Yet another home-grown Immokalee business is expanding. 

The Salazar Machine Company, based at the Immokalee Regional Airport, formally broke ground June 1 on a 20,000-square-foot factory which will enable it to consolidate operations into a single space and, in turn, allow it to grow, provide more jobs and add more to Immokalee’s economic growth. 

 "We're looking at 50 new jobs over a period of time and that's going to be immense when you look at Immokalee and the need for full time employment," said Collier County Commissioner Jim Coletta.

 The expansion has been made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is part of an entire portfolio of economic incentives offered to businesses in Immokalee. Ground-breaking ceremonies are set for 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 1, at the Immokalee Regional Airport Industrial Park. 

Immokalee nearly lost the Salazar plant to nearby LaBelle, Florida because of permitting and contractural delays but owner Pete Salazar stuck by his commitment to Immokalee because it is his home and has nurtured his young growing business.

The Immokalee Community Development Agency’s new Master Plan for Immokalee requires the CRA to develop new business and help current businesses expand and grow. CRA Executive Director Penny Phillippi was able to help move the Salazar expansion forward during the time she spent last summer as interim director of the Collier County Airports.