Posted: January 06, 2023
(Sept. 17, 2021 – Bonifay, Fla.) Today, the Holmes County Development Commission (HCDC) hosted local, regional and state officials for the grand opening celebration of Probes Unlimited, Inc. (PUI), Northwest Florida’s newest manufacturer, in its new Florida site in Bonifay. PUI designs and manufactures highly accurate, custom temperature OEM sensing devices for industries such as commercial food service equipment, pellet technology, BBQ equipment, scientific instrumentation, aerospace instrumentation, factory automation, and green technologies.
“PUI’s new Florida location is already a huge success and we have only been operating in this location since July,” said Ernie DeLany, owner of PUI. “We have 23 full-time employees at this location and, while they’re all new to the company and some to the manufacturing process, the teams are exceeding production goals. We are delighted to be a part of the Northwest Florida community. I look forward to future success in Bonifay and the state of Florida.”
DeLany notes that one of the reasons they have been so successful in Florida is the people. One of the first employees hired at PUI’s new location was Mrs. Dale Williams. Mrs. Williams has been part of Florida’s workforce for nearly 50 years, employed in a variety of industry sectors including hand-harvesting citrus, fast food and heavy equipment operation.
“I wish this job had been here 50 years ago,” said Mrs. Williams. “I would have made my career with Probes Unlimited. I have worked many places, but this is by far the best work experience I have had.”
This opportunity would not have been available to Holmes County without first creating the vision. The Holmes County Development Commission (HCDC) recently acquired the old Bonifay Middle School building at 165 Telfair Street and had a vision of transforming it into an advanced manufacturing campus. This vision caught the eye of DeLany who worked hand-in-hand with the HCDC, City of Bonifay and Holmes County leaders to make this a reality.
“Our executive director, Joe Rone, thought creatively on how to quickly transform the old middle school and presented the idea to our Board of Directors who enthusiastically supported it and agreed to move forward,” said Rickey D. Callahan, Chair of the HCDC. “Working with the Holmes County
School District, the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department and community volunteers, we were able to renovate and repurpose this facility into an attractive location for manufacturing companies to grow and thrive. PUI offers great jobs with benefits and bonuses which will improve the quality of life for people in Holmes County. We’re grateful to have Probes Unlimited, Inc. as a vital asset to Holmes County, and we welcome you with open arms.”
“The City of Bonifay commends the efforts of the HCDC on successfully locating PUI in our community,” said Mayor James Sims with the City of Bonifay. “We know our workforce is driven to succeed and we look forward to many fruitful years together.”
“We are excited to welcome PUI to Holmes County,” said Chairman Earl Stafford with the Holmes County Board of County Commissioners. “This is a great example of how our attractive business environment and resources can help any company be successful. It pays off to take a chance on a rural county if the leaders in the community have the same vision.”
PUI’s management team plans expand to 60 full-time employees by the end of the year. For more information, visit www.probesunlimited.com.
