Alabama 2015 scorecard: Project investment tops $7 billion
Alabama attracted more than $7 billion in capital investment in 2015, along with nearly 20,000 new and future jobs, as the state’s economic development team secured high-caliber projects in key growth sectors such as technology, aerospace and automotive. At a press conference at the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facility in Vance today, Governor Robert Bentley released the…
Auto supplier Mando launching $19 million Alabama expansion
OPELIKA, Alabama – Mando America Corp. plans to invest $19 million in its Alabama manufacturing operation and hire 32 new workers to support the expansion, officials said Tuesday night. South Korea-based Mando, one of the world’s largest auto parts suppliers, has based its North American headquarters in Opelika, where it makes brake components, suspension modules…
Alabama firm unveils new high-performance pickups
A Trussville-based specialty vehicle manufacturer has debuted the latest versions of an off-road, high-performance pickup that’s a key part of its product lineup. SCA Performance is rolling out to dealers the redesigned 2016 Black Widow, which is built on both the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra platforms. Features of the new Black Widow include a…
Honda debuts redesigned Alabama-made Acura MDX
Honda debuted a redesigned 2017 Acura MDX luxury sport utility at the New York International Auto Show, making it the latest in a string of new or updated models joining production lines in Alabama. The all-new MDX, which will be built at Honda’s manufacturing plant in Talladega County, is expected to arrive in dealer showrooms…
Game-changing Alabama projects claim investment awards
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – A national trade publication selected three 2015 Alabama economic development projects, valued at a combined $2 billion, for its elite investment awards, reflecting the powerful impact of these collaborative recruitment efforts. Editors at Trade & Industry Development magazine evaluated hundreds of projects from across the U.S. before selecting the 30 winners of…
Canadian auto supplier Kobay Enstel plans Alabama factory
OXFORD, Alabama — Canadian automotive supplier Kobay Enstel announced plans today to create at least 75 jobs over three years at a new facility in Calhoun County. The Calhoun County Economic Development Council said Kobay Enstel, which stamps metal parts for auto seats, is leasing a 60,000-square-foot speculative building on McIntosh Road in Oxford under…
Alabama auto exports span the globe to set record
From the Far East to the Arabian Desert, Alabama-built vehicles continue to make their mark across the globe. The value of Alabama auto exports topped $7 billion last year, a record annual total and a 5.8 percent gain from 2014. Meanwhile, overseas shipments of Alabama-made motor vehicle parts reached $1.2 billion, an 18 percent increase.…
Alabama 2015 exports hover near record amid global struggles
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Despite headwinds in global markets, Alabama exports in 2015 held steady at near-record levels on growing overseas shipments of products such as transportation equipment, primary metals and machinery. Figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce show that Alabama exports totaled $19.37 billion last year, just below the all-time record of $19.58 billion…
Alabama-built Elantra stars in Hyundai Super Bowl 50 ads
Hyundai is showcasing the features of its redesigned 2017 Alabama-built Elantra sedan in Super Bowl 50 commercials starring actor Ryan Reynolds and a pair of frightening but chatty bears. The two spots are part of a Super Bowl blitz by the automaker, which has produced a total of four commercials for Sunday’s game. Hyundai is…
Alabama-made Ridgeline Super Bowl 50 spot leads the flock
Honda is using a flock of sheep to sing the praises of the automaker’s all-new 2017 Alabama-made Ridgeline pickup in a 60-second commercial during Sunday’s Super Bowl 50. Honda this week offered a sneak peak of its “A New Truck to Love” spot featuring a talking dog and sheep singing the classic Queen tune “Somebody…
