Mar. 29—BLUEFIELD — An online portal is now accepting applications to work at the new Omnis Building Technologies manufacturing facility when it opens later this year.

Jim Spencer, community and economic development director for Bluefield and director of the Bluefield Economic Development Authority (BEDA), told members of the City Board Tuesday the website for applications is now open.

"Omnis is hiring," he said, with production line jobs starting at $30 an hour, plus benefits. "We worked with them to get their online portal. They are taking applications."

Spencer, who was instrumental in getting the California-based company to locate here at I-77 Exit 1, said applications are available online at obtbluefield.com. On that website click on "contact" and then "careers" for access to the application, which is completed online.

According to the website, "OBT BLUEFIELD works a rotating shift schedule. You may be required to work days, evenings or overnight shifts on a rotation. You may also occasionally be required to work holidays and weekends."

Construction is well under way on the $40 million 135,000-sq.-ft. plant, located beside the Bluefield Area Transit headquarters, across John Nash Boulevard from the I-77 Exit 1 entrance and exit.

With wages higher than average for this area, Spencer said help should be provided to local companies that may see employees move to Omnis because of the higher wages.

"We as a group in the region have to make sure that we work to help our existing businesses that may lose employees to find employees," he said. "We've got to make sure that workforce is the key component to economic development."

Ground was broken on the Omnis facility a year ago, with Gov. Jim Justice on hand for the event.

The company will make "revolutionary" housing in this facility, which may hire up to 300 when working at full throttle.

Omnis said this is the "future of residential construction. Our Composite Insulated Building units (CIBU) offer efficient construction using natural, eco-friendly building materials. Our team has brought together decades of experience in building construction, energy, and community development to create a product that will change the face of economical and sustainable housing."

The Bluefield facility will be able to build 3,000 housing units a year.

Components constructed at Omnis are shipped and then assembled on-site to make pre-designed homes. Once delivered, they are turn-key homes.

On another economic development note, Spencer told the board his Entrepreneur 2 Entrepreneur (E2E) program is back this year, set for Tuesday, April 4, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Bluefield Arts Center.

The event gives area entrepreneurs the opportunity to sit down with various other business people in the community who share their insights in getting a business started and running it successfully.

Spencer said the event is free and open to anyone in this region who wants to open a business someday or currently owns one.

"Within the span of 2 hours, you'll get to hear from 10 successful local business owners, learn from their stories, and ask whatever questions you'd like," he said. "We call it 'speed dating for entrepreneurs.' To check out our past event, head to mybluefield.org/business-spotlight ."

Business owners sit at tables and talk with those at that table for 12 minutes, then rotate so all attendees will have a chance to talk to each of the business owners.

Light refreshments and drinks will also be served.

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com

Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com