CANTON – Curran Renewable Energy in Massena and Cives Steel Company in Gouverneur will have more than $100,000 in incentives from the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency for infrastructure improvements and equipment purchases.

Curran Renewable Energy will get an exemption of up to $24,000 on sales tax for materials for the company’s yard improvement and furnace replacement.

The new furnace will use residual material such as tree tops that would normally be left as waste. Taking advantage of this waste material allows for better use of all material harvested and reduces the cost of fuel for drying wood fiber Curran uses to produce wood pellets.

The company has added two jobs as a result of the project, and now employs over 30 people in addition to another 100 jobs in Seaway Timber’s harvesting and trucking operations.

The IDA also helped Cives Steel Company in the purchase of a Combilift product carrier. The IDA had worked with Cives on the acquisition of a art robotic plasma cutting system earlier this year.

The IDA press release says that the new carrier, along with the cutting system, will enable the facility, which employs 130 people, to more effectively compete with other firms, including those outside of the US currently benefitting from the strong US dollar. The assistance from the IDA for the robotic plasma system and the Combilift is valued at about $90,000.

Combined, the two companies are investing approximately $4 million in their St. Lawrence County operations.

St. Lawrence County IDA Chief Executive Officer Patrick J. Kelly said, “Cives Steel and Curran Renewable Energy are longtime established businesses with strong local ties and histories of working with the IDA. As we help them modernize and expand, they are better positioned to compete in their markets, and to secure and add to their employment levels. We are very pleased that they are choosing to invest in St. Lawrence County.”

The St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency is a public benefit corporation created by New York State legislation to promote, encourage, attract and develop job opportunities and economically sound commerce and industry in St. Lawrence County.