News
BELLA+CANVAS plans high-tech Alabama facility with 557 jobs
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey announced today that BELLA+CANVAS, a fast-growing apparel manufacturer with a “Made in the U.S.A” focus, plans a major investment in Alabama to open an advanced fabric-cutting facility expected to create over 550 jobs in Wetumpka. Los Angeles-based BELLA+CANVAS will invest $11.9 million to establish the operation in a portion…
University programs put spotlight on rural Alabama communities
Universities across Alabama are engaged in a number of activities that offer promising developments for the state’s rural communities and the key industries that power their economies. For example, Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is the site of a new program that will study diseases among livestock that pose a threat to public health,…
Kroger creating 160 jobs to launch grocery delivery service in Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Kroger Co. announced plans today to hire 161 new employees in Birmingham as the national grocery chain rolls out its e-commerce grocery delivery service in the region. The BBA announced today that Kroger has leased a 50,000-square-foot facility at 30 West Oxmoor Road that will serve as a last-mile spoke location for…
Real estate firms plan new Alabama headquarters, creating 400 jobs
HOOVER, Alabama — Lake Homes Realty and a sister company, RealSource Title Insurance and Real Estate Closing, plan to establish a new headquarters operation in Hoover, bringing 400 new jobs to the Birmingham suburb over the next five years. Lake Homes Realty, which calls itself the nation’s largest real estate brokerage focusing on lake properties,…
Rural Alabama project pipeline sparks new growth — and optimism
ROANOKE, Alabama — Bryant Whaley, the top economic developer for Randolph County, is riding the momentum. Despite the disruptions of a global pandemic, this rural county in eastern Alabama has seen three major corporate growth projects since August 2020, creating over 330 jobs. Whaley, executive director of the Randolph County Economic Development Authority, is optimistic…
Bonnie Plants opens expanded greenhouse facilities after Alabama expansion
UNION SPRINGS, Alabama — Bonnie Plants, the nation’s largest grower of vegetable and herb plants for home gardens, today unveiled a multimillion-dollar expansion and upgrade of the company’s greenhouse facilities in rural Bullock County. Opelika-based Bonnie Plants said the new growing and distribution facilities in Union Springs are designed to strengthen e-commerce operations and improve production,…
Governor Ivey honors 7 Alabama companies for exporting success
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey today recognized seven Alabama companies for success in selling their goods and services in markets across the globe, helping to sustain robust export activities that create jobs and spark economic growth across the state. In addition, Governor Ivey recognized William Cummins, executive state director of the Alabama Small Business…
Evonik plans to invest $176.5 million in Alabama expansion project
MOBILE, Alabama — German specialty chemicals company Evonik announced today that it is launching an expansion project at its Mobile area manufacturing facility that will bolster its animal nutrition business line while also reducing the site’s carbon footprint. Plans call for Evonik to build a plant at its Mobile County site to produce methyl mercaptan,…
Alabama exports regain momentum with 22% increase in 2021
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey announced today that Alabama’s exports in 2021 surged more than 20% in value compared to the previous year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and indicating the underlying resilience of the state’s economy. New federal government figures show that Alabama’s exports of goods and services totaled nearly $20.9 billion last year, above…
Commerce taps Christina Stimpson to lead international trade efforts
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The Alabama Department of Commerce announced today that Christina Stimpson, an international business professional with experience in export promotion, foreign direct investment strategy and business recruitment, will take the helm of the department’s Office of International Trade later this month. Stimpson comes to Commerce from the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, where…