Automotive firm picks Pasco

DADE CITY — It's official: SB Mfg., an automotive parts manufacturer, has chosen Pasco County as the site of its new aluminum castings plant, the Pasco Economic Development Council says in a statement.

The company plans to hire 75 people at average annual wages of $40,000 by 2015.

The manufacturer had been considering sites in Kentucky and Ohio, according to the council. Using high quality aluminum from local sources, SB Mfg. will offer an alternative to the production of castings in China for automotive parts.