Update: Government & Industry

UPDATE Government & Industry

THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

2A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

Government & Industry

Despite tight budgets, cities continue to progress

By CHRIS NORWOOD

Home staff writer

The year 2010 was another tough one economically, but thanks to bond issues and grants from outside agencies, municipalities in Talladega County continued to progress in spite of tight budgets.

Sylacauga In Sylacauga, Mayor Sam Wright said, “Our biggest accomplishment was holding what we had and watching what we were spending. We’re finishing up our stimulus project with the sidewalks and we’re doing some work at the airport. We acquired the Avondale property, and we’re looking at ways to make that useful. And IPO Shingle Company announced that they will be breaking ground on a plant in Sylacauga. That’ll mean 74 or 75 good paying jobs, and they’ve already let $70 million contracts with local companies to clear the land and move some dirt. There are all the normal tax abatements, but those contractors and those employees are going to eat here, buy gas here and buy other things here, too.”

The continued success of Sylacauga’s Marble Fest was another accomplishment, Wright said, adding that he had high hopes for the 2011 event.

“We’re trying to catch up in publicizing that we have the whitest marble in the world,” he said. “It’s in veterans cemeteries all over the country. We need to educate architects and others that we’ve got some of the best dimensional stone for carving that there is.

We’re planning on having 25 to 30 sculptors here from April 6 to 16 showing what they can do with what we’ve got. We’re trying to do it a little differently every year, but we

don’t have any really radical changes for this year.

The proposed agenda is up on the library’s Web site.”

Sylacauga is also continuing to work on marketing property on U.S. 280 (“but that’s slow going,” Wright said) and working with the school system on a building program. City officials are also eagerly awaiting the results of the 2010 census.

“Mainly I’m grateful that people have continued to trade here and help the economy. It takes cooperation. Also, we really dodged a bullet with the winter storms. There wasn’t much cleanup at all.”

Talladega For Talladega City Manager Brian Muenger, the issue of a $10 million water bond “is probably the biggest in recent memory. It will allow us to fix a lot of water and sewer infrastructure problems, and bring us in to compliance with the (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and (Alabama Department of Environmental Management) orders. And I believe this year’s paving project is also unprecedented. That’s $2 million to fix streets, rail crossings and bridges. Most years, paving is $200,000 to $400,000, so this is allowing us to multiple years’ work in one large swoop.

And we’ve exceeded the deadlines on the brownfield assessment program also. We’ve got more private owners on board than expected, and they’re already starting to get Phase 2 results from the (city-owned) Wehadkee property. Altogether, we’ve got six Phase 1 assessments complete and three Phase 2s. We’ve got more property owners interested than we will be able to do right now. That interest speaks volumes. More people are looking to remove potential impediments to devel-

Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home

Thanks to a streetscape grant for downtown, Lincoln has updated its sidewalks, lighting, curbs and gutters and paving.

opers.”

The city of Talladega is also taking on a major capital improvement program this year. “By completely redesigning the Veterans Park project, scaling it back and doing it in-house (while still addressing the safety issues), we were able to replace some police vehicles, fix the tennis courts at Jemison Park, renovate the Kenwin Building (which has already attracted a tenant), renovate the pavilions at several parks, and make lots of other quality of life improvements that I think will please people.”

Childersburg In Childersburg, the industrial park was the past year’s big story, according to Mayor B.J. Meeks. Work has started on the access road, thanks to a $700,000 grant. “We’ve got bids out on the road, and we’ve got an island for signage. We’ve got 117 acres of timber that’s already been cut for the road. We’re working with the Talladega County (Economic Development Authority) and Alabama Power on a final plan for the design and revitalization.”

According to City Clerk Sandra Donahoo, Childersburg also got funding for a downtown revitalization from the state Department of Transportation and $259,000 to replace traffic lights downtown.

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Talladega City Manager Brian Muenger said he believes this year’s paving project is unprecedented.

Meeks also said the city is working with Alabama Power and ACE in Montgomery to become an Alabama Community of Excellence.

“We completed the first two stages last year, and should be in the final phase next week. Howard Smith is the coordinator, and he’s done a great job keeping the committees together and running smoothly.”

Lincoln In Lincoln, Mayor Lew Watson pointed to the city’s recent completion of a Community Development Block Grant

Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home

to revamp the water, sewer and roads in the Greentown Section, around Ragland and Greer streets. A separate streetscape grant for downtown, which includes sidewalks, lighting, curb and gutter and paving, also began. A sewer expansion on Colvin Road and a sidewalk project on Lock 4 Road are also accomplishments for the past year.

“We have fully implemented an imaging system for city records,” Watson said. “Instead of filling up rows of file cabinets, invoices and other documents that come in are scanned and then shred-

ded. At some point, this will be made available to the public online, but we’re not there yet. We’ve also expanded several programs at the Recreation Department.”

Oak Grove Oak Grove Mayor Charles Merkel said the First Annual Heritage Homecoming was the town’s biggest event of last year, and the second edition promises to be even bigger.

“It will be May 2 through May 14. Through See Cities, Page 3A

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Sylacauga Mayor Sam Wright said he is ‘grateful people have continChildersburg got funding for a downtown revitalization and $259,000 to ued to trade here and help the economy.’ replace traffic lights downtown, according to City Clerk Sandra Donahoo.

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THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011 — 3A

Pell City sees strong retail growth

Cities From Page 2A

By ELSIE HODNETT Home staff writer

Retail growth is holding strong in Pell City as work is under way for the new upscale Publix Super Market.

The new Publix is in the 13-acre South Park Shopping Center. The 45,600 square foot store is at the back of the develop-

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Work is under way for a new upscale Publix Super Market in the South Park Shopping Center on U.S. 231.

ment, between U.S. 231 and Hardwick Road, with the front of the store facing U.S. 231.

South Park Shopping

Center will have an additional 24,000 square feet of shop space, plus three out-parcels that front U.S. 231.

A new Bojangles’ Famous Chicken N’ Biscuits restaurant will open a store in one of the retail out-parcels.

Construction of a modern Jack’s restaurant has also begun, about two miles north of the South Park Shopping Center.

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Continued improvements are planned for Riverside Landing, including boardwalks and aesthetic improvements to the building and surrounding land areas.

Town continues to work on Riverside Landing

By ELSIE HODNETT Home staff writer

The town of Riverside continues working to improve Riverside Landing, a public park with waterfront access.

The town purchased

the old D & S Marina, located on Depot Street across from town hall, and immediately began repairs.

The dilapidated piers were removed and a new pier was built. The new

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The town applied for and is waiting to receive a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permit to build the boardwalks and floating piers at Riverside Landing. The town then plans additional aesthetic improvements to the build-

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Munford Security was also a top priority for the town of Munford, which hired a police chief in the past year.

“Jeff Rutledge is on board and in the process of organizing the department,” Mayor Lynn Swinford said. “We’ve had the vehicle, donated by Ranborne, for a while now, and he’s looking for grants to help buy equipment and maybe hire a deputy.”

Munford also completed a walking track last year, opened the old Munford High School Gym as a community center and increased and improved the library’s holdings, Swinford said.

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pier opened for use in May and features 768 square feet, including a 20-by-8foot archway connecting the floating pier to the boardwalk and stairs leading from the flood plain elevation to the 8-by-8foot boardwalk.

the Small Town-Home Town program, with the Alabama Department of Tourism, we’ll be putting up a historical marker for the Hodges Meteorite, and we’ll also be coordinating with the state Council on the Arts with local music and artists. The actual meteorite, which landed in 1956, will be coming back from Tuscaloosa. In the week prior, area schools will be taking field trips to come see it.”

The event will feature not only local musicians but will also include traditional Hispanic and Native American performers. “And there will be more arts and crafts, too,” he said.

The Oak Grove Community Garden also got off to a strong start last year, providing 4,000 people with 1,100 tons of food. “We’re hoping next year will be even better,” Merkel said. “It rained too much in 2010, and we got started late.”

He said Oak Grove has also made progress with its security and volunteer fire protection. “We made progress on the fire department.

We had some challenges, but we’ve got a new chief now and things are looking good, in a great direction.

I should also mention now that our two security calls are now being dispatched through Talladega County’s Central Dispatch System.

I want to mention that as a reminder to our citizens that we’ve got our eyes on people coming to Oak Grove intending to break the law.”

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government & industry

4A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

Laura Nation-Atchison/The Daily Home

Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home

Don Smith is executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Calvin Miller has been executive director for the Talladega County Economic Development Authority since 1990. He notes a drop in the Development Council, which has been successful in getting a hospital, junior college and veterans home to locate on city-owned property. county’s unemployment rate of more than 2 percent in 2010.

Jobless rates rebounding in Talladega, St. Clair Home Lifestyles editor

Unemployment rates in Talladega and St. Clair counties have not recovered from their peaks in 2009, but figures are on the rebound.

The rate hit a high of 13.2 percent in Talladega County in 2009 and in St. Clair County, the rate rose to 10 percent in the same year, according to figures released each November by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.

Nationally, the unemployment rate peaked at 10.1 percent in October 2009, according to figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In November 2009, the national rate dropped a little, to 9.9 percent.

Compare those figures to levels of 3.3 percent in St. Clair County in 2000 and 4.6 percent for Talladega County in 2000 and the changes are obvious.

For the first time since the increases that began in both counties in 2001, the figures for unemployment are lowering.

As of November 2010, St. Clair County’s unemployment rate was 8.8 percent, down by 1.5 percent from 2009, and Talladega’s rate was 10.8 percent, down by 2.4 percent.

Things appear to be improving for both areas.

The national rate of unemployment for 2010 was 9.8 percent for 2010 Rates rose again in 2002 in both counties. In St. Clair, the rate reached 4.6 percent and in Talladega County, 6.7 percent.

The trend continued in 2003, with Talladega County’s rate at 7.0 and St. Clair’s at 4.7 percent.

2005 brought a return to a more normal rate, with St. Clair at 3.4 percent and Talladega County at 4.1 percent.

But by 2008, Talladega County’s rate had risen to 8.6 percent, doubling the rate three years earlier, and in St. Clair, the rate rose to 4.6, not nearly the same increase as in Talladega County.

Fast forward to 2009, and both counties saw serious increases in unemployment rates, St. Clair hit 10 percent and Talladega County, 13.2 percent.

Calvin Miller, executive director for the Talladega County Economic Development Authority since 1990, identifies two things that have contributed to the county’s rebound.

“First, the 1990 legislative delegation took control of a financial debt situation the county was in and passed an unpopular rural sales tax to pay off the county’s debts,” he said, “Talladega County now has conservative leadership and a county administrator who manages its operations.”

The second influence on the well-being of the county was the general replacement of the declining textile industry by the automotive industry, he said.

When Honda Motors announced it would build

an assembly plant in Lincoln and Teksid Aluminum Components announced it would build a foundry for engine blocks and heads in Talladega County near Sylacauga, this was outstanding, Miler said.

“Over the next five years, Talladega County had the largest per capita income increase of any county in Alabama, a total of 33.7 percent,” Miller said.

Honda’s presence spawned automotive suppliers such as MagnaTech, Fleetwood Metal, Precision Strip, Pittsburgh Glass Works, New South Express, Nippon Oil, RPR Packaging, Automotive Containment and Consulting and Gulf Shores Assembly to locate in Talladega County, Miller said.

That meant even more jobs and, in turn, a lower unemployment rate.

Other existing businesses gained ground as well because of the automotive industry, he said.

Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, points to the addition of the automotive industry as well to helping St. Clair County rebound over the past year.

“I would say everything began changing when the state of Alabama decided to actively replace our declining textile manufacturing base with an automotive manufacturing base,” Smith said.

“When Mercedes located its plant in Alabama, it shifted the perception of manufacturing in Alabama in the state and changed the United States’ automotive manufacturing sector forever,” he said.

“Now, with names added such as Honda, Hyuandi, Kia, Toyota and Volkswagen in or near Alabama, we are in the center of the new automotive manufacturing universe,” Smith said.

This puts St. Clair County in a “very exciting time,” he said.

In addition to reaping benefits from Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, St. Clair County has landed other big projects that enhance the area for further development and for offering more jobs.

Jefferson State Community College established a campus in Pell City three years ago on property donated by the EDC, and on adjacent property, a new hospital, St. Vincent’s/St. Clair is under construction.

Also, on the same parcel of property, a state-ofthe-art Veterans Home is planned.

Smith sees lots of opportunities for both workers and the public in these developments.

“I believe this development will exceed $100 million in new investment and employ over 600 people by 2014,” he said.

Already, Smith said the Economic Development Council is working with another company that he believes will complement the three other operations.

“These are all good paying jobs in the educational or medical fields,” he said.

“Our largest private sector employers are in the health care and manufacturing sector,” Smith said.

“The Village at Cooks Springs and St. Vincent’s St. Clair both employ over 220 health care related employees each. We also have three manufacturers, Vulcan Industries, Energy Absorption Systems and WKW North America, which employ over 200 each. These are all good paying jobs and wonderful employers.”

But 2009 and 2010 were extremely difficult years on almost every sector, Smith said.

“Unlike other previous recessions, there were no other sectors nationally to help push the economy along,” he said. “Luckily, St. Clair County had a well diversified manufacturing and employment base. Our construction based industries are taking the longest to recover but are faring much better compared to the national average.”

The annual unemployment rate in Talladega County for 2010 will be in the 12.4 percent range, Miller predicts.

“The rate is coming down because the automotive industry sales and manufacturing have increased,” he said.

But small businesses have not yet hired back

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workers because of uncertainty of the overall economic comeback and what the federal government will require of them (health care), Miller said.

“Activity has picked up in 2010 as compared to the two previous years,” Miller said. “We are seeing more companies that are automotive related, including Kia and Hyundai suppliers, and companies that use calcium carbonate as a raw material. The quarries located in southern Talladega County process marble into calcium carbonate that is used as a filler in plastics paints, shingles and other products.”

The biggest cost of the material can be transportation if the material has to be shipped for long distances, he said.

“Users of calcium car-

bonate would benefit from a Talladega County location,” Miller said, identifying another possible area for development in the county.

On Feb. 1, IKO Shingles plans to hold its official groundbreaking ceremony in Sylacauga, Miller said.

IKO is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and will invest $63 million and employ 75 people in the manufacturing of roofing shingles. (Calcium carbonate is one of its ingredients.)

Smith said there are new areas for St. Clair County to tap into as well.

“I believe we will continue to see new investment from the automotive sector, but we hope to get new investment from the aerospace and biotech sector,” he said. “I believe this

is a natural next step with our exceptional county airport and our close proximity to UAB.” Both offices network with numerous companies and agencies to accomplish the goal of landing more jobs for their areas.

“There are agencies, utilities, and railroads that are working to bring businesses to Alabama and increase their revenues,” Miller said. “The Alabama Development Office and the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama cover all of Alabama with their efforts but they own no sites.

One of our tasks is to help local governments in their efforts to provide prepared sites and buildings to help them in their projects that create jobs in Alabama.”

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government & industry

THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011 — 5A

Counties continue services, begin projects

By MATT QUILLEN Home staff writer

County commissioners in Talladega and St. Clair counties have worked to continue services and begin new projects through the ongoing recession.

St. Clair County is represented by Jeff Brown, District 1; Ken Crowe, District 2; Paul Manning, District 3; Jimmy Roberts, District 4; and Chairman Stan Batemon.

Batemon said while economic struggles had been the major issue from week-to-week, he felt the commission had “been blessed” when compared to other counties.

“Our sales tax budget was down slightly but very little,” he said. “Our ad valorem was about the same. Our overall revenues

were only down slightly, so we are very fortunate ours did not take a dip like so many others did.”

Batemon pointed out some positive things on the immediate horizon.

Among them are the continued construction of St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital and the Department of Veterans Affairs home.

Also, renovation work continues on the County Courthouse in Ashville.

“Another one was to make sure the Coosa Valley Water project continued,” Batemon said. “It is a freshwater drinking water plant on the Coosa River St. Clair County is involved in. We are making sure that project is under way and going as planned, and it has been.”

“We actually had several large projects at the

same time.”

Batemon said he and the commission looks forward to the completion of many of the projects in 2011.

“Beyond that, we hope to continue to have a plan to keep us in good financial shape despite the bad economic times,” he said.

Talladega County is represented by Jackie Swinford, District 1; John Luker, District 2; Kelvin R. Cunningham, District 3; Jimmy C. Roberson, District 4; and John F. Carter, District 5.

Administrator Wayne Hall said in an e-mail that despite general fund revenue decreasing 8 percent from 2009 to 2010, the county has not curtailed any services or reduced its workforce.

A Metro Jail project

began in December and is scheduled to be completed near the end of the year. Funding for the project was supplemented by an allocation of Recovery Zone Bonds granted to the county under the federal stimulus program.

Roberson said as much as 45 percent of the funding will come from the stimulus. This will allow the commission to complete the much-needed project without diverting money from the general fund needed for other services.

Roberson said the current county jail, which houses inmates from all municipalities as well, has dealt with overcrowding issues. The new jail will help alleviate the problem.

“Our judicial system within our courts has

been a tremendous asset in controlling inmate population,” Roberson said.

“Without their help, we would really be in trouble.

Basically, we have outgrown the current facility, and we feel like this will help with the concerns not only of the inmate population, but the safety of our community in the surrounding area. But my number one issue was the dangerous situation we put our correctional officers in.”

A number of rural water projects are also under way in different parts of the county. Roberson and Hall credited area state legislators for their part in procuring funds through the state’s 2 percent rural tax fund.

Roberson said in his district alone more than 500

households could receive a clean drinking water supply and fire hydrants through different phases of the project.

Hall said as the year progresses they will continue to closely monitor revenue, spending and work hard to stay within budgets. Roberson said they are committed to operating within their revenues, regardless of the sluggish economy.

“There are so many cities and counties and state governments that are not doing it,” he said. “They are borrowing money or laying off people. But we are going to run day-today operations with whatever we have.”

Contact Matt Quillen at mquillen@dailyhome.com.

MasterBrand a bright spot in Talladega in 2010

By CHRIS NORWOOD

Home staff writer

Although for most of 2010, the housing market remained soft locally and nationally, and unemployment remained stubborn most of the year, there was a bright spot in Talladega.

Fallowing a job fair last fall, MasterBrand Cabinets added 80 new jobs and tripled its capacity for the last quarter of the past year.

“These were not just entry level positions. We were expanding the plant’s capacity, so it’s a broad spectrum of positions.

It’s not just handlers, but machine operators, saw

operators and other skilled positions, mostly on the second shift,” said Robert Jacobs, MasterBrand executive vice president of Human Resources at the company’s corporate offices in Jasper, Ind., A total of about 80 positions were added between October and December, he said.

Although daily productivity varies, before the expansion the Talladega plant turned out about a thousand cabinets per day.

After the expansion, it was 3,000, he said.

Total employment figures also vary, but Jacobs said at the end of December the Talladega plant employed 202 peo-

ple.

“Talladega is a distributed assembly plant, which means the components are made by outside vendors and assembled here.

We have four of those plants, and we expanded the capacity at all four of them. We were able to win some business away from some of our competitors.”

They were able to do this through “operational efficiencies,” Jacobs said.

“We work hard to train all our employees in reliable service, especially home center service. It’s a four point policy: we deliver complete, we deliver on time, and we deliver a fashionable product at an affordable price.”

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

MasterBrand Cabinets in Talladega added 80 new jobs and tripled its capacity for the last quarter of the past year.

The expansions last year do not include any new product lines, but are increased production of existing lines.

“We increased the number of jobs and we increased our capital investment, but there was no increase in

floor space or anything like that,” Jacobs said.

While he said he could not disclose the amount of the capital investment, he said the increased production and staffing had required the purchase of new equipment.

He said that before the expansion, MasterBrand in Talladega had not been fully utilizing the second shift.

Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome. com.

government & industry

6A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

2010 prosperous year for Ford Meter Box

By DAVID ATCHISON Home staff writer

Allen Architectural Metals performs restoration and metal fabrication work with a variety of metals. Pictured is the Mormon temple bronze baptismal font, furnished and installed.

Alabama company is known nationwide

By ELSIE HODNETT Home staff writer

An Alabama company has made a name for itself nationwide through its quality architectural metalwork.

“We do metal restoration and metal fabrication work for many municipalities, museums and other clients,” said John Allen, president of Allen Architectural Metals.

Allen created the company in 1995 after working for a firm with similar capabilities.

Allen Architectural Metals offers a wide variety of services, including custom castings, historical replications and restoration, fabrication, installation, laser cutting for custom design, ornamental iron and much more.

“We do iron work with a focus on cast metals,” Allen said.

He said although most of the company’s work is in New York, Chicago and Washington D.C., he chose to locate in Talladega because it is geographically centrally located to local foundries. The company works for local clients on a limited basis, typically shorter projects.

“There are a lot of foundries around here we use — Birmingham, Montgomery and Talladega,” he said.

“And we have mostly Alabama employees.”

Allen said the company has probably completed 1,000 projects of varying sizes.

“We are currently working on a project restoring the front of a building in New York,” he said.

Allen said the SoHo district of New York has more than 200 historic buildings with cast iron fronts.

“We are working on a five-story building at 361 Broadway,” he said. “Part of the building is a seminary, and part of it is retail space.

We took 3,000 parts off the building and brought them to Alabama, where we will either remake, repair or restore all 3,000 parts and put them back on the building.”

Allen said the project is in the home stretch.

“We have been working about 18 months, and it will take about two years to complete,” he said. “This is the second largest project of this type we’ve had. The largest project was a ferry terminal project in New York.”

Allen said the ferry terminal project took three years to complete.

The company also performs ornamental work with structural components.

“We were certified to work on bridges in New York City,” he said. “We worked on five of them. It was ornamental work with structural integrity, and the

work was attached to the main structure itself.”

Allen said the company has worked on a lot of state capitols.

“We have worked on the U.S. Capitol, and are working on the New York State Capitol now,” he said. “We just finished the Colorado State Capitol and worked on the West Virginia State Capitol, too.

We have also worked on a lot of museums in New York City, and city hall in New York City.

In addition to working with cast iron, Allen Architectural works with cast aluminum and cast bronze.

“We just finished a Mormon temple in Laie, Hawaii, in cast bronze,” he said.

The company has received several awards for its restoration work.

“We are a member of the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association and have won Top Job awards,” he said.

It received Earnest Wiemann Top Job Awards for Restoration work on the Manhattan Bridge in New York, for work on the Colorado State Capitol, for unusual ornamental fabrication work on City Hall Park in New York and several other awards.

“We don’t talk about them much, but we are real proud of our awards,” Allen said.

The company is global, but strives to make the community and the people who work there better.

At Ford Meter Box in Pell City, one hears words like teamwork, pride, commitment and community.

Company officials say the positive attitude company employees share has made Ford Meter Box a success as it continues to grow.

“It’s a company that people come and stay,” said Zachary Gentile Jr., senior vice president and general manager for Ford Meter Box. “I think we genuinely love working together.”

Jim Ford, human resource manager for Ford Meter Box, said most of the production supervisors have worked at the Pell City company for more than 22 years.

“Most people grow with the company and are promoted internally,” Ford said.

And it takes a special person to work for the manufacturing company that produces a wide range of products for the water industry.

“We hire for attitude and train for skill,” Ford said.

“We look for folks who can get along with other folks and work as a team.”

Gentile said every production supervisor who was there when he arrived in 1994 still works with the company.

And whatever Ford Meter Box is doing, it’s working. The company saw a prosperous 2010 and is looking forward to 2011.

“We had a solid year,” Gentile said.

“We’re blessed.”

He said when the economy bottomed out nobody was laid off at the Pell City plant.

Ford said that would not have happened if the employees hadn’t pulled together as a team and made sacrifices that were best for all.

“We’re now in the best possible position when there is a turnaround,” he said.

And that appears to be coming sooner rather than later.

“During the last quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011, Ford Meter Box is bringing seven new products to market, all designed

David Atchison/The Daily Home

Zachary Gentile Jr. is senior vice president and general manager for Ford Meter Box in Pell City. He stands in front of a new piece of equipment that helps the company produce products quicker and cheaper than other competitors.

for Ford Meter Box engineers,” Gentile said. “These new products haven’t even hit the market yet. That’s why we’re so excited about 2011.”

Ford Meter Box makes products such as restraints, couplings, clamps, tapping sleeves, saddles and specialty fabricated items for water line repairs. Its products are distributed to contractors and municipalities through a worldwide network of distributors.

Gentile said Ford Meter Box ships its products to more than 40 countries across the globe, and customer service plays a key role in the company’s success.

“It’s all about customer service, and we’re all about taking care of our customers,” he said.

The company employs about 118 workers who have seen many expansions in recent years.

Gentile said most of their workers are from the Ragland, Pell City and Talladega areas.

“We love to grow folks within the plant,” Ford said.

Gentile and Ford point to one employee who attended college while working for the company. The company paid for the employee’s college courses. It took the employee nine years, but he now has a mechanical engineering degree.

“If they (employees) have a dream or vision, Ford Meter Box will help make that dream happen,” Gentile said.

Gentile and Ford said by helping employees fulfill their dreams, Ford Meter

Box makes better employees and the community as a whole benefits.

Although Ford Meter Box is a big manufacturing company, it never forgets the community it serves.

The walls in the front entrance to the company have reminders of how Ford Meter Box helps and plays an important role in the Pell City community.

The company has supported five $10,000 Pell City School Foundation Chairs throughout the years. The company has also supported the St. Clair County School System, and because of its commitment to the community has been named the Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce Industry of the Year twice, once in 1997 and the other in 2002.

More recently, Ford Meter Box has made $90 donations to the churches where its employees attend.

In the manufacturing business, Gentile said they are starting to see a trend.

“Work that went overseas is coming back,” Gentile said.

He said Ford Meter Box has solicited help from a local foundry to meet demands for its products.

Gentile said the company continues to grow and expand. When he arrived in 1993, the facility had 80,000 square feet of space.

Today, there is 325,000 square feet, and the company is in the process of more capital improvements.

“We’re preparing for the future,” Gentile said.

Town of

STEVE

HURST MUNFORD State Representative District 35

State Representative STEVE HURST:

No one cares for families like State Representative, Steve Hurst.

Since 1998, he’s been working to keep our children safe at school, get our seniors the help they need, and preserve your right to protect your property. Backed by integrity, Steve is a problem solver who gets the job done. Steve Hurst cares about your family.

278147

STANDING UP FOR VALUES. FIGHTING FOR ALABAMA FAMILIES.

Munford is heading toward a bright future for all its citizens by making the right moves today.

For over 50 years the Sylacauga Utilities Board has been providing electric, natural gas, water and sanitary sewer services to our community. In 1999, we added high speed and wireless internet access to that list. We are proud to be your locally owned and operated utility. If you have any questions about our services, please give us a call.

Billing Office: 256-249-8501 Operations Center: 256-249-0372 Email comments and questions to: sub@sylacauga.net

UTILITIES BOARD CITY OF SYLACAUGA 301 North Elm Avenue • Sylacauga, AL 35150

241135

Pd. Pol. Adv. by Steve Hurst, 155 Quail Run Rd., Munford, AL 36268

•Starting a police department and naming Jeff Rutledge as the Police Chief •Establishing a public library under the direction of Connie Beverly and now hiring an assistant, Nikki Bast •Establishing a recreation board and opening up the old high school gym as a Community Center under the direction of Deonne Clark •Making the intersection of Hwy. 21 and Cedars Road much safer by spearheading a drive to have a traffic light and turn lanes installed •Establishing one of the best Senior Centers in the county under the direction of Judy Moon •Building a new fire station for the volunteer fire department •Building a walking trail to be enjoyed by the community •Restaurant openings, local newspaper, new schools built as well as a new football stadium

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Whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent, I will always stand up for you in Mongtomery!

Since incorporating 8 years ago, Munford has been a town on the move. Leadership at Town Hall has dedicated itself to providing the very best services to its residents. Building a municipality from the ground up is not an easy task, but in Munford, it is being done and done right. Munford is growing toward the future with many projects since incorporating like:

government & industry

THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011 — 7A

Honda to celebrate 10 years in Lincoln

By WILL HEATH Home staff writer

Associates at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln sometimes find it amazing they have now been in operation nearly 10 years.

They are equally surprised when they meet people who don’t know their Alabama location.

“As much as we have been embraced by the (Lincoln) community and the state, it’s still surprising to meet people who are surprised that Honda has been in Alabama for 10 years,” said Ted Pratt, a spokesman for HMA. “We are the sole production source for Honda’s three most popular products (the Odyssey, the Pilot and the Ridgeline).

“It’s pleasantly surprising: everyone in central Alabama knows of us now.”

HMA will celebrate 10 years of production in November 2011 at a plant that encompasses more than 3.5 million square feet, employs more than 4,000 people and represents a capital investment of more than $1.4 billion.

In 2010, the plant celebrated a decade since breaking ground. That celebration is expected to continue.

“Last year we had a little taste of how the community and Honda have grown together over the past decade,” Pratt said.

“There were some very kind words said about

Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama ‘officially’ celebrates its 10th year in Lincoln in November.

us, and we expressed our appreciation for the support of our operations.

“You will see more of that over the coming months as we approach our ‘official’ anniversary.”

The plant produced more than 272,000 vehicles in 2010. That number includes 119,580 Odyssey minivans; 121,330 Pilot sport utility vehicles; 20,180 Ridgeline pickup trucks; and 10,992 Accord V-6 sedans.

“Honda Manufacturing of Alabama has been fortunate to experience continued stability in our workforce … through-

out 2010,” said Mark Morrison, another HMA spokesman. “Additionally, in order to meet customer demands for our products, HMA increased output through the addition of Saturday overtime production, particularly into the third and fourth quarters of the calendar year.”

Associates at the plant oversaw what Pratt called a “complete full model change” in the concept of the Odyssey in 2010, from a third-generation design to a fourth-generation, that changed “95 percent” of the vehicle.

“We were able to make

the transition through a lot of planning and a lot of commitment from our workforce,” said Pratt.

“They were committed to making sure the vehicle is produced at the same quality level (as before). That’s a challenge we face ever year, and this year was no exception.”

The concept was officially revealed in February 2010.

“The response to the concept was incredible,” Pratt said. “We knew (the new model) was going to be a fitting replacement.

“When the wraps were pulled off, the response

from the public was extremely positive. We’ve seen that in the past few months: consumers and customers just like the vehicle, and that’s good for us on a number of levels.”

Honda also announced a partnership with Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds as the title sponsor for the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, which is slated to take place in April. It is the second such race to take place at Barber, the only Indycar event in the Southeastern United States.

“Honda has been involved with the Indy

series 12-15 years,” Pratt said. “(The Barber race) is a really great opportunity for our associates who are so familiar with racing to be able to have something right in our backyard, to see our product put to the test on a track, to see drivers put Honda engines through a performance.

There’s a lot of pride for our associates.”

HMA continues to involve itself with the community as well, offering incentives for its associates to participate in community service activities.

Some associates will also be involved with January’s Restore Coastal Alabama, an opportunity to help restore coastlines devastated by Gulf storms and the recent oil spill.

“We’ve been really excited about the response,” Pratt said.

Like many other corporations, Honda continues to press forward in a difficult economic climate.

They are optimistic as 2011 dawns, however.

“It is good to see the market rebounding from a difficult economic period in 2008-2009,” Pratt said.

“As the economy is slowly rebounding, we can see it in slowly rising sales.

“We’re seeing things come back and that is encouraging. It’s a tough time, but we all made it through.”

Contact Will Heath at wheath@thestclairtimes. com.

WKW Erbsloeh North America has grown rapidly

By GARY HANNER Home staff writer

WKW Erbsloeh North America Inc. has been in operation in Pell City about two and a half years.

It was June 18, 2008, that the company officially opened its new production facility in the Pell City Industrial Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The American subsidiary of WKW automotive covers an area of 130,000 square feet. With almost 1 million square feet of property, the company has plenty of room for future expansion.

CEO Tim Horn manages WKW Erbsloeh North America Inc. The company produces decorative and functional components made of aluminum and steel for the North American market.

“This is being done in response to a request by car manufacturers to produce the required car components locally for their plants in America,” Horn said. “The main customers are Daimler (MBUSI), BMW, General Motors and Volkswagen.”

The manufacturing program of the facility includes almost the entire product range of WKW automotive, such as roof moldings, drip rails, B and C pillar covers, outer belt moldings and roof rack systems.

WKW automotive is the group of Walter Klein GmbH & Co. KG (WKW), an automotive supplier from Wuppertal/ North Rhine-Westphalia.

In addition to manufacturing and finishing of extruded aluminum profiles and processing of sheet steel, the company’s know-how includes plastic injection moldings, as well as plastic extrusion. Almost all known European car manufacturers are customers of WKW. The managing partner of WKW automotive, Gert Mayer, is the son-in-law of the founder and namesake of the company. He has successfully directed the affairs of the family business for the past 55 years. In this function he is supported by his son, Christian Mayer, and another managing director, Peter Kruft.

Since its foundation, the company grew rapidly. At the present, WKW Erbsloeh North America Inc. has more than 250

employees and about 120 temporary workers.

Horn said as the automotive business has recovered from the deep crisis in 2009, the growth of the company is following up.

The internationally active facilities of WKW automotive produce decorative and functional parts, hood components, as well as engine components and heat exchanger profiles. WKW automotive has almost 6,000 employees worldwide, and annual sales for 2010 are expected to reach about 600 million Euro.

WKW automotive has the following subsidiaries and affiliated companies: • Walter Klein GmbH

• WKW & Co. KG, Wuppertal and Automotive Bad Laasphe.

• WKW-SUMA GmbH, Wuppertal.

Wuppertal.

• Erbsloh Aluminum GmbH, Velbbert.

• Erbsloh Relingsystem GmbH, Velbert.

• PEAK Werkstoff GmbH, Velbert.

• PEAK France S.A.S., St. Avold/France.

• PEAKNorth America Inc., Detroit/MI/USA • Erbsloh Hungaria KFT., Gyor/Hungary.

• Hillebrand Erbsloh Oberflachen GmbH, Wickede.

• Silvatrim S.A.M., Monaco.

• WKW Erbsloeth North America, Inc., Pell City, Alabama.

Erbsloh GmbH,

• Beijing WKW Automotive Inc., Beijing, China.

Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@st.clairtimes. com.

THE FORD METER BOX COMPANY, INC. Pell City, Alabama

Manufacturering products for the distribution of water worldwide.

CHILDERSBURG....

Building For Future on Strong Foundation...

Childersburg, Talladega County’s newest gateway to growth, is a city meeting needs with a strong plan for the future.

The city’s massive, new Childersburg Industrial Park with 2,000-plus acres available, is attracting business guranteed to build a better economy for the city and its citizens.

Its Chamber of Commerce is a leader in promoting business and a strong citizen base.

The Butler-Harris-Rainwater Museum stands as a shining example of a community working together to offer more to its citizens.

Its great public schools and community college continue to grow and provide the highest quality of education to the community.

Childersburg is growing a better future by building on its strong history of working together for the common good offering amenities to enhance the quality of life through church, civic and recreational facilities.

For more information regarding The City of Childersburg Contact: Mayor B.J. Meeks Council Members: Jimmy Payne - Mayor Pro Tempore Bonnie W. Carter Billy Lester Michele N. Mizzell Charles Reynolds 256-378-5521 administration@childersburg.org 244032

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ASSOCIATES FOR A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT

FIVE YEARS WORKED WITHOUT A LOSS TIME ACCIDENT!

8A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

government & industry

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Blue Bell is a privately owned company and is 104 years old. The company has had a manufacturing plant in Sylacauga since 1996.

Quality keeps Blue Bell in competition

By LINDSEY HOLLAND

Home staff writer

Blue Bell Creamery employs 205 residents from the area. That number could soon grow.

Kevin Wood, plant manager for Blue Bell, said he has seen the company grow quite a bit.

“It’s very possible,” he said when asked if new job opportunities would soon be available. “We’ve grown. We’re at 205 right now so it’s very possible we’ll continue to grow.

I’m sure there will be job opportunities.”

Blue Bell has had a manufacturing facility in Sylacauga since 1996. The company was founded in 1907 as the Brenham Creamery Company.

“We are a privately owned company and we’re 104 years old and we continue to grow,” Wood said. “We’re in 17 states right now and we are about to be in 18. The economy hasn’t affected us a whole lot. The costs have gone up but people still continue to eat ice cream because it’s a comfort food.”

Blue Bell is only available in about 26 percent of the nation’s supermarkets, yet it still ranks as one of the top three best selling ice creams in the nation. According to a 2009 survey, Blue Bell

held a 34 percent market share of ice cream sold in supermarkets in the Birmingham and Montgomery areas.

“Blue Bell Ice Cream has had an enthusiastic reception across the South, Southwest and Midwest,” said Ricky Dickson, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell.

Blue Bell is sold in the Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

“We have three plants and Sylacauga is one of the three plants that our company has,” Wood said. “Our plant services mainly the Southeast so we service eight states, including Florida. Florida has been one of our biggest growing markets. We moved to the Miami market a couple of years ago and it continues to go really well there.”

Wood said one of the reasons Blue Bell has continued to excel is because it constantly produces a quality product.

“We’re growing mainly because of the quality of our product and that’s how we compete — with the quality,” he said.

Wood said last year

Blue Bell in Sylacauga saw about 20,000 visitors. He said they see a lot of locals and a lot of school groups and other organizations.

“We see different programs from surrounding areas,” he said. “We actually get some from the Birmingham area, some from the Montgomery area and some from Auburn/Opelika area.

We even get some from Georgia, but the majority of them are from the local area.”

Wood said he feels Blue Bell has helped Sylacauga’s economy because the company employs a lot of residents in the area.

But he also said Blue Bell contributes to local organizations.

“We’re also contributing a lot to the local economy with school districts and with a lot of nonprofit organizations,” he said.

“We contribute quite a bit of money to the school districts. We support a lot of their programs.”

Blue Bell helps sponsor Relay for Life, the Animal Rescue Foundation, and the local library, to which it gave a grant for support. Wood also said they support the Sylacauga Chamber of Commerce.

For 2011, Wood hopes to see Blue Bell continue to grow.

“We continue to expand our area and mar-

ket our area,” he said. “We are already in Indianapolis right now and all that is serviced from this location.

So we serve eight states and as our market continues to grow we’ll continue to support it and support ourselves.”

Contact Lindsey Holland at lholland@dailyhome.com.

‘The economy hasn’t affected us a whole lot.

The costs have gone up but people still continue to eat ice cream because it’s a comfort food.’

— Kevin Wood, Blue Bell plant manager

Meeting Our On Customers The Needs, Move Every Day

• Established: September 13th, 2000 • “Just In Time” Consolidation Center for Honda • Returnable Container Management Center for Honda • Over 600 Associates including contract associates • 500,000 sq. ft. of warehousing space at the Talladega Complex 200,000 sq. ft. Available for Lease, with office space All climate controlled with security and maintenance available • Extensive Packaging, Sequencing, Shipping & Storage Experience • Labeling / RF Scanning / Inventory Control / EDI • Continuous Improvement Quality Management System • Local, Short & Long Haul Transportation Services in North America • Yard Spotting Services • Expedite Services Provided • Minutes from I-20, 55 miles from Birmingham, 107 miles from Atlanta, 90 miles from Montgomery

New South Express, LLC (Talladega Site) NSE 200 Homer Road Talladega, Alabama 35160 (256) 362-1202 Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Mailing Address P.O. Box 824, Lincoln, AL 35096 Main Phone Number: (205) 355-8200

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Last year Blue Bell in Sylacauga saw about 20,000 visitors. In addition to area residents visiting, the company has visitors from Birmingham, Montgomery and some from the Auburn/Opelika area. There have even been visitors from Georgia.

(Lincoln Site) Honda 249-B Clover Road Lincoln, Alabama 35096 (205) 355-8200

THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011 — 9A

Prepared. Proven. Reliable.

We put ourselves on the line, Even when the line is down.

We get it all, from hurricanes and tornadoes to thunderstorms and floods. We are prepared for every possibility. It’s our job to provide reliable power. Remember, we’re your local electric cooperative.

ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

69220 Alabama Highway 77 • P.O. Box 837 • Talladega, Alabama 35161 (256) 362-4180 • 1-800-273-7210 www.coosavalleyec.com info@coosavalleyec.com 201577

10A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

government & industry

Bowater exits 2010 intact and stronger

By WILL HEATH Home staff writer

2010 was a year of uncertainty and great change for the people at AbitibiBowater.

But at the end of the year, the company emerged intact, and much the stronger.

In December, the company — whose Coosa Pines plant is in Childersburg — announced it was emerging from “creditor protection,” or bankruptcy, both in the United States (Chapter 11) and Canada (the Companies’ Credit Protection Act).

The announcement came more than a year after the company filed for protection in both countries, owing to a difficult economy.

“Through our restructuring efforts, we have transformed this organization and given AbitibiBowater a new future — one driven by a companywide commitment to profitability and sustainability,” said David J. Paterson, president and chief executive officer. “By strengthening our competitiveness and dramatically improving our financial position, AbitibiBowater has become one of the lowest cost forest products companies in North America.

“We are now a leaner, more flexible organization with a balanced product portfolio, better able to create value for our stakeholders while responding to the challenges of a tough industry with ongo-

ing market viability.”

That statement from Paterson followed more than a year of “reorganization” within the corporation, which included a historic transition in Childersburg: the Coosa Pines plant shifted from its longtime production of newsprint, and on to other products, such as recycled packaging grades, such as brown bag paper, and lightweight packaging and container grades.

The plant continues to employ around 450 people, according to corporate spokesperson Debbie Johnston.

“Over a period of several years, the newsprint industry has experienced a consistent decline in consumption, driven by a combination of factors, but certainly by the growing shift in consumer preference to electronic news media,” Johnston said.

“However, over the past several years, the company has been transitioning from the manufacture of newsprint to other paper grades that demonstrate growing demand, at facilities where this conversion is most attractive.”

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

AbitibiBowater has shifted from its production of newsprint to other products, such as recycled packaging grades, including brown bag paper and lightweight packaging and container grades.

serve it will as 2011 dawns.

“Moving forward, AbitibiBowater will continue to diversify its products, and capitalize on segments of paper manufacturing that show growth in demand, both domestically and in opportunities to export to growing markets abroad,” Johnston said.

AbitibiBowater owns or operates 18 pulp and paper mills and 24 wood products facilities located in the United States, Canada and South Korea. It acquired the plant in Childersburg in 2007.

Marketing its products in more than 70 countries, AbitibiBowater is also among the largest recyclers of old newspapers and magazines in North America, and has thirdparty certified 100 percent of its managed woodBob Crisp/The Daily Home lands to sustainable forest management standards, Contact Will Heath at according to Johnston.

David J. Paterson, president and chief executive officer of AbitibiBowater, wheath@thestclairtimes.

That diversity is what says the company is now a leaner, more flexible organization with a balanced product portfolio. the company hopes will com.

From large nuts to bolts to washers, Southeastern Machine makes it all

By AZIZA JACKSON

wood industry started to decline as well.

“When it bottomedout, it bottomed-out on everybody,” Garrison said.

“Things are kinda picking up this month but you never know what’s going to happen next month.”

And although business has slowed down over the past year, the company kept busy with orders that would roll over into a much slower week.

Home staff writer

Munford City Councilman Lee Garrison has been at Southeastern Machine Inc. since he was “knee-high”.

In fact, one of his earliest memories of being there at work with his father, Johnny Garrison, was at about the age of 7 when he tried to help out by pushing a solid piece of steel that was almost as big as he was.

He didn’t get very far by pushing.

But Garrison, who is now 39, has found a different way to help out and is now co-owner with his father of Southeastern Machine Inc. The manufacturing company makes everything from large nuts, bolts and washers to drills and saws for large machines.

All these come from solid pieces of steel and large spare parts.

“Nowadays, there’s no Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home such thing as scrap. You Terry Lackey at Southeastern Machine Inc. use what you got,” Garrison welds a piece of steel that will soon be used for chuckled.

Many of their products a large machine.

go through a middleman and then to large companies like Georgia-Pacific and Talladega Machine.

In addition to larger companies, local farmers make up a lot of their customer base.

“You get a handful of farmers where something might break or a disc on their tractor might need to be replaced,” Garrett said.

The company has grown from a shop in the back of Johnny Garrison’s house on Campbell Road to where

HAWK PLASTICS

14447 Plant Rd., Alpine AL, 35014 800-467-4295 Fax: 256-378-3079

TALLADEGA COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY P.O. Box 867 Sylacauga, Alabama 35150 256-245-8332 Fax 256-245-8336 www.tceda.com

millercalv@tceda.com

257909

L. Calvin Miller, C.I.D. Executive Director

Hawk Plastics was organized 27 years ago in January of 1984. Production started in the former Beaunit building on Plant Road in October of 1985, and by the grace of God, the Hawk is still flying 26 years later. Hawk is now one of the oldest PVC pipe producers in the USA that is American owned and has had the same name for its total existence. Hawk has employed as many as 40 employees to man the 3 shift operation and has maintained a steady workforce of 24 during the last 2 years of the economic slowdown and has not experienced a lost time accident in over 5 years; again by the grace of God. Manufacturers of PVC plastic sewer pipe with Integral Bell Gasketed joints and specializing in standard and custom PVC perforated pipe. Hawk produces other PVC extrusions, custom cylinders, core tubes and they are the exclusive U.S. Manufacturer of patented molded plastic Ragglesticks , marketed and sold by RAGGLESTICK Packaging. Ragglesticks are used for creating compactness and stability to the packaging and storing of cylinder objects such as pipe, tubes rolls, drums and barrels and was invention of the founders of Hawk Plastics.

279980

it is located now on 1st Avenue.

Since the early 1970s, Southeastern Machine Inc. has manufactured parts for large companies in the wood and textile industries.

“We’ve just been doing the same thing for 30something years,” Garrison said.

The textile industry, however, had been going downhill for a while, but when the economy took a nosedive, business with

Garrison said there were no major layoffs at the company even during the economic downturn.

He owes a lot of the company’s success to the city of Munford, and the other local small town businesses that have helped support each other.

“Around here in a small town you’re more trying to help each other out instead of trying to compete with each other,” Garrison said.

“I’ve lived here my whole life and I know everybody and when you know everybody you don’t mind helping them out.”

RAGLAND TELEPHONE CO. 630 Main St. Ragland, AL 205-472-2141

Proudly Serving the Ragland Area

144382

government & industry

THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011 — 11A

Automobile suppliers provide hundreds of jobs for area counties

By DAVID ATCHISON Home staff writer

In 1999 the automobile industry was unheard of in Central Alabama, but that all changed when Honda Manufacturing of Alabama rolled off its first Odyssey van in Lincoln Nov. 14, 2001.

Today, automobile suppliers are scattered throughout Talladega and St. Clair counties, providing jobs and revenues for local economies.

“In 1999, Honda Motors announced it would build an automotive assembly plant in Lincoln and Teksid Aluminum Components announced it would build a foundry for engine blocks and heads near Sylacauga,” said Calvin Miller, executive director for the Talladega County Economic Development Authority.

“During the next five years Talladega County had the largest annual per capita increase of any county in Alabama, a total of 33.7 percent.”

Miller said Honda and Teksid Aluminum Components helped start a flood of automobile suppliers into Talladega County, providing hundreds of jobs and pumping needed revenues into the local economy.

Miller said the car industry brought jobs with higher wages. It also helped ease the county’s decline of textile jobs.

“It helped reduce unemployment,” Miller said. “It

(the car industry) had a big economic impact for Talladega County.”

Initially, the focus of automobile suppliers was Honda, but that has changed some, especially in the past two years.

“We are seeing more companies that are automotive related, including Kia and Hyundai suppliers, …” Miller said.

Some of the automotive suppliers in Talladega County that provide an economic boost and jobs for local residents include Pittsburg Glass Works or PGW, formerly PPA, in Talladega, which employs about 90 people; Fleetwood Metal Industry in Sylacauga, which employs about 160 workers and produces automobile parts; Precision Strip in Talladega, which provides cut steel for the automobile industry and employs about 100 people; New South Express in Talladega, which employs more than 450 people and provides logistics for the automobile industry; Nippon Oil in Childersburg, which employs 28 people and provides lubricants for new vehicles for the automobile industry; Nemak in Sylacauga, which manufactures engine blocks and engine heads and employs about 600 workers.

Miller said Bates Enterprises washes and repairs gloves for HMA and employs about 56 workers, while Gulf Shores Assembly in Lincoln

employs about 44 workers who put tires on rims for HMA. Don Smith, director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, said there are two Honda Manufacturing of Alabama suppliers that have located in St. Clair County, one in Moody and another in Steele.

He said St. Clair County has attracted several German automotive suppliers, which have provided needed jobs and pumped millions of dollars into the local economy.

Smith said the Mercedes plant is only about 60 miles from Pell City, and the BMW plant is in South Carolina along the same interstate system.

He said St. Clair County is also located between two large metropolitan cities, Birmingham and Atlanta.

“The Germans really like the lake,” Smith said.

“Not only is Pell City strategically located, the cultural and geographical location is very appealing.”

Pell City landed its first German automotive company in 2005. Eissmann Automotive Group, which was founded in 1964 and produces 51,000 different interior parts for automobiles and has operations worldwide, opened its first North American operations in Pell City.

St. Clair County officials say the company provided Pell City and St. Clair County instant credibility.

Bob Crisp/The Daily Home

Eissmann Automotive Group was the first German, as well as the first German automobile suppler, to locate in Pell City.

Smith said Eissman employs about 100 workers.

“They are just a good, well-run company,” Smith said. “They provide a good place to work.”

Verscheiss Schutz Technick, or VST Keller Inc., of Shopfheim, Germany, came next, bringing its high-tech Pulse Plasma Diffusion machine, which hardens stamping tools three times harder than steel.

Smith said Oerlikon bought VST Keller and took over the North American operations about two years ago.

The last German automotive supplier to locate in St. Clair County was WKW Erbsloeh, which opened its first North American operations in

Pell City in 2006.

WKW Erbsloeh is a worldwide automotive supplier of steel, aluminum and plastic automobile parts.

“WKW has about a $10 million payroll going into the community,” Smith said. “That’s significant.”

Dr. UWE Gohrbandt, chairman of the board of WKW Erbsloeh North American Inc., said at the groundbreaking of the plant in Pell City that WKW Erbsloeh officials believed there would be a shift in the automobile industry in North American and their company wanted to be a part of it.

“Factories are closing in the North and new, modern ones are setting up here in the heart of the automotive industry of the future,” Gohrbandt said.

Smith said automobile suppliers attract other automobile suppliers.

“The number one recruiting tool to bring in new automotive suppliers is existing automotive industries,” Smith said.

He said St. Clair County officials want to attract quality companies that will provide well-paying jobs for local residents.

“We’re a right-to-work state,” Smith said, adding that labor unions do not currently play a role in Alabama’s car industry. “We go after quality companies that pay their employees well, so the need is not really there (for unions).”

Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome. com.

FarmLinks is more than just a golf course

By LINDSEY HOLLAND

Home staff writer

FarmLinks at Pursell Farms has become more than just a golf course, it has become more than a research and education facility. As CEO David Pursell said, it is now a destination.

Pursell’s great-grandfather, DeWitt Alexander Parker, was the first general manager of the family company, known then as Sylacauga Fertilizer Company, which began in 1904. In 2001, Pursell initiated construction on FarmLinks Golf Club, which would become a research and demonstration course. In 2003, the course officially opened.

FarmLinks sits on 3,500 acres and is an 18-hole, 7,444-yard championship golf course open to the public.

“But there has also been untapped potential,” said Erle Fairly, president of FarmLinks. “Guests of the farm have always been treated to amazing golf, food and to secondto-none hospitality, but there’s so much more now. Just to name a few, we have new, high-tech meeting rooms, a presentation theater, focus group capabilities and seven new buildings that offer luxury accommodations.”

Destination, Indeed.

New activities such as cooking classes, spa treatments, fishing, hunting and even a five-stand clay shooting range are now being offered. FarmLinks is also home to three cottages and four cabins.

“When this golf course was built in 2003 it was pretty much what it is — a golf course,” said Beth Alcazar, communications manager for FarmLinks.

“It’s become more of a destination where people can stay. “We’ve been able

‘When this golf course was built in 2003 it was pretty much what it is — a golf course. It’s become more of a destination where people can stay.’

— Beth Alcazar, communications manager for FarmLinks to offer more weddings for those who are looking for something unique like a destination wedding and that usually does require lodging for people in the wedding and for people who are coming as guests.”

A new executive chef is scheduled to start at FarmLinks Grille this month. The Grille, said Alcazar, is known for the high-end Southern food it offers. She also said she hopes the chef will bring “a whole new flavor.” He has experience in the Chicago culinary industry and has roots in Louisiana. If you play a round of golf, a golfer’s lunch is automatically included.

But even with the addition and expansions, FarmLinks has been hit by the downturn of the economy.

“People are holding onto their wallets very tightly and really it’s only been in the last few months that people are starting to free that up a little bit,” Alcazar said.

“We have wishful thinking that things are getting better but, oh, it’s been tough.”

And besides branching out on the leisure side, the research and demonstration side of things have been expanding as well.

“We are an education facility but we branched out from just a golf related educational program,” Alcazar said. “We used to focus on the golf course superintendents but now we’re branching out to even pest control operators or lawn care opera-

tors who could still utilize the property to see how products would work, but not necessarily golf. We’ve opened the doors to other things so we’re not stuck in one industry or one audience.”

Alcazar said that’s what Pursell’s vision has been from the beginning.

“He didn’t want another golf course,” she said.

“There are plenty of golf courses. He wanted to be completely different and unique. It’s almost like a living magazine or a living infomercial — you get to step right in, see it, try it, feel it, you like it or you don’t, it’s up to you.”

Alcazar said with FarmLinks you are always going to get a step above.

The vision, she said, is for FarmLinks to be a destination/educational facility.

“Practically everything we’ve always done has been somehow related to education, whether it’s us putting together the program or us opening the door to allow other people to come in and utilize the property,” she said. “Again, it is a golf course and we’re hoping locals will come and use it and learn and enjoy and soak in the beauty that’s Sylacauga.

We want to grow the destination but we never want to lose sight of the fact that this golf course is here because we wanted to make a difference. We wanted to make an impact on the way people do their jobs and succeed in their own lives.”

Contact Lindsey Holland at lholland@dailyhome.com

World’s Leading Producer of Industrial Performance Minerals 1301 Gene Stewart Blvd.

Sylacauga, AL

256/249-4901

257894

12A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 13, 2011

government & industry

years go by quickly when you look forward to every day.

There’s certainly a great deal of pride to be shared in the production of a single new Honda vehicle, to say nothing of the pride in building more than 2 million new Hondas in less than 10 years. Numbers and milestones represent results, but it is our people— the 4,000 associates of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama—who are the driving force in Honda’s many accomplishments over the past decade. Yes, there’s a lot of pride in each Alabama-built Honda—pride in our products, our associates and the partnerships and friendships that have developed between Honda and the citizens of Alabama. Thanks for the memories…and the future we’ll continue to share, together.

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC www.HondaAlabama.com