By: Noelani Mathews | WCTV Eyewitness News

December 11, 2017

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WCTV) -- American Drill Bushing broke ground on a multi-million dollar expansion in Valdosta on Monday.

The company is digging deeper into making Lowndes County home. With business booming, they plan to expand 36,000 square feet into a neighboring lot.

The celebration of growth doesn't just stop there; they say the expansion will create 35 new full-time jobs in the community.

"One of the most powerful things you can do for somebody is a job," said Executive Director Andrea Schruijer, with the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority.

"When I come to work it's like being home," said Bryan English, a manual machinist.

English is local to the area. He says he's thankful to work at ADB for over four years.

"I've expanded right along with the business," says English.

ADB Owner, James Thomeczek, says he's grateful for his employees. Their hard work is making the $4 million investment possible.

"They're trying to improve the company because I think a lot of them take ownership in the company. They say this is where I'm going to be for the next 20 or 30 years of my life," says Thomeczek.

His company is now the 11th industry to expand in Lowndes County this year. The Development Authority says it's a total capital investment of $60 million and 200 new jobs.

"It's the future. It gives somebody a vision. It gives somebody a purpose to get up every day and to better themselves," says Schruijer.

"It's a good feeling for somebody to love us and care about us that much," says English.

American Drill Bushing hopes to finish the project by June of next year.