Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday that Merritt Island Boat Works will open a new manufacturing facility, creating at least 380 new jobs and a capital investment of more than $16 million in Brevard County.
The facility was most recently used to build Bertram Yachts.
“Florida is on a mission to become the global destination for jobs, and it is great news for the families in Brevard County that 380 new jobs will be added to the community,” Scott said in a statement. “While Merritt Island Boat Works considered other states for their new facility, they chose Florida as the best place to create jobs.”
Scott’s office said Merritt Island Boat Works, which plans to build yachts at the Florida facility, considered locations in North and South Carolina, but chose Brevard County for its available work force and access to U.S. and international markets.
Plans by Merritt Island Boat Works come as Brevard is starting to develop a niche in the marine industry. That includes growth, and a greater profile, from companies such as Rosewell Global and SeaDek Marine Products — both in Rockledge — and Structural Composites Inc. in Melbourne, according to Florida Today.
