Williams International announced at a ceremonial groundbreaking in Okaloosa County that it will construct a new manufacturing facility, Module 8, and invest "over a billion dollars" to build and tool more than "1,000,000 square feet of advanced manufacturing space," creating "over 300 new high quality, high technology jobs," John Sordell, senior vice president of Williams International, said at the event.

The announcement took place at Shoal River Industrial Park and was attended by state and local officials, including Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins; Senator Don Gates; Representative Nathan Boyles; Okaloosa County Commissioner Trey Goodwin; and Nathan Sparks, executive director of 1 Okaloosa EDC. In remarks before the company's presentation, local and state officials said the project is the product of more than a decade of planning and several public investments that helped make the site competitive.

"The governor invested back in 2023, $3,200,000 through the Job Growth Grant Fund in this project, in the infrastructure here," said Jason Mahone, Florida deputy secretary of commerce and chief manufacturing officer. Speakers also credited funding and technical support from Triumph Gulf Coast, the University of West Florida's ERDA fund and regional economic partners for helping land the project.

Elected officials framed the project as both an economic and community investment. "This groundbreaking, it's absolute proof of the wise investment that Triumph is making," Senator Don Gates said, calling it a "billion dollar headline today." Gates and others emphasized that Williams employees and their families would become part of the local community and school systems.

County Commissioner Trey Goodwin described the site's long development path and said the park's proximity to Eglin Air Force Base and multimodal transport connections made it a strategic fit for Williams's aerospace manufacturing needs. Representative Nathan Boyles and other speakers highlighted workforce implications and the role of partnerships among state, regional and local agencies.

Williams's senior vice president said the company has "record demand" for its products and that the new facility would support expanded gas turbine engine production. He thanked federal and state officials, Okaloosa County, 1 Okaloosa, Florida's Great Northwest, Triumph Gulf Coast, Space Florida, CareerSource and the University of West Florida for their roles in the project. "We're commit we commit to being a pillar and a partner and an all around good neighbor for many years to come as we grow together," Sordell said.

Event organizers described the development as the first major tenant at the Shoal River Industrial Park and said they expect the project to attract follow-on investment. The state noted broader workforce investments since 2019 and called the site a potential anchor that could attract additional aerospace suppliers and complementary employers.

The ceremonial program closed with a golden-shovel photo opportunity and remarks thanking the many public and private partners involved in recruiting and site preparation.

Clarifying details included in remarks at the ceremony: Williams described the investment as "over a billion dollars," the facility as more than "1,000,000 square feet," and the job creation estimate as "over 300" positions; the state disclosed a $3,200,000 Job Growth Grant Fund award in 2023 for infrastructure related to the project; the University of West Florida's ERDA fund contributed "over a million dollars" toward the site (as described during introductions); and Florida Commerce staff said the recruitment and negotiations spanned about three years.