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Greetings!

 

Here is today's summary of economic development news, a free service of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, representing Alabama's private sector investment in economic development.  If you enjoy NewsFlash, thank an EDPA Partner

 

In this issue:
Gov. Bentley coming to Cullman for REHAU groundbreaking
Good news for Alabama's economy: mass layoffs have slowed
JeffCo's new superintendent on a mission to meet biz needs
Target to hold job fair this week to fill 200 jobs at its new Homewood store
The New Montgomery: Development: Hotels surging in River Region
Dale economic corporation to go after aviation, retail businesses

 


Gov. Bentley coming to Cullman for REHAU groundbreaking

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times

Jan. 13, 2013

 

CULLMAN - Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley will be in Cullman on Monday for an industrial groundbreaking at REHAU that is expected to create approximately 200 new jobs.

A proposed expansion at the automotive manufacturer was announced in June 2012, and is now ready to officially begin. The project is related to a new contract to produce bumper assemblies for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and M-Class vehicle lines.

"We're really excited to finally be getting the groundbreaking in and we've been working toward it for a while," Cullman Economic Development Assistant Director Dale Greer said. "It's a very large project."

The company plans to build a new, approximately 110,000-square-foot structure to make room for the expanded manufacturing needs. REHAU recently purchased a 74-acre lot from the Cullman Industrial Development board, which had been certified as an Advantage Site by Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA), meaning it meets all state and federal requirements for industrial use. 

 

more...

 

[Cullman Times]



 


 

Good news for Alabama's economy: mass layoffs have slowed
By Alex Walsh | [email protected] 
on January 11, 2013

Alabama is on pace to have its fewest mass layoffs in a decade, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) says. 
A job cut is considered to be part of a "mass layoff event" if the company making the cut employs 50 or more workers. The measure is not a perfect gauge for tracking job loss because it does not include small companies, but it has historically followed larger trends in the labor market.

For example, mass layoffs in Alabama peaked in 2009, with nearly 19,000 positions -- essentially 1 percent of the state's total workforce -- being eliminated in this way. Total mass layoffs for 2012 were 5,649, down more than 70 percent from peak.

Among the largest mass layoff events in 2012 were 600 job cuts at the Anniston Army Depot; 431 combined job cuts at American Apparel facilities in Alabama; and the 393 job cuts announced by Alabama Media Group in June.

 more...

 

[al.com]


 


 

 


JeffCo's new superintendent on a mission to meet biz needs
Cindy F. Crawford Editor-Birmingham Business Journal
Jan. 11, 2013

 

Do all kids need to go to college to get a good, high-paying job?

 

It's a question asked a lot these days by parents and even school administrators, who are starting to say no. Not all kids are cut out for college - and they don't necessarily need a four-year degree to do many of the well-compensated gigs that are in demand and in their backyard.

 

That philosophy is also held by Jefferson County's new superintendent, Stephen Nowlin, whom I spoke with this morning as he makes his rounds to get to know the Birmingham metro's business leaders.

 

On the job since Jan. 1, replacing longtime Superintendent Phil Hammonds who retired, Nowlin said he believes more high school students need to get diplomas targeted in trades that match industries and businesses in their area - and those diplomas and course experience leading up to the diploma should be enough to prepare them for a good job right out of high school.

 

more...

 

[BirminghamBusinessJournal]



 



 

 

 

 


 

Target to hold job fair this week to fill 200 jobs at its new Homewood store
By Dawn Kent | [email protected] 
on January 14, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Target will hold a job fair on Thursday and Friday to fill 200 jobs at its new store in Homewood.

The job fair will held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days on the lower level of Colonial Brookwood Village, where store leaders will conduct pre-scheduled interviews.

 

Applicants are encouraged to visit Target.com/careers to apply in advance.

 

Scheduled to open in March, the $25 million, 136,000-square-foot store is elevated over ground-level parking next to the mall, a design first for Target in this state.

 

more...

 

[al.com]

 

 


 

The New Montgomery: Development: Hotels surging in River Region: Growth enables Montgomery area to host more, larger conventions
Written by Marty Roney
Jan. 13, 2013

Golf, conventions, sporting events, gambling, historic attractions and even fishing tournaments are fueling an increase in hotel offerings in the River Region, and officials expect that growth to continue in the future.

 

In 2005, Montgomery had 5,500 hotel rooms, a number that has climbed to 7,000, figures at the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce's Convention & Visitor's Bureau show.

 

Work is going on at the DoubleTree Hotel downtown, part of the Hilton chain, that will have 185 rooms once the renovations are completed. The location is the old Madison Hotel/Best Western that has been closed for about two years.

 

 In Prattville, the new Holiday Inn Express opened in September with 80 rooms, and the Hampton Inn & Suites has a target open date of Jan. 31. Prattville has seen a huge increase in lodging, going from about 650 hotel rooms in 2002 to 1,011 at the end of 2012, according to the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce.


more...

 

 


 

Dale economic corporation to go after aviation, retail businesses

By Ebony Horton

Jan. 11, 2013

 

OZARK-After raising more than $1 million for economic development through dozens of partnerships with residents and businesses region wide, the Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation said it is continuing efforts to recruit major industries into the Dale County area.

 

ODEC officials met with Ozark and Dale County leaders Thursday for a briefing of the corporation's actions throughout the previous year. ODEC board chairman John Ferguson said much of the past year has been spent raising an estimated $1.07 million for economic development and meeting with residents and business owners to discover what's most needed in the area.

 

He said the corporation is especially seeking more aviation-related businesses to complement the existing 25 percent of the state's aviation industry that is already in Dale County.

 

ODEC officials have traveled both in and out of the country promoting businesses, he said.

"We realize there are some businesses (such as vehicle manufacturers) that aren't going to come here without an interstate," Ferguson said.

 

more...

 

[Dothan Eagle]


 

 




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