News
Cullman ranks as a top ‘micropolitan’ for economic development
CULLMAN, Alabama – Site Selection magazine placed Alabama among the top states in a new measure of economic development success, while Cullman ranked No. 2 in the publication’s ranking of top U.S. small cities. Cullman ranked behind only Findlay, Ohio, in the Site Selection “Top Micropolitan” list for the second consecutive year. The economic development-focused…
8 companies grab 2017 Alabama trade awards for exporting success
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Eight companies from across Alabama were honored today with 2017 Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards for their achievements in exporting goods and services around the world. Lt. Governor Kay Ivey presented the awards during a ceremony at the state Capitol, which was followed by a luncheon hosted by the Export Alabama Alliance. The…
GD Copper USA adding 40 jobs at Alabama manufacturing facility
THOMASVILLE, Alabama — GD Copper USA, the first U.S. manufacturing facility operated by China’s Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group, said today that it is adding as many as 40 workers at its plant in Wilcox County. GD Copper’s facility in the Pine Hill community opened in 2014 and now employs 300 people. The 500,000-square-foot…
Auto supplier Grupo Antolin to open Alabama facility with 150 jobs
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Robert Bentley announced today that global auto supplier Grupo Antolin plans to invest nearly $10.4 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Jefferson County that will employ 150 people by 2020. The Birmingham area location will add to Spain-based Grupo Antonlin’s extensive worldwide operating footprint, which includes 161 production plants and…
Cascades Sonoco to expand Alabama facility with $16M investment
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Canada-based Cascades Sonoco plans to invest $16 million to expand its Birmingham facility, creating 20 jobs. The investment will be made in water-based coating technology to provide coated paper and paperboard substrates using the company’s new FlexShield, FluteSHIELD and SurfSHIELD coatings. “This investment represents a significant geographic expansion for water-based products by…
GLOBAL POWER: Alabama engine operations fill key role for automakers
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Alabama is not only one of the top producers of vehicles in the U.S., it’s also a major source of the power under their hoods. Last year, state manufacturers combined to turn out more than 1.75 million engines, and those assembly lines continue to achieve new milestones this year. Leading the pack…
Key factories in new GE Aviation CMC material system rising in Alabama
Aerospace giant GE Aviation is on the final phase to create its most vertically integrated, new material system ever introduced in the United States – and facilities in Alabama will play a major role. By 2020, GE Aviation is projected to have more than 750 U.S. employees dedicated to its advanced ceramic matrix composites (CMC)…
Gallup: Alabama has nation’s most engaged workforce
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – A new Gallup poll finds that Alabama has the nation’s highest percentage of “engaged” workers who are enthusiastic about their jobs. Gallup’s survey found that 37 percent of Alabama workers are engaged, ahead of Delaware, Kentucky and Louisiana at 36 percent and nine other states at 35 percent. The U.S. average was…
HISTORY: Alabama auto production races past 10 million mark
There’s no question 2016 was a banner year for Alabama’s auto industry, in more ways than one. For one thing, workers at the Alabama facilities of Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Hyundai combined to build more than 1 million vehicles for the second consecutive year and reached a new record high output. But another major milestone was…
Alabama exports accelerate to $20.6 billion in 2016, breaking record
Alabama exports rose to a record level in 2016, topping $20 billion for the first time on gains from overseas shipments of Alabama-made products such as transportation equipment, chemicals and paper products. Figures from the U.S. Commerce Department show that Alabama exports totaled $20.55 billion last year, an increase of 6.4 percent from 2015’s results.…