HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama Department of Commerce (ADOC) has announced an Arizona company plans to open a Huntsville facility that will bring 70 jobs to Limestone County.

Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair announced Monday that Pheonix, Arizona-based OMCO Solar plans to invest $10 million into a second Alabama production facility in Limestone County. The company already operates a facility in Talladega, Alabama.

The department said OMCO is the nation’s largest manufacturer of steel structures used to mount solar panels. The company is leasing Building 100 in the Huntsville West Industrial Park on Greenbrier Parkway Northwest and ADOC said it has outfitted the facility to make solar racking.

“OMCO has a heritage in steel fabrication dating back decades and has built a national manufacturing footprint through savvy investment projects,” Secretary McNair said. “I’m proud that this great company, dedicated to manufacturing its products in America, has decided to expand its presence in Alabama and create additional career opportunities in Huntsville.”

Founded in 1955, OMCO produces highly engineered custom roll-formed shapes for many applications across a wide range of industries. Some of its specialties are solar trackers, which direct panels toward the sun, and fixed-til structures for solar panels.

The company said it is thankful to the state for the opportunity to create its new facility.

“We are thankful to the state of Alabama and their approach to business with tax incentives that line up with our commitment to support domestic manufacturing, create U.S. jobs, and provide factory-direct solutions that solve the complexity of utility-scale solar projects,” Gary Schuster, CEO of OMCO Solar, said. “Our newest facility in Huntsville is our second in the state and shows our dedication to driving growth in Alabama.”

ADOC said the Huntsville facility will produce the series 7 PV module back rail for First Solar, which is constructing a solar panel factory in Lawrence County that is expected to come online later this year. That factory is part of a $1.1 billion project from First Solar.

Mayor Tommy Battle said the new facility is a testament to Huntsville’s strong development strategy.

“OMCO’s expansion into the Huntsville Greenbrier corridor is another testament to Huntsville’s economic development strategy, which has been to make key infrastructure investments and to utilize existing policy to create jobs and new capital investments,” he said “We are confident OMCO will see tremendous success in Huntsville, much like the dozens of new and existing industries that have chosen us for their new home”

ADOC says the Huntsville location opened last month and already employs 30 full-time workers. The company plans to have it fully operational within the third quarter.