot near Firth Rixson would allow the business to expand its customer base, West said.
“I probably do more business with Firth Rixson employees than anybody else, so being able to service them directly, it would be better for them, and it would be better for me, to be honest with you,” West said. “The problem there is they don’t have any terrain there that would accommodate my rig.”
Board member Paul Krebs said the trucks probably would benefit the construction crew working on Firth Rixson’s expansion.
Because the business is based out of Richmond Hill, West said he has a Bryan County license but would be required to report tax earnings and usage taxes to Liberty County.
His request was approved pending verification of county business permitting requirements. He has authorization to use the locations for a year.