MONROEVILLE, Alabama — Three companies have launched growth projects in Monroe County, creating as many as 30 jobs while also pumping at least $7 million in new investment into the Southwest Alabama county’s economy.

The Monroeville-Monroe County Economic Development Authority (MMCEDA) said the investment figure has the potential to grow in the future, intensifying the impacts of the growth projects on the rural county.

“In the bustling landscape of economic expansion, individual enterprises play pivotal roles in driving growth, creating jobs, and fostering prosperity,” MMCEDA Executive Director Mike Colquett said.

The Monroe County growth projects are:

• Sterling Packaging Co., which prints food and beverage containers and ships them across America and into Canada, added a Landa S-10 Printing press as part of a $3.1 million project. This addition will allow the company to boost production by 25%, increase flexibility within the market and speed change-over times with less paper waste. With the potential for growth, Sterling Package could increase its workforce to 60 employees, with four new jobs already created.
• Farm Fresh Cattle is a new cattle processing facility in Monroeville. When the facility opens soon, it will serve local cattle farmers and have a fresh meat department. The new processing facility will employ between 10 and 15 employees. Total investment is over $1.5 million.
• Owens Lumber Co., which formerly operated as a hardwood sawmill, has transitioned to become a pole mill, with a kiln now under construction. The growth project’s current investment is almost $2.7 million, but the cost of the new kiln will increase that figure. When the project is completed, the third-generation family business in Old Texas, Alabama will employ 14 people.

“These projects exemplify the diverse pathways through which enterprises contribute to economic expansion, leveraging capital investments to drive growth, innovation and job creation across sectors,” Colquett said.

“As these companies navigate the opportunities and challenges of a dynamic economic landscape, their collective efforts underscore the interconnectedness of businesses, communities, and broader socioeconomic trends in shaping the trajectory of economic expansion,” he added.

GROWTH IMPACT

“We’re very excited about the future of Alabama’s rural communities.”

Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said Alabama’s rural communities have seen a rising level of interest from growing companies in recent years, reflecting an emphasis the state has placed on rural development.

“Companies seeking growth opportunities are seeing real possibilities in rural Alabama, which has benefited from projects sparking economic growth and job creation,” Secretary McNair said.

“It’s clear that rural Alabama is poised for continued growth, and we aim to make sure its communities are able to compete for high-impact investment projects.”

Since 2020, nearly 100 growth projects have landed in Alabama’s “targeted,” or rural counties, generating an estimated $5.7 billion in new capital investment, according to Commerce data.

During that time frame, the projects triggered the creation of over 7,000 job commitments in rural Alabama, Commerce figures show.

RURAL POTENTIAL

Brenda Tuck, Rural Development Manager for the Alabama Department of Commerce, said extensive new broadband investments and a new state initiative to accelerate the development of industrial sites will make rural Alabama communities even more attractive for investment.

For instance, the state’s new Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act, or SEEDS, is steering over $7 million in site development and site assessment grants to locations in rural Alabama.

“We’re very excited about the future of Alabama’s rural communities,” Tuck said. “They’ve always offered a lot of advantages, including motivated workforces and a low-cost environment.

“These new developments will strengthen those advantages for rural Alabama.”