Four companies added to Oklahoma Quality Jobs roster in March

Through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce incentive program, Cox Communications pledged to add more than 200 jobs in Oklahoma City for a call center for its new wireless cell phone service.

BY JENNIFER PALMER | Published: April 13, 2011 Comment on this article

Leave a comment

Four companies have pledged to add more than 500 jobs through the state Department of Commerce’s Quality Jobs Program.

Cox Communications said it will increase its workforce by 218 in Oklahoma City for a customer care center focusing on its new wireless cell phone service. The company could earn up to $3.5 million in incentives over 10 years in the program.

Cox recently launched wireless phone service in Oklahoma and other selected areas. Cox spokeswoman Christine Martin said employees in Oklahoma would handle wireless billing and customer support calls from across the country.

The three other companies include Malarkey Roofing Co., ClimaCool Corp., both in Oklahoma City, and Taylor Industries in Tulsa.

Malarkey Roofing plans to expand with 80 new jobs. The Portland, Ore., based asphalt and roofing manufacturer announced in January it would open a plant here in the former Rexam Beverage Can Co./National Can Corp. plant at 3400 S Council Road.

The company could earn a maximum of $1.9 million in benefits through the program.

ClimaCool, a manufacturer of environmentally friendly modular chillers, pledged to add 115 jobs and is eligible for nearly $1.8 million in benefits. Taylor Industries in Tulsa, which manufactures drilling equipment for oil, gas, water and geothermal wells, says it will expand with 98 new jobs, making it eligible for more than $2 million in benefits.

To earn the full benefit, companies must participate in the program for 10 years. The incentive gives qualifying enrolled companies quarterly cash rebates of up to 5 percent of newly created, taxable payroll. If the jobs are not created, then benefits are not paid.

Quality Jobs, administered by the Oklahoma Commerce Department, has issued more than 590 contracts to locating and expanding startup businesses since its inception in July 1993.