UPDATE Government & Industry
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
government & industry
2A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Despite economy, cities make progress By CHRIS NORWOOD Home staff writer
2009 was a significant year for most of the cities in Talladega County, with several undertaking major revitalization efforts while coping with a still struggling economy. Meanwhile, local cities got out of the jail business and moved their emergency dispatchers to a new, state-of-theart facility in Mardisville, which also houses the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency. In Talladega, perhaps the biggest news of the year was the announcement that the city had been awarded two federal brownfield assessment grants totaling $400,000 with no local match. The two grants will provide assessments of old industrial sites and gas stations along the Battle Street corridor, which contains 18 eligible sites. At the time the grant was announced, city manager Michael Stampfler said the assessments “will provide information concerning the extent of pollution of brownfield sites and provide a basis to formulate plans to rehabilitate the properties. These activities are of paramount importance in the city of Talladega’s efforts to encourage redevelopment, and are the basis for a long-term economic renewal plan.” The city also, through the state Legislature, successfully annexed new territory, including most of the 275 Bypass. Although the initial proposal would have been much larger, it proved unpopular with many who would have been affected by it, and was scaled down accordingly. Stampfler also cited renovations to Veterans Park and renewal of the city’s other recreation facilities as a major accomplishment for the year. “This will be very significant once it’s done,” he said. “We’ve gotten a lot of work done on this already.” In Sylacauga, Mayor Sam Wright said city government spent much of the year “keeping its head above water. But we did start on a big drainage project, and finishing that will be vital. We’re putting in new street lights and sidewalks downtown, and the hiking and mountain bike trail into the national forest is a big thing for us, too. But the thing that really topped off the year off for Sylacauga was the first Marble Fest. We had two Italian marble sculptors working here, along with other sculptors from all over the Southeast sharing their work. So even though we spent enough time at a low ebb, we’re still trying to keep things posi-
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
The Downtown Streetscape, a revitalization project, in Lincoln is well under way.
tive here in the south end of the county.” That goes for Oak Grove Mayor Charles Merkel, as well. “It’s always an easy question to ask, but not always easy to answer. 2008 was the first year of a new administration for Oak Grove, and we laid the groundwork for a lot of good things down the road. This year, we started a quarterly newsletter to let everyone know what’s going on, that goes out to all residents. And since everyone knows about Oak Grove from (former Mayor) Bloise Zeigler, we’re trying to get back to that, to continue that by going to as many statewide and national meetings as possible. We’ve had good meetings with our state and national representatives, and we’ve been reaching out within the county, as well, especially with Childersburg, Sylacauga and Lincoln. We’ve never had anyone approach us for help that we’ve said no to.” Oak Grove also added two new security cars outfitted with police radios and dispatched from the new facility in Mardisville, Merkel said. The town has also acquired property from Zeigler’s Christmas tree farm to turn into a community garden to feed the needy. The town also passed an animal con-
trol ordinance and appointed an officer to enforce it. New businesses such as Safeguard Fire and Alarm came to town, and 80 new apartment units will start going up in the spring. “Our new clerk is doing a tremendous job, and our new administrative assistant is helping bring us in to the new millennium. But what I’m most excited about is the Heritage Homecoming on Saturday, May 22. We’ll have a music fest, and dedicate a historical marker from the Alabama Museum of Natural History for the Hodges Meteorite. For the first time in 55 years, the Hodges Meteorite is going to be coming home, and children can see it without having to go to Montgomery.” Childersburg Mayor B.J. Meeks cited phase one of the ACE (Alabama Cities of Excellence) program as among
the year’s major accomplishments. “Phase one involves evaluating our strengths and weaknesses, and prepare a plan. We’re meeting with various groups like educators, businesses, etc. to develop a project and then get a grant to implement it. It will probably be something long-term planning. And we have also been awarded a downtown redevelopment plan from the Department of Transportation for First Street, including underground wiring, sidewalks and new traffic lights and decorative street lights. We’re probably going to be getting some stimulus money to complete it.” The whole project will cost approximately $1 million. The city has also been awarded $700,000 for work on the entrance to the industrial park, a project that was delayed
by problems with the railroad and design for a turn lane. The project is expected to be let for bids in late January. City clerk Sandra Donahoo said the city’s Kiwanis Club had also set up a park downtown, and that Shane Burnett had been named chief of police in 2009. For Munford Mayor Lynn Swinford, the year’s major accomplishment was the installation of a traffic signal on Alabama 21 at the post office, which had been an ongoing project for some time. The town also successfully established a youth basketball program. “That was something we’d been trying to do ever since we got the gym,” he said. “We got it set up in the summer and started this fall. We had 50 kids sign up, which is pretty good for the first year. But other than that, there really wasn’t a whole lot going on in Munford.” In Lincoln, the Downtown Streetscape Project is well under way. Mayor Lew Watson said the downtown revitalization project has been in the works for several years. In 2007, Lincoln was awarded a $150,000 transportation enhancement fund grant. The project was awarded in August 2009 and construction began in November 2009. The project covers approximately one city block in old downtown Lincoln. The streetscape improvements and park development occur on McClain Avenue and James Avenue between Magnolia and McCarthy streets. The work includes sidewalk renovation, pedestrian street lights, shade trees islands in the parking areas, paving of streets, and landscaping. The property between the two avenues will have the grades smoothed to gentle slopes, grassed and tree plantings for the creation of a half-acre town green or park. Watson said there is no current completion date, due to weather conditions. The contractors are waiting until weather conditions improve to complete the paving. “We are excited about this project,” he said. “It will really enhance old downtown Lincoln and hopefully draw more businesses to that area.”
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
In Sylacauga, the city is putting in new street lights and sidewalks downtown, among other projects.
Renovations at Veterans Park in Talladega and renewal of other recreation facilities are a major accomplishment for the city in 2009.
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government & Industry
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 3A
Pell City, Riverside take care of business City’s sewer system being rehabilitated By ELSIE HODNETT Home staff writer
The Pell City Council secured money in 2009 for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management consent order for rehabilitation of the city’s sewer system. In 2006, the city was cited for major sewer overflows and was given until
2012 to complete all sewer system work outline in the 2006 consent order or face stiff penalties. Mayor Bill Hereford said the city secured an $18.3 million loan through the state’s revolving fund loan program, but $6.3 million of the funds are from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act or stimulus money, and the
city will only have to pay back $12 million of the SRF loan. Hereford said all six of the ADEM ordered sewer rehabilitation projects are either completed, under way or the contracts are signed and construction will begin soon. The city expects to have all six projects completed by the 2012 date set by ADEM.
The town of Riverside finalized the purchase of the old D & S Marina on Depot Street in December and has applied for grant money to revitalize the marina. The property includes just under 2 acres and includes three docks.
Town to create park with lake access By ELSIE HODNETT Home staff writer
After months of searching, the Riverside Town Council found property in 2009 to create a public park with lake access. In December, the town finalized the purchase of the old D & S Marina, located on Depot Street across from Town Hall.
The marina property is a little less than 2 acres and includes three docks in need of repair, a convenience store, street-side and waterfront gas pumps, and more. The town is applying for a $50,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant through the Alabama Department of Economic
Affairs. If awarded, the grant money will be used for bank stabilization, new piers, upgrade of the boat ramp, restrooms, a camping area, perimeter boardwalk for fishing and pedestrian use, a picnic area, a weigh-in station for fishing tournaments, and placing the utilities underground.
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Pell City Mayor Bill Hereford said all six of the ADEM ordered sewer rehabilitation projects are complete, under way or construction will begin soon. Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
The St. Clair County EDC saw personnel changes in 2009. From the left are Jennifer Forman, office and special projects manager; Don Smith, executive director; and Candice Hill, assistant director.
Working to bring jobs to Talladega, St. Clair Economic development offices keep industries looking at counties
By DAVID ATCHISON Home staff writer
Area economic development offices work hard to bring new industries and businesses to the area, while assisting in the expansion of existing companies. “We coordinate economic development throughout the county and foster cooperation between municipalities and increase the overall welfare and opportunities, thus improving the quality of life for the citizens of St. Clair County,” said Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council.” The St. Clair County Economic Development Council and the Talladega County Economic Development Authority may have different names, but they basically do the same job, attracting new business and industries, which bring new jobs, providing a better quality of life for those who live in the area. “What we try to do is keep a flow of people looking at the area,” said Calvin Miller, who has been executive director of the Talladega County Economic Development Authority since it was established in 1990. In the past 20 years, Miller has seen economic booms and economic downturns. “1999 was our best year,” he said. That year, Honda
Manufacturing of America and Teksid, now Nemak, announced they were coming to Talladega County. Since that time, Honda has seen expansions and now employs more than 4,000 workers. “Because of the automotive industry, we’ve had several other industries to locate in Talladega County,” Miller said. The automobile boom in Talladega also softened the blow of the textile industry closings in Talladega and St. Clair counties. Talladega County, like the rest of the country, has seen a slowdown in economic development the past year. “Last year was one of the worst years we’ve had, but again, we were fortunate because of Honda,” Miller said. He said Honda Manufacturing of Alabama cut back on production, but did not have any layoffs. “The auto industry is making somewhat of a comeback now,” Miller said. He said there is a lot of uncertainty, which makes companies less willing to take risks and expand their businesses. Despite the economic slowdown, Miller is certain things will get better this year. “We have reasons to be optimistic this year,” he said. “We have folks seriously looking at this area.” The St. Clair County
Economic Development Council is also looking at a prosperous new year, with many economic development projects in the works. Last year, the St. Clair County EDC made two big announcements, including the announcement that a Veterans Administration nursing home was coming to St. Clair County and a new St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital is a go. “We’re working on getting projects up and running,” Smith said. The new St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital had its groundbreaking ceremony in January, and the VA nursing home should follow. Both economic development directors in Talladega and St. Clair counties work for a council or board, which are made up of volunteers. In Talladega, 15 people serve on the Talladega County Economic Development Authority, while five people are appointed to the St. Clair County Economic Council. Both in Talladega and St. Clair counties, the board or council is well represented by people throughout their respective counties. Tommy Bowers is chairman of the St. Clair County EDA and Cleve Jacobs is chairman of the Talladega County EDC. Smith said they have seen several industries See Jobs, Page 4A
A business specializing in producing specialty meats adding personnel to better serve existing and potential customers. Royal Sausage produces 500,000 pounds of product per week, including sausage, various smoked meats and cured salted pork. Royal Sausage opened shop in Pell City in 1992 after moving its operation from Enterprise and its offices from Birmingham.
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4A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
County governments make tough fiscal decisions By BRANDON FINCHER Home staff writer
With revenues down and demand for government service up, 2009 was not a year when the governments of Talladega and St. Clair counties could afford to be indecisive. Luckily, both county governments were proactive in making their tough fiscal decisions and have kept themselves in sound financial shape at a time when many other city and county governments are fiscally floundering. “With the economy we went through, we’re excited we didn’t have to make cuts this fiscal year,” Talladega County Commission Chairman Jimmy Roberson said. “We didn’t have to borrow money, didn’t lay off any employees and didn’t curtail any office hours. “You’re reading and seeing on the news every day where several counties outside of Talladega County are doing that. We’re excited to complete our fiscal year on track, and we feel like that was truly an asset because our revenue declined just like everyone else’s did.” Roberson said, due to the county’s sound fiscal management, county employees were able to receive their 3 percent cost-of-living raises and the county was able to
absorb its share and the employees’ share for health insurance for the third year in a row. In St. Clair County, Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said county employees also were able to receive 3 percent raises, and the county was able to absorb health insurance increases. “We’re down in our revenues like all other counties, but I would have to say our revenues are holding up better than most,” Batemon said. He said he felt St. Clair County’s retail may have been able to withstand the financial hit better than other counties because of the type of stores in the county. “Overall, our revenues are pretty stable, and I would attribute that to people’s spending habits turning to local discount stores, as well as the larger box discount stores,” Batemon said. “I think you’re also seeing more people trying to fix up their homes instead of buying new ones.” Though people are spending less, they are spending money in St. Clair County businesses rather than in more highend stores out of the county, Batemon said he believes. But the county is still being careful with how it spends its money, he
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Talladega County’s new central dispatch in Mardisville provides better communication for citizens and emergency responders.
added. “We’ve had to cut back on some of our plans for future capital projects, but we weren’t hit with something where we’ve had to take items out of the budget,” Batemon said. “We’re not ordering new equipment or computers unless we absolutely have to have them. We’ve also put off a few repair jobs, like the roof at the county jail, for one more year.” Besides budgeting, Roberson said he was proud to see Talladega County’s new central dispatch in Mardisville be completed and operational. “The central dispatch has been a positive, historic event. This will provide better communication for both our citizens and our emergency responders,” Roberson said. “All our municipalities and volunteer departments came together to make that a reality. I feel that was a historic move.” He was also happy to
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
The Talladega County Economic Development Authority employs three full-time employees. They are, from the left, Calvin Miller, executive director; researcher Deborah Thornton; and Amy Leis, EDA office manager.
Jobs
expand their operations in St. Clair County, including Benjamin Moore, Royal Sausage, WKW and Ford Meter Box. He said the St. Clair County EDA tries to remove obstacles so local companies can expand.
something to show.” In addition, he said, there are large tracts of land for larger industries inside the Childersburg Industrial Park, which also offers rail service. The Talladega County EDA employs three fulltime employees, including the executive director, researcher Deborah Thornton, and Amy Lewis, office administrator.
TALLADEGA COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY P.O. Box 867 Sylacauga, Alabama 35150 256-245-8332 Fax 256-245-8336 www.tceda.com
“We have bidded it out twice, last year and the year before, and each time it came in over budget of the revenues we would need to build it,” Roberson said. “With the economy like it is, we’re not going to budget anything unless we’re sure the money is there.” Roberson said he feels good about starting on the jail this year due to the county’s legislative delegation passing legislation that adds an additional $25 fee per court case that will go toward the jail’s costs. Money from the rent the cities pay for beds in the metro jail, as well as a portion of the tobacco
tax, will fund the jail costs, too. Adding water lines to rural areas is another issue consistently found on commissioners’ plates, and this year is no exception. Roberson said expanding county water to people in the Bon Air and Odena areas in his district, as well as water line projects in Commissioner Kelvin Cunningham’s and Commissioner Tony Haynes’ districts, are endeavors he hopes to hear news on by March. St. Clair County also got some big projects started in 2009. Batemon pointed out the longawaited remodeling of the Ashville Courthouse is now under way. “We were also able to resolve our issues and work with the Healthcare Authority and the Economic Development Council for building the new hospital,” Batemon said. “We’ve already hired construction managers and an architecture firm
for the project.” He said construction should begin between 3 or 4 months after the groundbreaking, which took place in mid-January. The county also recently awarded bids to begin construction on the new regional water project for the Coosa Valley Water Supply District. In 2010, Batemon was looking forward to continued upgrades for the county’s major highways with federal stimulus money. People are already seeing upgrades to U.S. 231 and work toward the expansion of Interstate 20 to six lanes is ongoing, Batemon said. “We also hope to start construction of the new VA Nursing Home. It is a major project at this time,” Batemon said. “We really hope to start that by the end of this year or at least know the date when construction will start in the next year.”
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see the Talladega County Highway Department be able to purchase around $2.5 million of some much-needed new equipment. For 2010, Roberson said he is hopeful the commission will be able to approve plans for a new expansion to the county jail.
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Smith said the recent economic downturn has slowed things, but he is optimistic about the upcoming year. The St. Clair County EDA saw changes in personnel as it headed into 2010. Smith was appointed as executive director in October. Candice Hill was selected as assistant director and Jennifer Forman assumed the roll of office and special projects manager. “We’ve begun focusing on bringing new projects in other areas of the county,” Smith said. “We’re reevaluating the strengths of different areas of St. Clair County and are beginning to recruit companies based on the strengths of these areas. We are also making sure the leaders in St. Clair County know what is needed to be successful in the future.” Miller said the
Talladega County EDA has two speculative buildings ready for occupancy. One 60,000 square foot building is in Sylacauga, while there is a 100,000 square foot building waiting in Talladega for the right company. “I think this is a very good approach for our area,” Miller said of the speculative buildings. “We’re considered a rural area. We need to have
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From Page 3A
government & industry
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THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 5A
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Government & industry
6A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
TMS family-owned company since 1958 By JONATHAN GRASS Home staff writer
It takes a lot of parts to build the things that make America run, and that’s what an evolving manufacturer in Talladega has been doing for more than 60 years. TMS has been a familyowned machinery builder and supplier since 1958. It started when founder James Heacock Sr. took a job at a separate machinery plant and built on that experience to make a diversified componentmanufacturing company. Today, each of the company’s branches is run by a member of his family. James Heacock said he began his career at Talladega Foundry and Machine in 1937. Building on his exposure to the business, he bought an interest in the foundry in 1951. He expanded further in the machinery business by starting Talladega Machinery in 1958. This would grow into TMS, which includes other businesses under its banner. While Talladega Machinery started as a small foundry that supplied to the nearby textile market, it’s evolved into a diverse manufacturer and supplier for a multitude of industries with clients all over the southeastern states. Heacock became the sole owner of TMS in 1976 and remains chairman of the board today. “It’s important to all of us that at 91 he still comes to work every day,” said Gary Heacock, his son, who is president of Talladega Machinery and Supply. TMS constructs all types of mechanical parts used in operations by private industries, energy services, wood products, food industries, railways,
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
James Heacock Sr. became the sole owner of TMS in 1976 and remains chairman of the board today.
utilities, printing operations, municipal operations, government and others. TMS handles all kinds of jobs that other companies have difficulty finding the right people for in the South. Whether that be constructing a doughmaking machine for the baking industry or maintaining railroad car wheels, TMS covers an increasing variety, mostly any business that uses machinery, which covers a lot of ground. “All we are is a service company. We find out what they need and we go after it,” Gary Heacock said. He noted some of the fastest-growing industries TMS caters to. He said wire drawing has become one of the company’s big-
gest growing industries to be involved in lately. Another of its bigger businesses is constructing gears used in machinery. TMS has the capability to cut gears up to 6 feet in diameter. “Making gears is a pretty good business for us. It’s something not a lot of machine shops have.” In the past few years TMS has been refurbishing various sized ammunition boxes for Lockheed and has done some automotive work for Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. There are few restrictions on the machinery TMS puts out. Heacock said the facilities can fabricate machines up to 30,000 pounds. “One of our best advantages is that we
Development Council, said railroads are a critical element for some companies that process a large quantity of raw materials because of transportation costs. “Companies like National Cement in Ragland and Benjamin Moore in Pell City are great examples of this,” Smith said. “St. Clair County is blessed to have access to three rail lines — one through the center and two others that parallel our two interstates. Unfortunately, the lines go through some of the hilliest areas of St. Clair County and makes its almost impossible to develop. One of the shortterm goals of the EDC is to identify property with rail access that can be used by quality companies. I believe that the Norfolk Southern line near I-59 has the most promise once we are able to overcome infrastructure and access limitations.” Honda Manufacturing
of Alabama in Lincoln builds 1,050 vehicles per day and, according to spokesman Ted Pratt, 80 percent of the products made in Lincoln go out by rail. “That means we are sending out about 800 vehicles per day by rail,” Pratt said. “The other 20 percent goes out by truck. We ship to 16 different railheads across the United States. We can get a product from Lincoln to Los Angeles in three days. We also have the capabilities to build up trains here on site. We can place 10 vehicles on one railcar. Each day, we have a train headed to all 48 states.” Spokesman Mark Morrison said Honda uses Norfolk Southern Railroad and the rail is a critical part of their business. Riverside Refractories has been in business since 1929 and has been at its present location on Truss Ferry Road in Pell City
Railroads are critical for many companies By GARY HANNER Home staff writer
While 18-wheelers travel up and down various interstates across the United States, many companies depend on the railroad for shipping and receiving products. Such is the case in St. Clair and Talladega counties. Norfolk Southern Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods primarily in the United States. Its operations consist of transportation of coal, coke and iron ore products; general merchandise traffic, which consists of automotive products, chemicals, metals and construction products. Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic
make not only small but large parts.” TMS also holds ISO 9001/2000 certification, an international set of management standards. This distinguishes TMS as being able to design and manufacture products that meet standards set by one of the largest quality control organizations in the world. Heacock said this certification allows TMS to do additional business with government agencies. TMS also puts out a monthly publication called “Machinery Sales.” It goes out to around 20,000 sawmills and woodworking companies each month. As one of its operations, Talladega Machinery and Supply handles the sales and business side of TMS. It provides specialized parts
since 958. Billy Morris, vice president of operations, said they average shipping two railcars per month, mainly out West. “We have some customers out West who prefer the rail,” Morris said. So, the rail is moderately important to us.” He said they make a heat resistance product to line furnaces with. In the early 1900s, Ragland was viewed as a great industrial site because of the railroad and proximity to major mar-
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kets like Birmingham and Atlanta. National Cement Company shares a long history with the railroad in Ragland, which dates back to 1910 when the cement plant first went into production. “Because of this rich history, we view our relationship with the railroad more as a partnership than a traditional customervendor relationship,” said Jean Claude Brocheton, plant manager at National Cement. National Cement Company ships between
300,000 and 350,000 tons by rail annually. Railcars are shipped to customers and distribution terminals in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. “Having the access to the railroad as we do has helped National Cement Company remain competitive over the years,” said Brocheton. “In the future, National Cement Company may develop its ability to receive raw materials and fuels by rail instead of by road.”
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All branches of TMS work together to make sure the products they make get to their diverse number of industries. For example, a rubber press assembled in the castings plant is sent to agricultural industries by Talladega Machinery and Supply. From there, that press will be used to make tires for lawnmowers and grills that could very well end up back on a Talladega lawn. “The important thing about TMS is that we’re vertically integrated,” Gary Heacock said. For more information on TMS, visit www.tmsco. com.
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complete machine assembly units. This is fitting as Specialty Manufacturing is the largest unit of TMS, located in a 125,000 square foot facility. Overhead bridge cranes are basic components of the assembly lines inside. It recently purchased a laser cutting machine that will cut materials like metals up to an inch thick. It cuts small pieces out of larger one quickly and precisely for mass-produced products.
Hondas are shown being loaded on rail at the Honda plant in Lincoln.
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to six locations throughout Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. “We’re always looking at Southeastern industries to serve,” Heacock said. “We adapt to meet their needs. We have to. Things always change.” “An advantage we (TMS) have over other machine shops is we have the foundry,” Gary Heacock said. This foundry is Talladega Castings and Machine. It is a steel foundry. It manufactures iron, steel and chrome iron sand castings from 50 pounds up to 6,000 pounds. Such castings are made industries including oil, aluminum, transportation and original equipment manufacturing among others. James Heacock Jr. is president of Talladega Castings and Machine. Sam Yates, James Heacock Sr.’s son-inlaw, runs Specialties Manufacturing, a fabrication and machine assembly plant that makes up another branch of TMS. S p e c i a l t i e s Manufacturing also produces replacement machine parts with large-scale cutting equipment, as well as
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Business stays close to home
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 7A
By BRANDON FINCHER Home staff writer
By JONATHAN GRASS Home staff writer
The Waites family has two development businesses that have survived tough economic times and prospered when things were good all over, and now those family businesses are on the rise again. The businesses are Waites Concrete and Waites Construction. They’re based in the same location in Talladega. Waites Construction does site work and construction for numerous companies operating in the South. Some of its clients have been the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Talladega Airport and WalMart. Manager John Ed Waites said the companies generally try to keep their work within 100 miles to “stay close to home.” The concrete company works on foundations for businesses and people’s homes. Gravel, sand and cement is transported and mixed on-site. Some of those that have been supplied recently have included the Tyson feed tower in Calera and Talladega Superspeedway. The company also developed two residential subdivisions in the county. The biggest challenge has been building in times when money troubles cause people to remain docile. Waites said 2008 was one of their tougher years and the economy really
Foresight saves Honda from gloomy economy
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
John Ed Waites said construction greatly increased in 2009 and the concrete business remained steady.
slowed them down. Waites said construction increased in 2009 and the concrete business remained steady. He said things look to be improving more this year. The company already has 10 projects on the books for the year. Waites Construction is working on plans for a Publix in Calera and work on the Sylacauga Airport and Munford High. Waites has overcome hard times before. For example, the recession in the ‘80s was hard for the business. The family even considered getting out of the business. But they remained and times turned around to make the construction aspect of Waites a strong one.
The businesses employ between 35 and 40 people between them. “We all just work together,” Waites said. He said an atmosphere of friendliness and familiarity are important in a small, family business. Many of the employees are groups of families. Brothers John, John Ed’s father, and Dan Waites started Waites Construction in 1985 and added Waites Concrete in 1986. When Waites Construction was formed, their brother, Jim, came on board as a plant manager. Jim recently died. Rufus Barkley is now manager. Dan’s son, Cole, and John Ed’s son, Tyler, are superintendents.
When the calendar flipped to 2009 last year, it was during what might have been the most frightening time in the history of the American automotive industry. According to Autodata Corp., sales dropped from 16.2 million vehicles in the United States in 2007 to 13.4 million vehicles in 2008, and it was clear the 2009 total would be lower. The calendar year finished with only 10.4 million vehicles domestically sold. Demand for U.S. automotive sales hit a 27year low. When Honda Manufacturing of Alabama began production in 2001, the U.S. averaged between 16 and 17 million in new auto sales. But thanks to the foresight of Honda’s leaders, the year was not so gloomy for Lincoln’s Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. Despite the sales downturn, HMA added production of two important Honda vehicles to its lineup — the Ridgeline pickup truck and the Accord V-6 sedan. The lineoff of the first Honda pickup to be built in Alabama was Feb. 16 and was followed five months later with the lineoff of the first Alabama-built Accord V-6 sedan on July 17. “This past calendar year presented the most challenging period our company has faced since the start of production in 2001,” HMA senior vice president Chuck Ernst said. “Although the auto industry continues to face
‘The enthusiasm, flexibility and dedication of our team ... have been the key components of our success in 2009 and will serve as the foundation for continued success in 2010.’
—HMA senior vice president Chuck Ernst
economic difficulties, we remain focused on our commitment to providing our customers with Honda vehicles of the highest quality.” The more than 4,000 associates of HMA produced 181,531 Odyssey minivans, Pilot sport utility vehicles, Ridgeline pickups, Accord V-6 sedans and the V-6 engines that power all four models. HMA has an annual capacity to produce more than 300,000 vehicles and V-6 engines, making it Honda’s largest light truck production source. The flexible manufacturing system lets the facility build multiple models on the same line, allowing four models to be produced by two assembly lines. Despite Honda’s sales being down 19.5 percent in 2009, it did climb to the fourth spot in North American sales, moving ahead of Chrysler and behind only General Motors, Toyota and Ford. HMA is the sole production source of the Odyssey minivan, which finished 2009 as the top selling minivan in the country with 100,133 units sold. The Lincoln facility is also the only producer of the Pilot SUV, which finished 2009 as the second best selling mid-size SUV in the country with 83,901
units sold. “HMA’s response to the economic challenge of 2009 has been the successful addition of two new models to our production lines in Lincoln,” Ernst said. “The enthusiasm, flexibility and dedication of our team of more than 4,000 Alabama associates have been the key components of our success in 2009 and will serve as the foundation for continued success in 2010.” For 2009, HMA turned out 83,872 Odyssey minivans; 65,331 Pilot SUVs; 16,230 Ridgeline pickups; and 16,138 Accord V-6 sedans. The HMA plant is the exclusive global production source for the Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline, but the plant shares production of the Accord V-6 sedan with the Marysville Auto Plant in Marysville, Ohio. In addition, HMA completed and opened an additional capital investment of $64.5 million to its campus. The new facility adds steel and aluminum blanking operations in support of HMA’s two body stamping lines. Honda has made a $1.4 billion capital investment in the HMA facility and has an annual payroll that exceeds $270 million.
THE FORD METER BOX COMPANY, INC. Pell City, Alabama
World’s Leading Producer of Industrial Performance Minerals Manufacturer of products for worldwide water distribution
1301 Gene Stewart Blvd. Sylacauga, AL
256/249-4901
257894
government & industry
8A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
Goodgame Construction celebrates 55 years in June By DAVID ATCHISON Home staff writer
His plan after graduating Pell City High School in 1962 was to continue working for his brother until he earned enough money to go to college — he never made it there. Instead 66-year-old Adrick Goodgame took over his brother’s company and transformed it into a well-known, successful 55year-old company. “We’ve had to change,” Goodgame said. “If you don’t make changes, it’s hard to stay in business. It’s worked for our company. … We’ve been blessed that we haven’t gone down the wrong road.” Goodgame came from a large family, 14 children. There were eight girls and six boys. The oldest child, Hughel, was 30 years older than Goodgame, who was the youngest of the 14 children. “My father died, and we moved to the city from the farm,” Goodgame said. He was only 13 at the time his father died at the early age of 55. Goodgame went to
work for his brother. “We made a heck of a team,” he said. “I was very proud to have a job.” By 1965, the younger sibling took over Goodgame Wielding, one month after he married his wife, Connie. “My brother got tired of starving to death, so he went to building houses,” Goodgame joked. “It all worked out. I took over the business when I was 21. I just married in September, and I took over in October.” Goodgame has since taken the family company a long way, and the name has changed to Goodgame Company Inc. The business has remained in the same location in Pell City. The company facility has also grown with the community. It increased its size from 1,600 square feet to 40,000 square feet. The company also has many of its same workers. “We have skilled people who have worked for us 20 to 30 years,” Goodgame said. He credits the company’s success to being willing to change and adapt to
the times. “Welding is just a small part of our business,” Goodgame said. He said when he first started working for his brother, the company catered to the pulp wood industry and the local farmers. As that business changed, so did Goodgame. In the early ‘70s the company shifted its focus to home building and repairs. As the housing market slowed, Goodgame shifted the company’s attention to the steel industry, installing and building structures for refractories. “In the early ‘90s, the industry became tough,” Goodgame said. Goodgame Welding Inc. began building commercial and industrial type buildings. Goodgame built the Boaz Shopping Outlet. “That was big,” he said. He said 1998 was a breakout year for the company, as it began building pre-engineered metal buildings. Since that time,
Goodgame has completed a number of construction projects, including the St. Clair County Airport terminal, Pell City City Hall, Northside Medical, Cropwell Commons, Benjamin Moore and all the new facilities for the German companies that have moved to Pell City. “We take it from the concept to the finished building,” he said. “We sell a great package.” The company also builds Piggly Wiggly stores and rent and lease property through its other company, ADCON. “We are diversified,” Goodgame said. Goodgame Company’s most recent construction project is the I-cademy on Jefferson State Community College campus and the company is construction manager for the St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital project. Goodgame said most of their construction jobs are within a 50-mile radius of Pell City, and the company depends on repeat business. He said their biggest construction job was the
lubricants, but plant manager Sonya Reynolds said they are adding new lubricants on a monthly basis. “We are Nippon Oil’s first facility to manufacture lubricants and grease in the United States,” Reynolds said. “We are focused on environmentally friendly products that contribute to energy savings and allow automobiles to get better gas mileage. This facility was designed and constructed to minimize contamination by having dedicated lines and tanks with a minimum of swing tanks.” The facility has also installed a “pig cleaning system” in the lines, helping push oil through the lines to the tanks and clean residue and reduce the need to flush oils out of the system. The building was designed to decrease impact on the environment. Reynolds is also proud the facility has earned
two recognitions from the International Organization for Standardization since opening. The facility has held a 9001, or quality management system, ISO rating since 2007, and received its 14001, or environmental management system, ISO rating in February last year. These ratings were designed to help manage systems by establishing protocols that could be adapted to specific businesses to help them be better organizations. By adhering to the ISO protocol and managing their processes in a standardized manner, companies adhere to quality and environmental commitments. “We are very proud of this major achievement,” Reynolds said. “As a company, this could not have been achieved without the dedication and hard work of all our associates.” NOLA continues to hold a clean bill of health
for no lost time due to accidents since the facility opened in 2005. Dedication to workers extends past their safety. In 2009, NOLA kept a promise to retain 100 percent employment to show commitment to its associates. While NOLA has no formal programs set up yet to help individual employees give back to their community, Reynolds hopes the facility’s dedication to helping children and education is setting a good example. Any events or projects that have an impact on children and education interest NOLA, and they have been working with Earle A. Rainwater Memorial Library and Kiwanis Park in downtown Childersburg. The facility also participates in its community by having children and community organizations come to the facility for tours and other learning opportunities.
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
Goodgame Company Inc. recently completed the I-cademy, which is pictured behind Adrick Goodgame.
“I have a great job,” he said. “I love challenges.” But Goodgame also has a good core group of workers, including his family members. He said his wife, Connie, handles all the “behind the scenes” work. “She jokes that she never gets to see daylight,” he said.
His daughter, Janna Masters, also works in the office, while his son, Jason, is manager for construction projects. “He’s like the rest of us,” Goodgame said. “He wears a lot of different hats.” Goodgame, who says he enjoys going to work every day, said he currently employs about 70 people, and the company has not been forced to lay off any of its core people. But as the economy changes, so does Goodgame Company, adjusting with the times. “I’ve been a very blessed man,” Goodgame said.
Nippon Oil Corporation is hoping to expand its line of products, the ENEOS brand, in the United States in the near future. Theirs is the No. 1 oil in Japan and Reynolds and President Teddy Yoshida are hopeful it will soon be No. 1 in North America. NOLA increased production on the ENEOS line of products in 2009, helping its parent company come closer to reaching that goal. Facility goals for the Childersburg location also include keeping safety a priority in everything they do, providing customers with quality products and services that exceed their expectations and remaining in harmony with the environment. In the future, NOLA plans to expand its facility for the first time since opening, including increasing its rail capacity, which currently can service three
cars at a time. They also hope to expand their ability to facilitate truck loading by building a staging facility to preload bulk trucks, stage them on site and allowing more flexibility to meet customer demands. The NOLA “equation for success” has been established as N=EC3 by employee Charlita Woodruff. The company held a contest in hopes of finding a good way to express the company’s views, and Woodruff ’s entry won. N=EC3 stands for NOLA equals environmentally conscious, committed to excellence, customer satisfaction and continual improvement. “With the dedication of our associates and our strong commitment to safety and quality, we hope to be a positive, vital member of this community for a long time,” Reynolds said.
Honda Manufacturing of Alabama’s logistics building. “We designed and built it,” Goodgame said. It took almost 14 months to complete the building, which spans across 14 and a half acres, all under one roof.
Nippon making a name for itself in Alabama By MEREDITH McCAY Home staff writer
Even though it has only been established since June 2005, Nippon Oil Lubricants (America) LLC is steadily making a name for itself in Alabama. The Childersburg facility was ready to ship its first products to customers by December 2006, and the facility’s development has continued since then. Over the course of the past couple of decades, Japan-based Nippon Oil Corporation had seen major automobile manufacturers locating in the Southeast United States and took the opportunity to open a facility not only near many of those manufacturers, but also near the railroad to provide access to supplies and customers. NOLA produces five specialty grease products and about 40 kinds of
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government & industry
Sylacauga marble noted worldwide for high quality By MATT QUILLEN Home staff writer
Many businesses in Sylacauga are directly connected with the area’s natural abundance of marble. Several local companies are highly invested in either mining the raw resource or selling finished products made from it. There are three commercial quarries in the area, Alabama Marble, Imerys and Omya. Imerys and Omya both mine marble and break it down into small particles. Calvin Miller with the Talladega County Economic Development Authority said other local businesses are purchasers of the product. “Locally, Heritage Plastics uses marble particles as filler for their plastics,” he said. “(Quarries) make a chemical called calcium carbonate, which is basically the ground-up marble.” Mark Vincent, human resource manager at Imerys, said the calcium carbonate particles are mined and processed at the operations center. “In layman’s terms, we make big rocks into little rocks,” Vincent said. “We bring them down to very small particles, smaller than cigarette smoke particles.” Vincent said the par-
ticles are used in “nearly everything that’s not steel or wood, basically.” “Everything in the residential construction (industry), jib boards, ceiling tile, roofing shingles, backing of carpet and floors,” he said. “They are also used in plastics and food-grade material packaging.” Imerys has been owner of the quarry since 1999. The minerals company operates 112 mining sites overall, working with 29 minerals or mineral groups. The Sylacauga operation employs approximately 300 people, Vincent said. The nearby Alabama Marble quarry mines marble in large blocks for building uses. Plant manager Francesco Vezzoni said the blocks of marble are generally 30,000 to 45,000 pounds, measuring 8 to10 feet long and 5 feet tall. “We cut everything with diamond wire,” Vezzoni said. “We don’t use explosives like other marble quarries. We cut the marble into blocks, the first-quality marble we ship all over the world.” Vezzoni said the marble was shipped across the United States and to other countries, including India, China, Brazil and Italy. He said secondquality marble was made
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunrday, February 14, 2010 — 9A
AIDT has a proven track record By MEREDITH McCAY Home staff writer
Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
Many Sylacauga companies are invested in mining marble or selling finished products made from it.
into thresholds, windowsills and tiles at the processing plant. Alabama Marble has been owned by Stephen Musolino since 1998. Musolino said the quarry itself had been open since the early 1990s. Vezzoni said the large quantity of marble in the ground will not run out anytime soon. “They did some core drilling here years ago,” he said. “They went as deep as 200 feet, and then they ran out of tubes. The big quarries closer to Sylacauga run as deep as 300 feet and they don’t seem to be worried about running out of marble there.” Sylacauga marble has been noted worldwide for its purity and high quality. The abundant natural resource has been mined
in the area since the early to mid-1800s. It has been used in everything from building materials to fine art. The white marble from the area is found in the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. Local companies like Morris Custom Marble and Granite Works and Strickland Memorial Company sell finished products made from the mineral. Phillip Morris of Morris Custom said his company sells products in marble, as well as granite and other finished stones. They sell furnishings for kitchens and bathrooms and cemetery monuments. Morris said the company was the longest run-
ning monument company in the area under one owner. “Our family got into the stone business in 1961,” he said. “In 1982 (my father) decided to open up his own business. We are a family business, me and my wife, Robin, my son, Justin, and my father. We all have a certain part we do and we do it well.” Morris said the business has historically sold products made by the high-end marble found in the area. We deal in Sylacauga marble, always have,” he said. “That what we started on, fabricating Sylacauga marble, doing tile, countertops, that kind of stuff. Through the years, we evolved with the granite, the quartz and the slate.”
Alabama Industrial Development Training, based out of Montgomery, has been training employees to excel in local industries for almost 40 years. Director Ed Castile said the idea for a statewide training program helping industries prepare workers for any job came about in 1970 and 1971 with the Alabama Development Office director and lieutenant governor at the time coming up with the initial plan. Since then, AIDT has helped train workers for more than 4,000 local industries and businesses throughout the state. The industries and their workers pay nothing for this training, since all costs are absorbed by the state through AIDT. “AIDT has a proven track record,” Castile said. “AIDT has been part of the industry recruitment plan for Alabama since 1971, and since 1998 has been deemed Alabama’s No. 1 incentive. Some Southeastern states have similar programs, but none are exact.” The training AIDT provides includes preemployment selection and
See AIDT, Page 10A
10A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
AIDT From Page 9A
training, on-the-job training, leadership development, maintenance assessment and training, safety audits and training, process improvement, training media development and train the trainer. Prospective employees interested in taking preemployment classes for a particular company have to go through the application process, starting with completing an online application or visiting their local Alabama Career Center. Applications are then processed and screened before candidates move onto the interview process. However, AIDT does offer classes, such as a leadership development course, that are open to anyone. The actual companies looking to locate in Alabama are sure to hear about AIDT’s pre-employment program as they go over the aspects of the incentive package corroborated by the ADO while they scout possible locations. The 134 AIDT employees throughout the state who train these workers and work with these companies have acquired the skills, knowledge and education to teach in their area of expertise and are ready to help. These employees must also complete AIDT certified instructor training to be sure they will provide the best services to the companies moving into and building facilities in Alabama. Once the company and its employees are ready for the initial training with AIDT, the amount of class time is established to fit in the necessary training for that industry. Jacqueline Allen, AIDT workforce development coordinator, said class time lasts an average of 32 to 40 hours. But AIDT doesn’t stop with just training the employees initially. Not only do AIDT employees come back to do interviews and surveys months after training is complete, with some larger companies AIDT may provide a permanent project-based facility near the company to help with future training. “An AIDT project manager completes an exit interview with the company upon completion of training,” Allen said. “That manager also conducts follow-up surveys, which
are completed at 12- and 24-month intervals. Our project-based facilities such as Honda, Mercedes and ThyssenKrupp are for the exclusive use of the company.” These project-based facilities are established in addition to AIDT’s four main offices spread throughout the state to allow as many companies easy access to the training as possible. The Montgomery center is the base of operations, housing the coordination, administration and support services for all AIDT projects. The Huntsville center fulfills the training needs of the state’s automotive suppliers and other industries in the northern Alabama region. The Mobile center meets the training needs of aviation, chemical, telecommunication and other south Alabama companies. Mobile Center also launched a maritime training program in 2007 to provide training for welders and ship fitters in a growing industry. That program has continued to expand, and classes are scheduled through the end of 2010 so far. AIDT also has an office in Sylacauga. The project-based facilities include one in Lincoln to facilitate Honda, one in Hope Hull to facilitate Hyundai, one in Vance to service Mercedes Benz U.S. and one in Calvert to service ThyssenKrupp Steel and Stainless. AIDT also produces “On the Job,” a television show focusing on unique and often overlooked companies and educational opportunities. The show airs on Alabama Public Television to let citizens know about some of the opportunities they might not have known were available to them. AIDT is gearing up to complete construction of its Robotics Technology Park in Tanner in time for classes in October. Registration for those classes should be available by April. “Training is primarily done at the project site,” Castile said. “We bring the training to them. We help companies with startup recruitment, selection and training assistance for new industry locations and existing industry expansions.”
government & industry
Ford Meter Box focuses on safety, employees, community By ELSIE HODNETT Home staff writer
Ford Meter Box continues to prosper while maintaining its focus on safety, its employees and the community. “Our primary focus is taking care of our employees,” said Zachary Gentile Jr., senior vice president and general manager of Ford Meter Box in Pell City. “If you take care of your employees, their safety, welfare and family, then the production will take care of itself.” Gentile said Ford Meter Box makes products for the waterworks industry. “We make everything that connects the pipe to get the water from the street to your house,” he said. Gentile said the three main categories include repair clamps for pipes, tapping sleeves, and thrust restraint products. “Superior Utility Products started in Pell City in 1979, and Ford bought them in 1982,” he said. “In 1999, we expanded by taking over the building (adjacent to Ford Meter Box) vacated by Medline Industries.” Gentile said the company expanded again in 2008, adding 60,000 square feet to house the entire line of repair clamps and stainless tapping sleeves. “Our expansion has worked out well so far,” he said. “The goal was to consolidate all our stainless steel operations under one roof, which helped us gain efficiency.” Gentile said the expansion helped make Ford Meter Box more competitive within the waterworks industry. “The expansion has helped us gain market share in a downturn economy,” he said. Gentile said the expansion is also helping Ford Meter Box meet the demand in January while pipes are bursting across the nation due to cold weather. “We have maintained our employment of 116 employees over the last two to three years, despite the economy,” he said.
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
Top photo: Ford Meter Box makes products for the waterworks industry.
Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
At right: Ronnie Isbell forms a piece of stainless steel.
“We did not have any employee layoffs, and all our employees remained full time, working between 32 and 40 hours per week.” Gentile said hourly associates received a wage increase during 2009 as well. “Last year, we continued our annual donations to local charities, organizations and schools,” he said. Gentile said Ford Meter Box also provides associates with free tuition for college, and assistance with tuition for spouses and children. “We are extremely proud of our safety record,” he said. “We went over one million hours with no lost-time accidents, and
the streak is currently continuing.” Gentile said on Jan. 13, the streak was 1,703 days with no lost-time accidents. “In our industry, for every 100 associates you would average three or four lost-time accidents a year,” he said. “We will reach our fifth-year mark with no lost-time accidents on May 19, 2010.” Gentile said the Ford Meter Box employees greatly contributed and continue to contribute to the safety record. “We had almost 1,000 associate suggestions on how to make the workplace safer,” he said. Gentile said in addition to supplying waterworks products, Ford Meter Box
offers free training for endusers and distributors on the use of the products. “We recently sponsored the Alabama Rural Water Association training where more than 120 end-users, municipal employees and engineers came for training,” he said. Gentile said Ford Meter Box is a partner of the Partnership for Tomorrow, a five-year strategic plan/ fundraiser for economic development in St. Clair County. “We have earned four chairs with The St. Clair County Educational Foundation, and are working on our fifth,” he said. “We are a company that likes to support our community.”
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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.
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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
government & industry
THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010 — 11A
German companies are impressed with Pell City By WILL HEATH Home staff writer
Despite serving as director of international economic development for the entire state of Alabama, Roger Wehner says he often hears accusations for “having a predilection for St. Clair County.” “The reason for that is, I’m a big fan of winning projects,” he says. “So I’m a big fan of St. Clair County.” Wehner was highly complimentary of the county’s economic development personnel at a recent meeting of Leadership St. Clair County. It’s their efforts that have brought multiple international companies in the past few years. Specifically, the St. Clair Economic Development Council has been highly successful in bringing multiple German companies to Pell City in the past few years. “St. Clair County EDC has been very fortunate in the success it has had with the recruitment of quality companies,” EDC director Don Smith said. “Sometimes this search has taken us to foreign countries like Germany. “VST Keller (now Oerlikon Balzer), WKW Erbsloeh and Eissmann Automotive are all German companies that have located in Pell City’s manufacturing park in the six years. All three either manufacture parts or provide service for the automotive industry but in very different areas.” St. Clair County isn’t
what immediately comes to mind for the average consumer when he thinks of overseas industry. But, according to Wehner and Smith, the county is perfectly positioned to attract any manufacturer looking to relocate, with ideal geographic location, ideal quality of life and ideal local leadership. “Each of these companies looked at different communities but believed St. Clair County was the best place to locate,” Smith said. “They saw that we had great leadership, sites ready for development, a strong manufacturing history, good access to an interstate, a strategic location, and a lake. “They told us that they were impressed with the friendly and professional way they were treated and had faith in the team that had been assembled to help them be successful in St. Clair County.” For automobile manufacturers, Pell City is an ideal spot: located between Birmingham and Atlanta with Interstate 20 running alongside, the county is ideally located to supply to Mercedes (Tuscaloosa), Honda (Lincoln), BMW (South Carolina) and Volkswagen (opening in Chattanooga). Further, according to Wehner, the German companies “fell in love” with Logan Martin Lake. “No matter the nationality, people enjoy working and living near a lake,” Smith said. “St. Clair County is fortunate to have one of the most beautiful ones in the state.”
Having these foreign companies has had a tremendously positive impact upon the Pell City community, according to Smith. “I think America was always based on people moving in from somewhere else,” he said. “So I think that’s just continuing on, America attracting some of the best individuals there are out there, no matter where they may be based. Coming here, sharing their experiences and I think the community is a better place because of that.”
Eissmann Automotive
The county has shared its experiences as well — in the recent Cardboard Boat Regatta on Logan Martin, both Eissmann and WKW sponsored vessels in the event. The county also was host to a Germanystyle Oktoberfest recently. “The community really has embraced the international people who have moved in,” said Candice Hill, recently named the assistant director for the EDC. “WKW and Eissmann really have become part of the community. The school system has been great for their kids. We hear a lot of positive things about that.”
WKW Erbsloeh
Looking forward, Smith said he expects the city and the county to continue to attract “leaders in their field,” even if those do come from overseas. “We want to make sure we’re bringing in the best companies that are out there,” he said.
Oerlikon Balzer
GOODGAME COMPANY INC. our clients SINCE 1955
PELL CITY, ALABAMA
Oerlikon Balzers Automotive Manufacturer Supplier Pell City, Alabama
Eissman Automotive, Inc. Automotive Manufacturer Supplier Pell City, Alabama Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store Columbiana, Alabama Sylacauga, Alabama Talladega, Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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WKW Erbsloh Automotive GmbH Pell City, Alabama EN
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Wellborn Cabinets, Inc. Ashland, Alabama
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Dedicated To Building Strong Client Relationships and Quality Construction Projects from The Ground Up
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Design�Build Construction Management Fabrication Plant Maintenance 2311 3rd Avenue South Pell City, AL 35128 t: 205.338.2551 f: 205.338.7736 www.goodgamecompany.com
Goodgame Company Inc., is a proud supplier of the American Buildings Company. We are a Million Dollar Golden Eagle Dealer & are also a member of their Presidential Advisory Board. We have received their Builder of the Year award, and have had more than 2 million in sales with American Buildings Company for five consecutive years.
Benjamin Moore and Company Pell City, Alabama National Cement Company of Alabama Ragland, Alabama Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC Lincoln, Alabama
government & industry
12A — THE DAILY HOME, Talladega and St. Clair counties, Ala., Sunday, February 14, 2010
CVEC to introduce ‘smart’ technologies By MATT QUILLEN Home staff writer
The Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative has made plans to introduce new “smart” technologies, making their service more efficient and cost-effective. CVEC runs power to nearly 17,000 businesses and residences in six counties. Close to 75 percent of the consumers are in Talladega County. Jon Cullimore, manager of marketing and member services, said they serve around seven customers for every mile of power line, compared to 35 per mile for Alabama Power. “All cooperatives are non-profit,” Cullimore said. “We exist solely to provide service, to provide our consumers electricity and we do that at an atcost basis. There is no incentive for us to make profits because we don’t have shareholders to pay dividends to.” The company has planned to install the new technology in March or April. Cullimore said the system will allow them to save $500,000 a year in costs related to reading meters. “It’s called a smart metering system,” he said. “But it’s more than reading meters. It is where you have two-way communication between the meters.” Cullimore said the new technology allows them to monitor the condition of the meter and provide information to residents on how they are using energy by radio signal. Another advantage to the system would be to save power by turning off high-usage appliances when people are not using them. “If our Board (of Directors) decided to go with it and if our consumers elected to do it, it would be what we call load control,” Cullimore said. “In times of high demand, or peak mornings when it’s really cold, when we could go and turn off your water heater and reduce our demand systemwide.” Power companies pay premium costs for power during high-demand
times, having to buy it from another company. Cullimore said the “smart” system would save energy without consumers noticing a loss in power. “It would take the (water heaters) that were on and turn them off for 15 minutes,” he said. “Nobody is out for 2 hours without hot water.” Cullimore said right now, the board has not decided to use the smart meters for load control. But he said it is something they would have the ability to do going forward. CVEC also has two renewable energy power plants. The first, a compressed air energy storage, or CAES plant, was built 20 years ago in Andalusia. Cullimore said the other is a 6-year-old methane plant in north Florida, which is a joint project with Waste Management. The plant was designed to use tubes implanted into sealed landfills, capturing the trapped methane gas that is produced as a byproduct. “We’re proud of those facilities,” Cullimore said. “Solar and wind are not viable energy resources in the Southeast. We don’t have the amount of sunlight to justify the expense of solar on a large scale and we don’t have the wind resources. The only place you can get any kind of wind or sun is in the West.” CVEC was founded in 1939 as a part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. It was founded by area farmers who wanted electricity but could not get a power company to expand to the rural area. CVEC has a coverage area in St. Clair, Talladega, Calhoun, Clay, Etowah and Shelby counties. The company is under the umbrella of the Rural Utilities Service, a government body that oversees and funds coops throughout the nation. A territorial law in Alabama specified where each utilities coverage area was. Cullimore said the growth of the company comes from people building within the CVEC boundary. “Historically, we have been able to keep from
‘All cooperatives are non-profit. We exist solely to provide service, to provide our consumers electricity and we do that at an at-cost basis. There is no incentive for us to make profits because we don’t have shareholders to pay dividends to.’
—Jon Cullimore, manager of marketing
raising our costs based on that growth,” he said. “That growth has been able to take care of our operating costs and the costs to build the infrastructure and maintain
it.” Cullimore said rate increases come from the rising price of power. CVEC gets most of its power supply from coal and natural gas.
Cullimore said the recession has affected CVEC, as it has nearly all companies. He said the small margins the company has make the slightest drop off in sales difficult. “2009 was a tough year for us,” he said. “We had a slowdown in our sales all the way across the board. We had no growth, which is unusual. We have had every year on the system since it was established. We added consumers every year.” Cullimore said many other utilities companies have already installed the new technologies CVEC
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Summary of SRF Sewer Project
and support their dedication to diversity and a promising future. Because at Honda, we’re not just building great products, we’re doing
The Water, Sewer & Gas Board of the City of Childersburg
our part to build a better Alabama.
The Water, Sewer & Gas Board is undertaking a major project to improve the sewer system in Childersburg. In the next three years, approximately eight million dollars will be used to fund five major improvement projects within the city. These funds are a part of a state revolving loan application that is the culmination of months of planning and engineering. Utility Engineering Consultants is the Board’s consultant. Approximately 45% of these funds are a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The remaining funds are a state revolving loan. The five major projects are as follows: 1.) The Northern Sewer Lines Rehabilitation 2.) Lift Station Replacement 3.) The Southern Sewer Lines Rehabilitation 4.) Sewer Lagoon Rehabilitation 5.) Force Main Replacement. These projects will seal existing lines, thereby decreasing infiltration. They will also provide new lift stations to replace, in some cases, 40-year-old equipment. The new equipment should be more energy efficient and thereby improve operating cost. The operation of the treatment plant will be improved by dredging the first phase of the lagoon system. The pressure main line from the main sewer station will be replaced all the way to the treatment plant. These projects are much needed and should provide for a more efficient collection and treatment of sanitary sewer, for many years to come. This is the largest one-time project ever undertaken by the Board in its history. We ask that you, our customers, and the public in general, please be patient as we complete these projects. 264576
will add this year. He said the equipment they will use will be “tried and true.” CVEC has planned to finish installing the equipment in six months. Cullimore also said customers will see little to no effect during the actual installation of the hardware. “They are going to lose power for only a couple of seconds,” Cullimore said. “It won’t be any different than the meter reader coming out and we will send notification to our consumers that we will be in the area working.”
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