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April 2008 Edition
SEDA News
Available Building Highlight
Meeting Schedule
Previous E-Newsletters
SEDA News
2008 Existing
Industry Visitation Program
The Shoals Economic Development Authority (SEDA) Board of Directors kicked off
the 2008 Existing Industry Visitation Program at its April Board
meeting. SEDA Board members will meet with
existing industry in The Shoals during the last three weeks in April.
The purpose of the program is to get a first-hand
understanding of the economic outlook for many of the manufacturers
and related industries in The Shoals. With the national
economy facing challenging times, SEDA would like to speak directly to those who have a key
impact on an important sector of the local economy.
The program will prepare SEDA for the TVA
Valley Targeted and Prepared Community Program (Valley TaP) set to
begin in June. Valley TaP is designed to assist communities through a
strategic planning process, which will involve an in-depth
analysis of The Shoals' strengths and weaknesses, identification of
its core competencies, a leadership audit, and an assessment of the
existing economic development structure. By conducting the
visitation program in April, SEDA will have up-to-date input from
local companies, which should prove very useful.
SEDA would like to express its appreciation to our
local companies for their participation in the visitation program.
Southwire Company to Expand
in Florence
Southwire
Company announced in March that it will expand its
operations in the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park.
The company has purchased a 75,000-square-foot building just
south of its existing facility as part of its $9.5 million
investment. This expansion will add metal-clad cable
and flexible conduit to its Florence production
capabilities, which currently feature building wire products
such as 600-volt copper, NM, UF, and THHN. It will
mean as many as 50 jobs for the The Shoals.
“Through the expansion of our manufacturing facilities in
Florence, Southwire continues to take advantage of key
growth opportunities that allow us to better serve our
customers,” said Richard Miller, Southwire’s vice president
of electrical manufacturing.
“This added capacity across
several product lines will allow Southwire to build upon our
position as the leader in our core wire and cable markets.”
Why did Southwire choose to expand in The Shoals?
“The plant, with its proximity to Southwire’s
headquarters in Carrollton, Ga., fits perfectly into our
company’s manufacturing and distribution network,” Miller
added. “That fact, along with the strong commitment of our
workforce in Florence, weighed heavily in our decision to
expand there.”
SEDA and the City of Florence welcomed the expansion,
which strengthens Southwire's position in the community.
"This expansion speaks well for their commitment to our
area," said Florence Mayor Bobby Irons.
"It's
an encouraging sign of commitment to the Shoals when a
company makes such a significant investment within its first
two years in the community and a great testimonial of the
company's dedicated work force," said Susie Heird, vice
president of the Shoals Economic Development Authority.
SEDA Hosts
Annual Appreciation Luncheon in Montgomery
The Shoals Economic Development
Authority hosted its annual
luncheon in Montgomery on March
7, 2008. The luncheon
gives representatives from The
Shoals the opportunity to visit
with state personnel whose work
impacts The Shoals economy.
The Shoals Chamber of Commerce
and the Florence-Lauderdale Port
Authority co-hosted this year's
luncheon with SEDA.
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Roy Rudolph, SEDA |
Mayor Bobby Irons,
City of Florence |
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David Jones, SEDA
and
Shoals Chamber of
Commerce |
Jim Loew,
Florence-Lauderdale
Port Authority |
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(l to r) Forrest
Wright, SEDA; David
Echols, Alabama
Development Office |
(l to r) Mayor Bobby
Irons, City of
Florence; Susie
Heird, SEDA |
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Brad Holmes, SEDA |
(l to r) Bob Smith,
Alabama Development
Office; Craig
Linhoss, Tennessee
Valley Authority |
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(l to r) Bret
McGill,
Northwest-Shoals
Community College;
Dr. Glenda Colagross,
Northwest-Shoals
Community College |
(l to r) Kelly
Graham, Alabama
Department of
Revenue; Forrest
Wright, SEDA; Angela
Till, Alabama
Department of
Revenue |
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(l to r) David
Jones, SEDA and
Shoals Chamber of
Commerce; Bill
Morrison, Alabama
Department of
Revenue; Jim Loew,
Florence-Lauderdale
Port Authority |
(l to r) Amy Jones,
Shoals Chamber of
Commerce; Dr. Sandra
Sockwell, Shoals
Chamber of Commerce;
Sheila Raney, Shoals
Chamber of Commerce |
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(l to r) Dr. Joan
Parris, SEDA;
Valicia Jones,
Alabama Development
Office |
(l to r) Dr. Steve
Smith, SEDA; Hilda
Lockhart, Alabama
Development Office |
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(l to r) Cindy
Burns, North Alabama
Industrial
Development
Association; April
Gray, Alabama
Development Office |
(l to r) Harold
Lewis, SEDA; Bud
Ward, Shoals Chamber
of Commerce |
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(l to r) Buster
Smith, SEDA; Gary
Faulkner, Alabama
Development Office;
Dusty Brown, Alabama
Industrial
Development Training |
(l to r) David
Thorn, SEDA; Bill
Howard, City of
Muscle Shoals |
National Alabama Corporation Erects First
Structural Steel
Note: Please do not contact
National Steel Car in
Canada; the contact number
for National Alabama
Corporation is (256)
370-5000. Thanks, SEDA.
An
enthusiastic group of
invited guests gathered at
the Barton Riverfront
Industrial Park on February
15, 2008, to mark an
important milestone in the
construction of National
Alabama Corporation's
state-of-the-art railcar
manufacturing facility:
the erection of the first
structural steel at the
site.
Greg Aziz, chairman and CEO of National Alabama
Corporation, shared his enthusiasm for the significance of the event:
"Today we are here to witness the raising of the first steel. Steel
that will become the spine and shape of National Alabama--housing our
equipment and our technology, certainly...but, most importantly, it will be
our home where our skills and sense of team will help National Alabama
achieve the
excellence that is our dream."
Governor Bob Riley and Congressman Bud Cramer, who both
worked to bring National Alabama Corporation to The Shoals, spoke at the
event. They emphasized the teamwork needed to make this project
happen, as well as the tremendous success Alabama has had in economic
development in recent years.
The construction of the National Alabama facility will
continue on a very fast pace. The first rail car is expected to roll
off the line in December 2008.
To view an up-to-date aerial photo of the National
Alabama Corporation site,
click
here.
Note: Please do not contact
National Steel Car in
Canada; the contact number
for National Alabama
Corporation is (256)
370-5000. Thanks, SEDA.
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(l to r) Greg Aziz,
National Alabama
Corporation;
Governor Bob Riley |
(l to r) Governor
Bob Riley; Greg
Aziz, National
Alabama Corporation |
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(l to r) Congressman
Bud Cramer; Mayor
Bobby Irons, City of
Florence |
Governor Bob Riley |
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Congressman Bud
Cramer |
Mayor Bobby Irons,
City of Florence |
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Troy Woodis, Colbert
County Commission |
Greg Aziz, National
Alabama Corporation |
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(l to r) Tony Burns,
North Alabama Gas
District; Albert
Kerstiens, Sheffield
Utilities |
(l to r) Howard
Keeton, Colbert
County Commission;
Governor Bob Riley |
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(l to r) Greg Aziz,
National Alabama
Corporation;
Congressman Bud
Cramer; Troy Woodis,
Colbert County
Commission |
(l to r) Mayor Bobby
Irons, City of
Florence; Mike
Curtis, Alabama
State
Representative;
Forrest Wright, SEDA |
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(l to r) Jona Thorn;
David Thorn, SEDA;
Dr. Humphrey Lee,
Northwest-Shoals
Community College
and Shoals Chamber
of Commerce |
(l to r) Forrest
Wright, SEDA; Lee
Hansen, The Staubach
Company |
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(l to r) Paul
Panelli, Yates
Construction;
Governor Bob Riley |
(l to r) Linda
Swann, Alabama
Development Office;
Warren Aziz,
National Alabama
Corporation |
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Frank Jalsevac,
National Alabama
Corporation |
Peter Earle,
National Alabama
Corporation |
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(l to r) Susie Heird,
SEDA; Richard
Coates, Tuscumbia
City Council |
(l to r) Steve Holt,
Shoals Chamber of
Commerce; Dr. Alan
Medders, University
of North Alabama |
Empire Electronics Locates in Shoals
Entrepreneurial Center
The Shoals welcomed a new industry to the area in
March: Empire
Electronics, Inc., the
leading North American
automotive supplier of
exterior lighting harnesses
and components.
 Empire
Electronics selected the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center's Sheffield facility
for its new location.
Based in Troy, Michigan, Empire Electronics sought a
location close to the North American Lighting (NAL) facility in Muscle
Shoals, Alabama. SEDA worked with the company to examine options for
its operations in The Shoals.
"We
were pleased to submit several business opportunities for Empire’s
consideration, one being space in the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center’s
Sheffield facility," said Susie Heird, vice president of SEDA. "The
proximity of the Center to the North American Lighting facility in the
Shoals Research Airpark should prove advantageous for Empire, and the
location of Empire in The Shoals valuable to the community.”
Shoals Training Alliance Holds
Supervisor Training Classes
 The Shoals Industry-Education Training Alliance's
supervisor training classes were a big hit with local companies. The
response for the classes was quite strong, as 61 people from 18
companies received leadership skills training.
Alabama Industrial Development Training provided the
instructors for each of the classes, which were held January 15-16,
February 5-6, and March 18-19. The class es
are specifically designed for first-line, team leads and/or new supervisors.
"Hopefully, they will apply what they learn," said
Kendall Haywood, AIDT instructor. "The key is involving your people and not
being a traditional, old world manager that knows everything and makes all
the decisions."
The Training Alliance, with support from the Shoals
Economic Development Authority, brings together companies and educators to
provide training classes to meet the current needs of local industry.
For more information on the Training
Alliance, contact Lesley Cox at 256-764-0351.
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Available
Building Highlight
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Alabama
Converter 2
715 Highway
43 South
Tuscumbia, AL
35674
Colbert County
43,500 Square Feet |
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Meeting Schedule
SEDA Monthly Board of
Directors Meetings
July 8
August 12
Shoals
Manufacturers Association
July 9
September 10
Shoals Industry-Education
Training Alliance
July 16
October 15
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Previous E-Newsletters
December 2007 E-Newsletter
The
Shoals Wins CEDA Award from
the Southern Economic
Development Council
The Shoals Chosen for TVA
Valley TaP Program
Shoals Manufacturers
Association Annual Dinner
(multiple photos)
SEDA Appoints New Officers
for FY2008
International Floors of
America, Inc. to Expand in
Florence
National Alabama Corporation
Update
The Shoals Training Alliance
Schedules Supervisor
Training Classes
Available Building
Highlight: Waverlee
Building (162,500 sq. ft.)
Special Announcement
The
Shoals Welcomes National
Alabama Corporation
(multiple photos)
June
2007 E-Newsletter
Shoals Research Airpark
Reaches Important Milestone
Listerhill Total Maintenance
Center Adding Capabilities
Florence City Schools Rated
as a Top School District in
the U.S.
Available Building:
Roberson Road Complex
(41,920 sq. ft.)
April/May
2007 E-Newsletter
SEDA Receives 2007
Economic Development
Achievement Award
Wise Alloys Project to Widen
Can Sheet Width
Alabama Development Office
Named Top State Economic
Development Agency in the
U.S.
Alabama Ranked as Fourth
Fastest-Growing Exporter in
U.S.
Available Building:
Wise Alloys Building
(120,000 sq. ft.)
March
2007 E-Newsletter
SCA: Planting
Deeper Roots in Alabama
(multiple photos)
Wise Metals Group to
Widen Can-Stock Capacity
City of Florence Breaks
Ground on New Sportsplex
Available Building:
Wylie #14 (105,000 sq. ft.)
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