FLORENCE — North American Lighting is planning a $36 million expansion that will bring in 275 more jobs and take the total employment at the Muscle Shoals plant to more than 1,000.

The Shoals Economic Development Authority agreed today to recommend dedicating $260,000 from the Shoals Economic Development Fund toward the project. The Shoals Industrial Development Committee meets Thursday to vote on approval of those funds.

The development committee is in charge of distributing money from a half-cent sales tax that took effect Aug. 1, 2007. The money is earmarked solely for economic development. Committee members are comprised of local elected officials from the Shoals’ four main cities and Colbert and Lauderdale counties.

SEDA President Forrest Wright said this is a quick-moving expansion project. He said the Shoals initially was not the leading contender for the expansion so he was pleased when company officials decided to expand operations here.

“This is a very pleasant surprise,” Wright said. “It was somewhat unexpected.”

This is the second expansion announcement within two years for North American Lighting, which provides headlights and taillights to various automakers, including Toyota, Nissan, General Motors and Honda. The plant opened its Muscle Shoals operations in 2007.

Most of the parts from the Muscle Shoals plant go toward Nissan vehicles.

The company announced in 2011 plans to add at least 250 jobs to the Muscle Shoals facility as part of a $35 million expansion.