FRANKLIN
After being vacant for more than 10 years, the former Winn Dixie building located on North College Drive has a new occupant in Sheet Metal Products Inc. The company manufactures air conditioning and heating duct work. Raw materials are fabricated into rectangular and round duct, boots, elbows, transitions and other products for HVAC installations. Wholesale customers are 95 percent of their sales. They provide products for wholesale locations in North Carolina, New York, West Virginia and throughout Virginia. Local contractors make up approximately 4.5 percent of their business. SMP employees 21 full time and six part-time employees.

Owner and president Edward Spivey Jr. has been in the sheet metal business since he was a teenager. He began helping his uncle at his family business, Senga Corporation, while in high school. After graduation, he worked full time with his uncle.

In 1998, Spivey established his own sheet metal business, EDS Duct Shop, located in southern Isle of Wight county. In 2001, the business name was changed to Sheet Metal Products Inc.

“We are excited and happy to be in our new location. The City of Franklin and Franklin-Southampton Economic Development have been very easy to work with,” said Spivey.

Amanda Jarratt, president & CEO of Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc., said, “We are thrilled yet another local company is able to grow and expand in the city of Franklin and our region. This is another great example of being able to rehabilitate an existing building in our community. We wish Sheet Metal Products the very best in their new home.”

She later said that Spivey bought the building in 2016, closed by that year’s end, and had been working on renovations since then. The business moved in over the recent Christmas holiday.

This business is a commercial work zone and thru-traffic is not permitted.