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Commissioners approve letter of intent for Avail Enclosure Systems expansion and conditional MEDAF loan
Summary
Kent County commissioners on Jan. 9 approved a letter of intent to support a $200,000 MEDAF conditional loan from the Maryland Department of Commerce for Avail Enclosure Systems’ expansion into the county, with a required 10% local match of $20,000 to be included in the FY26 budget process.
The Kent County Board of County Commissioners approved and signed a letter of intent Jan. 9 supporting state and county incentives for Avail Enclosure Systems to expand operations into Kent County.
Jamie Williams, director of economic tourism development, told commissioners Avail — founded as Power Electronics in 1989 and reorganized as Avail Enclosure Systems after a 2016 acquisition — plans to use a vacant facility near the 301 corridor (the old Infinity building in Millington) to relocate smaller jobs and control-panel production, freeing space at its Queen Anne’s County site.
Williams said the Maryland Department of Commerce is offering a $200,000 MEDAF conditional loan that becomes a grant if the company meets conditions over a 10-year period; Commerce requires a 10% local match, which equates to the county’s $20,000 contribution. Williams said loan documents will be prepared if the county approves and that the local match can be included in the FY26 budget process. The company committed to creating 45 new jobs in Kent County with a deadline to meet requirements by Dec. 17, 2027; Williams said Avail will maintain 117 jobs at its Queen Anne’s facility.
Commissioners discussed capital investment to renovate the Millington building; Williams estimated Avail’s planned investment at roughly $2–3 million for equipment and improvements. Commissioners voted to approve the letter of intent and the county’s proposed match; county staff said Commerce will verify jobs and capital investment annually and provide notice to the county if the company fails to meet targets.
Williams described the proposed jobs as full-time positions with benefits and initial wage ranges in the mid-to-high teens per hour; she said Commerce will verify job creation through the Maryland Department of Labor. The letter of intent is nonbinding; formal loan and grant documents will follow if all parties proceed.
