South Korean auto parts maker KMIN to open first US plant in Alabama
LANETT, Alabama – South Korean auto parts maker KMIN announced plans to open its first U.S. plant in Chambers County, which has become a thriving hub for supplier operations as the Southeastern auto industry continues to expand. Chambers County officials said KMIN, which manufactures and assembles parts for automobile seats as well as ancillary parts,…
GD Copper project showcases Alabama economic development support system
PINE HILL, Alabama – A $100 million, ultra-modern manufacturing facility near this small Wilcox County town has begun turning out copper tubing for heating and cooling systems, appliances, refrigeration units and plumbing. The GD Copper USA plant also is responsible for a completely different kind of product – renewed optimism in one of Alabama’s most…
Alabama officials welcome Golden Dragon’s first U.S. factory
PINE HILL, Alabama – Top Alabama officials today welcomed leaders of Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group at a ribbon cutting for the Chinese company’s first U.S. factory, a $100 million plant in Wilcox County that just started production but could soon be growing. At the grand opening ceremony for the factory, operated by subsidiary…
How the Hackleburg Wrangler plant got a second life after deadly April 27, 2011 tornado
HACKLEBURG, Alabama – Inside the Wrangler distribution center in this Marion County community, a conveyer system two miles long carries cartons of jeans along a twisting path through the gleaming new facility that has risen from the rubble of April 27, 2011. Manager Wade Hagedorn walks through the 369,000-square-foot center as workers wearing radio frequency…
In Marion County, teamwork pays off with I-22 Gateway Industrial Park
MARION COUNTY, Alabama – A 462-acre industrial park off the future Interstate 22 stands as a symbol of cooperation in this northwest Alabama county, and officials believe that this teamwork approach will help the region along the state’s newest superhighway land new jobs and investment. Until recently, the Interstate 22 Gateway Industrial Park had a…
Knauf Insulation CEO: Why we picked Alabama for our project
LANETT, Alabama – In commentary published on AL.com, Knauf Insulation CEO Mark Andrews outlined reasons the Indiana-based company recently decided to restart and upgrade operations at a mothballed Alabama factory. On Jan. 24, Andrews was on hand at a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the state-of-the-art plant in the Chambers County city of Lanett, where…
Elba: Small Alabama town sets sights on growth
ELBA, Alabama – In this small town in south Alabama’s Coffee County, companies and people are doing big things. Take INZI Controls, a South Korea-based manufacturer of injection and blow molded automotive parts that supplies the Hyundai automotive manufacturing facility in Montgomery. Since 2009, the company has grown to employ more than 220 people at…
Knauf Insulation re-opens Alabama plant, citing relationships, support
LANETT, Alabama – At a ceremony today to mark the re-opening of Knauf Insulation’s mothballed Chambers County plant, CEO Mark Andrews said relationships played a major role in the company’s decision to restart operations in Alabama rather than seek a new location. “At every single stage of this, we really felt we were wanted in…
Macon County industrial sites position area for economic development
SHORTER, Alabama – Officials in Macon County believe their county is poised for growth thanks to its strategic location along Interstate 85 and a roster of industrial sites that have strong logistical advantages including rail access. In fact, Macon County last year became the first in Alabama to receive a CSX Select Site designation. CSX says…
Central location, workforce pave way for Cullman expansion projects
CULLMAN, Alabama – The way Garlan Gudger Jr. sees it, Cullman’s vitality and business-friendly atmosphere make the city an ideal spot to live and work. A string of business expansions and new economic development projects in the community serves to confirm his belief. “Cullman feels like a large town in a smaller town setting,” said…
