Bay Area Company Moving To Colusa Over Costs, Space

COLUSA (CBS13) — A San Francisco-based company is pulling up stakes and moving its production and manufacturing facility to the small Northern California town of Colusa.

SF Metalworks specializes in high-end architectural metal work using steel, bronze, aluminum and other materials for custom homes and commercial work.

Its CEO Ron Moore says his company is losing out on millions of dollars in available business because it doesn't have the space for larger equipment. When his friend showed him the Colusa property with a large barn space it was a game changer.

"This to me was a no-brainer, it is twice the square footage of the actual shop space I have now and half the price."

His rent in San Francisco was also getting ready to double. But it was the available workforce that really sealed the deal.

"There's a workforce here, that's something that's really important. In San Francisco, nobody's applying for these jobs."

For more than two years he's had jobs open in San Francisco with little interest.

"There's a willingness here to work with your hands, there's a stigma about that in San Francisco, people don't want to work outside of tech."

With the help of a local training and employment center he's connecting to workers, and looking to hire 10 to 12, both skilled and those interested in training.

Marisa Apaseo is with Colusa One Stop, a job training and placement organization that is helping Moore find workers.

"They are hiring welders, fabricators, shipping and receiving and forklift drivers."

Now with new equipment that fits in his large space, he's able to fill more orders and even expand. And he believes his new workforce will not only have new jobs but great satisfaction.

"Having a client who is really gushing over how happy they are with what we produce for them, I just don't see most people sitting behind a desk that gets that kind of job appreciation."

Applications are currently being accepted at Colusa County One Stop. Moore hopes to have the facility up and running by early September.