W.L. Gore & Associates recently announced that it will seek approval from the City of Phoenix for up to $30 million in bonds to help finance the company's local expansion. The project would create 1,800 construction jobs during the next two years and 500 permanent jobs with the company.

According to an article by The Arizona Republic, available jobs at the new manufacturing facility will include positions in research and development, engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance, marketing, technical oversight and management.

The Phoenix Industrial Development Authority already pre-approved up to $30 million in recovery-zone bonds for the project and could give final approval by the end of the year. However, the Phoenix City Council also must approve the project before the bonds can be used, which are part of Arizona's share of $130 million in recovery-zone bonds from the federal stimulus.

Gore, a Delaware-based company that manufactures medical products, has a main base in Flagstaff, Ariz., that employs more than 1,500 workers. The Phoenix expansion project, which would house the company in two 100,000-square-foot buildings, is expected to cost about $100 million.

The new construction jobs would be a welcome addition to the construction industry in Phoenix, which has taken a big hit amidst the current economic recession.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area's construction industry employed 102,300 workers during September, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 103,400 workers during August and a 25.5 percent decrease from last year.