Airbus, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., announced its plans July 2nd to build a $600 million aircraft assembly plant at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile. Read more in our

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Airbus, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., announced its plans July 2^nd to build a $600 million aircraft assembly plant at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile.

The plant at Brookley will assemble the industry leading family of A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. The facility will employ 1,000 full-time workers at full capacity.

Construction of the assembly line will begin in the summer of 2013 and create an estimated 2,500 jobs over a two-year period to build the plant. Aircraft assembly is planned to start in 2015, with first deliveries from the Mobile facility beginning in 2016. Airbus anticipates the facility will produce between 40 and 50 aircraft per year by 2018.

According to the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the project has two phases - a final assembly line where aircraft parts from around the world will be delivered to the Brookley Aeroplex site for assembly, and a delivery center - similar to a showroom - where assembled planes will be delivered to its new owners.

According to Troy Wayman, vice president of economic development for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, in order to meet the company's aggressive plan, there are a number of suppliers who will need to locate within close proximity to the facility.

Jim Searcy, Executive Director of Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance (CGEDA), observed that this is a remarkable day for the City of Mobile, the Coastal Gateway Region, and the State of Alabama.  "The supplier network for the Airbus facility will be extensive and the 5 counties that comprise the Coastal Gateway Region are well positioned to compete for these projects.  This is a transformative project for our region and the success of this project will validate southwest Alabama as a location for the aerospace industry."

Airbus stressed that the assembly line, which will create jobs and strengthen the aerospace industry, is part of its strategy to enhance Airbus' global competitiveness by meeting the growing needs of its customers in the United States and elsewhere.

"The time is right for Airbus to expand in America," said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President & CEO, at the announcement today in Mobile. "The U.S. is the largest single-aisle aircraft market in the world - with a projected need for 4,600 aircraft over the next 20 years - and this assembly line brings us closer to our customers. Mobile is now becoming part of Airbus' global production network, joining our successful and growing assembly lines in Hamburg, Toulouse and Tianjin.

"When Airbus aircraft take to the skies, our pride and workmanship will soar along with them," Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said.  "We owe thanks to so many people who helped make this effort a success.  This project will create 1,000 stable, well-paying jobs that the people of this area need and deserve.  Alabama has the best workforce you'll find anywhere in the U.S.  Airbus has recognized all that this state can offer expanding industries, and the company is making a significant new investment in Alabama.  Airbus and its parent company, EADS, have been great citizens of Alabama for years now, and we are excited to build on our wonderful relationship."

Airbus already has a strong and growing presence in Alabama and throughout the United States.  In Alabama, the company operates an Engineering Center in Mobile - also located at Brookley Aeroplex and employing more than 200 engineers and support staff - as well as an Airbus Military customer services operation supporting U.S. Coast Guard aircraft. 

With the Airbus decision to locate a production facility in Mobile there will be opportunities for communities in the CGEDA region to successfully recruit and locate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tier suppliers. Elements of our economic development strategy are outlined as follows.

Continue to work with state allies: The Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, Alabama Power Company, PowerSouth, South Alabama Gas, etc., to position CGEDA sites and buildings as logical locations for Airbus Suppliers.

Continue to recertify sites, objectively identified as aerospace "ready". Additionally, work with local economic developers and community leaders to identify new sites and facilities as suitable for supplier needs.

Coordinate our marketing efforts with those of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and the Mobile Chamber to leverage our resources.

Continue our efforts to improve our workforce and ensure that we have employees with the applicable skills for the aerospace industry specifically and advanced manufacturing in general.

Identify specific and strategic marketing events that will position the assets of CGEDA and allow us to leverage our resources effectively.

Integrate an aerospace strategy into the CGEDA Existing Business Program to identify any current or future synergies.

One of our goals at the CGEDA is to have everyone in our region know who we are and what we do. That includes knowing our board members. Because our board is constantly growing, we will continue highlighting board members in Gateway News, so that you will know who is representing the region. This month, we would like to introduce Evergreen Mayor Pete Wolff.

Spotlight on Evergreen Mayor Pete Wolff

Pete Wolff, III has served as Mayor of Evergreen for the past two years and will seek re-election this August. Mayor Wolff lists bringing numerous jobs to the City of Evergreen as well as achieving a high bond rating for the city among his important accomplishments while in office.

Mayor Wolff has an automobile business, Wolff Motor Company, in Evergreen which he has successfully run since 1968. Wolff and his wife, Karen Salter Wolff, are natives of Evergreen with two grown sons and a daughter, Kane. Pete Wolff, IV is married to the former Marlo Cartwright and they have a son and a daughter. Jeremy Wolff is married to the former Sarah Ralls. The Wolff's are members of First United Methodist Church.

Mayor Wolff graduated from Evergreen High School in 1965. He was a student at Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton where he studied Business Management. After completing college, he started his own car business and was recognized as the youngest new car dealer in Alabama in 1970. He also has an insurance agent license and a pilot's license. Wolff has also completed training as an EMT.

Wolff has been very active in community affairs having served on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce, the Conecuh County Economic Development Authority, the City of Evergreen Industrial Development Board, the Airport Committee, the Planning Commission and Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance. The Alliance represents 5 counties, including Conecuh. Wolff was also recently appointed to serve on the Committee on Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations for the Alabama League of Municipalities.

Other memberships and associations that Wolff has participated in include: President of the Tri-county Aviation, an officer of Evergreen Aviation, the National Independent Automobile Retail Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and the local Evergreen Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.  Wolff also serves as a member of the Jefferson Davis Community College Advisory Board.

Wolff owns and operates Wolff Broadcasting Corporation and Evergreen's WPPG 101.1 FM radio station in the South Alabama market.

Spotlight on Evergreen, AL

Evergreen, the county seat of Conecuh County, is located in southwest Alabama, almost midway between Montgomery and Mobile. As a center of transportation in South Alabama, located on Interstate 65, Evergreen offers a significant array of amenities and assets for businesses.

Education is important to the City of Evergreen and the Conecuh County School System.  Programs have been initiated to increase the quality of primary and secondary education in the city's schools, including a dual-enrollment program with Reid State Technical College.  For more information about the Conecuh County School System, visit www.conecuh.k12.al.us.

Healthcare for residents of the City of Evergreen and the surrounding region is provided by Evergreen Medical Center, which was named among the Nation's 100 Top Hospitals by Thomson Reuters.  Evergreen Medical Center is a 44-bed acute care hospital.  The hospital provides inpatient and outpatient services, including ancillary services, diagnostic imaging, emergency care, home care, rehabilitation services, and surgical care.

Evergreen-Conecuh County has many outdoor recreation opportunities to offer from the Sepulga River to Boggs & Boulders.  Also, the town has a historic downtown area and local parks.

Evergreen is known for its annual Sausage Festival, which celebrates all things sausage every fall.  Another community favorite is the South East Regional Fly-In.  Additionally, the area offers year round golf, a large county lake with cottage lots being available, over 400 lakes and ponds and 200 miles of good fishing streams in the county alone. Deer, turkey, quail, dove, squirrel, etc. all provide good game hunting as well.

For more information, please visit http://www.evergreenal.org/.

For a full listing and photos of the current Coastal Gateway Board of Directors, please click here.

Monroeville and Monroe County were represented in China in June during a state-level trade mission.

Monroeville's Pete Black, who is the Alabama Community and Business Development manager for Parsons & Whittemore of New York, made the trip.

According to Black, a small delegation went on the Alabama Trade mission to Hong Kong with meetings occurring on June 12-14th. While in Hong Kong, the Alabama Trade Mission team met with a number of government leaders, including Andrew Wong (Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development), Simon Galpin (Director General - Invest Hong Kong), Louis Ho (North American Director - Hong Kong Trade Development Council), and with key officials at the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Alabama Team was hosted at a dinner reception by the American Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong and toured the Port of Hong Kong - the world's third busiest container port. A seminar was also held for Chinese companies who want to manufacture in Alabama.

On June 15th, the group hosted another seminar in Taipei, Taiwan for Taiwanese companies interested in Alabama.

George Landegger, president of Parsons & Whittemore and chairman of the Alabama China Partnership, also attended the trade mission.

Others who attended included, Alabama Department of Commerce (formerly Alabama Development Office) Executive Director Greg Canfield and David Hutchison, Director of Business Development for the Department of Commerce. Bill Taylor, President of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, Ray Cheng, CEO of the Sozo Group and the Alabama China Partnership, along with George Harris, president of Sozo also attended.

Black said a larger trade mission to China is also planned for October after the Alabama China Partnership Symposium is held in Monroeville on Sept. 26-28th. Ray Cheng who is facilitating the trade mission is hoping that Gov. Robert Bentley will lead the trade mission. Black said he and Landegger will also attend the October trade mission.

"Ray (Cheng) has arranged for the Alabama delegation to be the first state delegation to meet with new incoming Chinese President Xi Jinping," said Black. "The Chinese government has asked that a cultural event accompany the trade mission, so Mr. Landegger and Ray are working out the details for The Mockingbird Players to perform in both Hong Kong and Beijing. They will fly about 35 cast members to China. Performances are scheduled in Hong Kong on October 12-14th and in Beijing on October 18th and 19th."

Information partially taken from The Monroe Journal.

Qualls, Mike. "Black to represent county on trade mission." The Monroe Journal (Monroeville) 7 June 2012, Page 3A.

A tent produced by AC Fabricated Products. Photo courtesy of Evan Carden with The South Alabamian. 

Jerry Reeves of AC Fabricated Products addressed the Jackson City Council during its July 24th meeting, informing them the company had been awarded a $6 million contract to produce lightweight maintenance enclosures (LME) for the United States Military.

Reeves said the contract would secure the jobs of those employed by the company who were slated for possible layoffs in the near future, stabilizing its workforce. He added that if several other contracts currently being bid on by the company were awarded to AC Fabricated, it could mean additional jobs at the facility located approximately eight miles from Jackson.

According to Reeves, LMEs are some of the largest tents produced for use by the military and are used for maintenance of military vehicles. They are 32 ft. by 42 ft. and tall enough to house many of the vehicles used by soldiers for repair.

Reeves explained that the tents weigh approximately 1,400 lbs., adding that AC Fabricated will also contract out for supplying the shipping crates and electrical supply boxes for the tents. Liberty Building Supply Company, which recently relocated from Grove Hill to Jackson, will supply the crates and negotiations are being conducted with another Jackson company, Technical Engineering and Construction Services Inc. (TEC), to produce the electrical boxes.

"Subcontracting with local companies such as Liberty and TEC will save tremendously on shipping costs," added Reeves.

He went on to thank Mayor Richard Long and the city council for their support.

"Mayor Long always contacts me concerning any contracts we have bid on before he makes a trip to Washington, D.C.," he said. "He and the city assists us in any way they can in securing contracts."

Carden, Evan. "AC Fab awarded $6 million contract". The South Alabamian (Jackson) 26 July 2012, Page 1A.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is investing $300 million this year on projects to improve the quality of life for everyone in the Atmore area. For more information, please click here.

The Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance Facebook Page is another good opportunity to help us keep in touch with you. Here you can view photos, happenings of the Alliance throughout the year and regional events as they relate to economic development.

There are over 110 members on our page so far.  We encourage you to join in and help spread the news about the Facebook Page.  If you would like us to post specific information or include pictures from your region, please contact info@cgeda.net.

To visit or join the page: click here.

CGEDA is also on Twitter! Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on news in the region! To follow us on Twitter: click here.