News
$3.8 million Growing Alabama grant to help launch new St. Clair County commerce park
SPRINGVILLE, Alabama – A $3.8 million grant awarded through the Growing Alabama program will spur development of a new commerce park in Springville that will be a hub for regional economic growth. The St. Clair County Economic Development Council announced the grant. The City of Springville in partnership with the St. Clair County Commission, the Industrial Development Board…
Shoals area industrial site awarded top designation for development
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – A northwest Alabama industrial site has been recognized as a top location for expanding business and industry. The Norfolk Southern rail-served site, located near Muscle Shoals and Florence, has received a platinum designation from the national REDI Sites Program. This top designation is awarded to select properties that meet rigorous readiness criteria. It signals…
Global chain manufacturer KettenWulf announces new manufacturing operation in Auburn
AUBURN, Alabama – Germany’s KettenWulf plans to invest $34 million in an advanced manufacturing operation in Auburn that will create 70 jobs and serve as the foundation for the company’s future growth in the U.S., Gov. Kay Ivey announced today. Founded in 1925, KettenWulf is a family-owned business that recently marked a century of growth.…
Commerce announces two additions to lead the agency’s Rural Development Division
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – The Alabama Department of Commerce has appointed two economic development professionals to lead the agency’s Rural Development Division. Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair today announced that Carter Thomas and Margaret Henderson will assume their new roles this month. Thomas has been a rural development project manager at Commerce for the past year and…
Korean economic development advisors visit Alabama, tour key sites
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Representatives for Alabama’s economic development interests in the Republic of Korea visited the state earlier this month as they launch their new assignment. Sean Blakeley and Carol Yelim Choo are leading Alabama’s new foreign business development office in Seoul. The Alabama Department of Commerce announced the office in October, along with a Japan office…
Alabama promotes aerospace success at global conference in Germany
HAMBURG, Germany – Alabama’s business recruiters are seeking to grow the state’s robust aerospace sector by forging new connections with global industry leaders. Representatives from the Alabama Department of Commerce attended the Aviation Forum, which was held earlier this month in Hamburg, Germany. It is one of the leading conferences for worldwide aerospace interests and brings…
Alabama-made gifts turn heads across the country
First, they grabbed headlines, and now they can grab a spot under the tree. This year’s Made In Alabama Holiday Gift Guide is a list of newsmakers from across the state. They are products and experiences with a unique Alabama flavor, and they have been written about, blogged about and just generally buzzed about in…
Bad Boy Mowers plans $10.5 million tractor plant in Monroeville
MONROEVILLE, Alabama – Bad Boy Mowers plans to invest $10.5 million in a new tractor assembly plant in Monroeville, officials announced today. The Batesville, Ark.-based company plans to create 50 jobs at the operation, which is being established in the former Vanity Fair distribution center. Work already has begun to transform the site, said Mike Colquett, executive…
Pharmaceutical giant Lilly plans $6 billion advanced manufacturing plant in Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Eli Lilly and Company plans to invest more than $6 billion in a new advanced manufacturing operation in Huntsville, where it will produce next-generation medicines, Gov. Kay Ivey announced today. The global pharmaceutical giant also will bring 450 jobs to the region, including engineers, scientists, operations personnel and lab technicians. The Huntsville site will…
Alabama launches a tax incentive to attract and support music creators
MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama – A major expansion of Alabama’s entertainment tax incentive program is turning heads in the music industry. Representatives of the Alabama Department of Commerce and the Alabama Entertainment Office have been promoting the new opportunities, and the Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival was a recent stop. The festival, held in November, drew more than…