Alabama has a long tradition in metals manufacturing. Birmingham, the state’s largest city, was built on iron and steel, thanks to the area’s rich deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone. With those ingredients in place, it’s no wonder that Vulcan — the Roman god of the forge — emerged as a powerful symbol of a fast-growing industrial city in the early 1900’s.
Alabama also has a solid grip on the future in the form of carbon fiber and advanced materials. Two of the world’s largest producers of carbon fiber, Toray and Hexcel, have substantial facilities in Decatur. Meanwhile, Carpenter Technologies is producing premium specialty alloys such as titanium for the aerospace and other industries from an ultramodern plant in Athens, where it is establishing an R&D center focusing on additive technologies. And GE Aviation is 3-D printing jet engine fuel nozzles at its plant in Auburn and operating a pair of factories in Huntsville that produce futuristic ultra-lightweight materials for engine components.
Quick Facts
- Metal manufactured goods exports from Alabama were valued at over $1.3 billion in 2021.
- The primary metal manufacturing industry accounted for 16,300 Alabama jobs in December 2021.
- Fabricated metal manufacturing exports from Alabama were valued at $453 million in 2019.
- The fabricated metal product manufacturing industry accounts for almost 29,000 jobs.
- 1,100 primary metal companies in Alabama.
- Alabama is the home of 3 of the nation’s 7 major pipe-makers.
- 45,100 employed in primary and fabricated metal manufacturing as of December 2021.
Metal Manufacturing Companies
- ACIPCO
- ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel (AM/NS Calvert)
- United States Steel
- McWane Inc.
- NUCOR
- Lakeside Steel
- GE Aviation
- Toray
- Hexcel
- U.S. Pipe
- Outokumpu
- GD Copper USA
- Carpenter Technology
- CMC Steel
- Shelco Foundries
- Bermco Aluminum
- Berghoff Group
- SSAB Americas
- Berg Pipe
