Alabama wins prestigious award for economic development and job growth, led by Huntsville

—

June 4, 2015

Employees celebrate as the first new Honda Pilot is rolled off the line

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Publication Area Development has awarded Alabama its annual “Silver Shovel” awarded to states with populations between 3 and 5 million who exhibit exceptional economic development and job growth.

Kentucky and Louisiana also received the award.

“The state has been advancing in a major way as a locus of automotive and aerospace manufacturing over the last several years, and its biggest economic development wins of 2014 strongly reflected this important trend,” Area Development wrote. “For instance, the state beat out more than two dozen others to land Remington Outdoor Co.’s decision to open a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant with more than 2,000 workers in Huntsville. The iconic firearms and ammunition brand plans an investment of $110 million in a site previously occupied by Chrysler manufacturing. Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong maintained that the Huntsville area won the plant because of ‘our pro-business environment, along with the region’s extensive manufacturing experience.’

“Meanwhile, Alabama also landed other major projects in the aerospace and automotive sectors, positioning the state’s three assembly plants to produce more than one million vehicles in 2015, which would comprise about 6 percent of the expected U.S. sales total of about 17 million vehicles this year. However, the state does have some work to do: Governor Robert Bentley is working on programs to boost career- and college-readiness in the state and to modernize incentives for job creation, while reducing Alabama’s reliance on borrowing for incentives.”

In 2014 the Huntsville area led Alabama in job growth, as the state’s unemployment rate has continued to decline.

Here are the top economic projects in Alabama in 2014 according to Area Development:
1. Science and Engineering Services | Huntsville | 450 jobs created | $70 million investment

2. International Automotive | Anniston | 359 jobs created | $35 million investment

3. Sitel Call Center | Hamilton | 300 jobs created

4. Baxter International | Opelika | 200 jobs created | $300 million investment

5. Oxford Pharmaceuticals | Birmingham | 200 jobs created | $29.4 million investment

6. Regions | Birmingham | 195 jobs created | $18.6 million investment

7. Remington Outdoor Co. | Huntsville | 2,410 jobs created | $110 million investment

8. GE Aviation | Auburn | 100 jobs created | $50 million investment

9. Evonik Corp. | Theodore | 79 jobs created | $113.7 million investment

10. Honda | Lincoln | 150 jobs created | $71.8 million investment.