Strategically Located for Industry

Strategically Located

Industry, hospitality thrive in Elmore County

STORY BY AMY PASSARETTI PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS AND DANIEL DYE

With a mission of promoting economic growth and supporting both new and existing businesses, the Elmore County Economic Development Authority is the place to start for newcomers looking to do business in the area. With a population of roughly 87,700 and a median income of $60,073, there are plenty of opportunities to not only live but also work in Elmore County.

The Tallassee Industrial Development Board works directly with city government and county and state agencies to recruite new business to the area. It manages the Tallassee Corporate and Industrial Park, along state Route 229, with shovel-ready sites available for new industry.

The town is strategically located to major highway access and is equipped with a reliable labor force on the verge of growth. The International Business Center is a 43,000-square-foot multipurpose, multi-tenant facility offering transitional manufacturing space for businesses to expand, relocate or start fresh.

Industry is the backbone of the community and contributes heavily to its economic stability. Companies crafting products, such as aerospace, automotive parts and water meters, distribute to nationwide, even global, businesses. They continue to thrive, expand and recruit new institutions. According to a 2019 Tallassee Tribune report, existing industries comprised 80 percent of area jobs.

Elmore County is a magnet for businesses with no inventory or occupational taxes and a robust infrastructure.

From small downtown businesses, entrepreneurs and those working in the education or healthcare fields to

The old Russell Corp. plant on state Route 14 is coming to life again and will bring more than 500 jobs to the area

hospitality and major industries, employment opportunities are plentiful in the region. The following is just a snapshot of the area’s largest employers, which make significant contributions to the local economy.

WIND CREEK CASINO

Located in the county seat of Wetumpka, Wind Creek Casino and Hotel features 238 quality hotel rooms with upscale amenities, including a spa, fitness center, gift shops and more, three restaurants and a local coffee shop, as well as casino games. The nightlife is abundant with shows for all ages, including big-name national musicians. Wind Creek alos includes a business center.

Wind Creek Hospitality boasts a quality company culture for employees, offering top benefits, including health insurance, paid time off, career training and quarterly incentive bonuses. Jobs are available in gaming, hotels, food and beverage, facilities and corporate.

GKN AEROSPACE

A leading multi-technology aerospace supplier, GKN employs 15,000 workers across 38 manufacturing locations and 12 countries. Its two Tallassee locations at 11 Twin Creeks Dr. and 3951 state Route 229, are top suppliers of aerospace parts. It works with designing, testing, manufacturing and assembling a diverse range of high-performance composite structures for civil, military, commercial and space programs. GKN produces aerostructures, engine systems and special technologies for advanced aircraft platforms.

According to GKN spokesperson Wesley Bates, the

Wind Creek Casino is a main hub for employment in Elmore County

company chose to purchase the Elmore County site in 1985 due to its “unique geographical location and abundance of highly motivated and skilled employees.”

Collectively, GKN employs about 750 people in Alabama.

For those looking to work in the field, GKN offers employee training and leadership programs with a global network and wide-ranging opportunities. Jobs are available in various departments across the company, including commercial sales and marketing; engineering; finance; general management; human resources; information technology; manufacturing engineering; operations and maintenance; program management; purchasing; quality control and supply chain.

The company offers a range of salaries based on experience and technical background.

GKN even offers internship opportunities and graduate programs for those just starting out or looking to test the waters in the aerospace field.

“GKN Aerospace is proud to be a part of the growing aerospace industry in the state of Alabama, serving many of the major aerospace industry leaders such as: Sikorsky, GE, Lockheed Martin and Bell,” Bates said. NEPTUNE TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Settling in Tallassee 40 years ago, Neptune is a leader in design and engineering for the water utility industry. The technology company serves more than 4,000 water utilities across North America, producing data software and hardware tools connected to a smart network.

With Elmore County as its headquarters, Neptune is a community sponsor partnering with nonprofits for a variety of local events. A decade ago, the company expanded and opened its state-of-the-art research and development facility. The 19,000-squarefoot Donald J. Kullmann Engineering Center cost $3.7 million to construct and has assisted Neptune in continuing to create advanced technology for the utility industry.

A year later, Neptune received the River Region Ethics in Business and Public Service Award and is an international sponsor for worldwide Water for People, with a mission to provide people throughout the world the means to sustain safe water for drinking and sanitizing. Employee perks include a wellness program offering incentives for preventative exams, ethics training for diversity and career development paths. AES INDUSTRIES As one of four fabrication facilities nationwide, Tallassee is home to AES Industries’ headquarters. Established in 1988, AES is a major metal fabricator, specializing in roof curbs and dropbox diffuser systems. A decade after opening its doors. AES became the sole curb supplier Estimated employee count within industry categories for Target, The Home Depot and public supermarkets globally. In 2004, it also earned the top spot in Industrial: 2,850 Lowe’s Home Improvement stores. Retail/Commercial: 2,154 Education: 1,300 FORMER RUSSELL Hospitality: 945 Prisons/Corrections: 725 BRANDS, NOW AN INDUSTRIAL PARK The 102-acre property formerly Healthcare: 574 owned by Russell Brands, which Government: 300 shut down in Wetumpka in 2013, was purchased by a private investment group in December 2020. An affiliate of Phoenix Investors, headquartered in Wisconsin, acquired the Class A industrial facility, totaling 891,000 square feet. Located roughly 10 miles from Alabama’s capital of Montgomery, the property has infrastructure in place to welcome new business. Built between 1995 and 1997, the site contains 29 loading docks, 100 slots of trailer storage, more than 500 parking spots, five drive-in doors and is adjacent land ready for expansion. The property includes three separate entrances with ample office space, offering a minimum footprint of 75,000 square feet per tenant. According to a Neptune Technology Group press release, the has operated in Tallassee president and for four decades CEO of Phoenix Investors, David Marks, said he was drawn to the facility for its ability to accommodate a wide range of companies in distribution or manufacturing. The plan is to divvy up the space to invite avariety of businesses to lease portions.