From Cotton Field to Engine Capital of the World: Toyota Alabama Operates on All Cylinders - Celebrating 15 years of building engines and community
By Business Wire
June 21, 2016
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.-- Huntsville has long been known for engines...rocket engines that is. But today, it is well on its way to earning the title as "engine capital of the world" thanks to the more than 4.5 million engines produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
What was once a cotton field in northeast Huntsville is now a hallmark engine plant for Toyota. In fact, it is the only Toyota engine plant in the world that produces 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines under one roof, which covers more than 1 million square feet of production space. With a total investment of $864 million, the plant has grown to employ about 1,350 team members.
Toyota Alabama has expanded four times and produces six times as many engines since starting production. "Seeing the plant develop over the past 15 years has been amazing," says Toyota Alabama president Jim Bolte. "Our team members' outstanding commitment to quality and safety, plus the great support we have received from community partners and local officials has been the driving force behind our success."
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Hyundai Alabama to launch Santa Fe Sport SUV after $52M project
MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Hyundai's Alabama plant will start mass production of the Santa Fe Sport SUV this week,
adding a third vehicle to the automaker's busy Montgomery assembly lines.
The launch is set for Wednesday, and the move will allow Hyundai to meet growing demand for the vehicle amid a strong U.S. market for trucks and SUVs.
The Santa Fe will continue to be made at a factory in West Point, Ga., operated by the automaker's affiliate, Kia. And on the Alabama assembly lines, workers will keep building the Sonata and Elantra sedans, which are consistently top sellers for Hyundai.
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Four decades and a billion-plus bucks later I-22 is completed
It was first talked about over 60 years ago.
Ground was broken to build its first section in northern Mississippi in 1978.
It has taken the almost four decades since then to complete the 213 mile highway between Memphis and Birmingham at a cost well over a billion dollars.
But on Monday I-22, probably better known by its old name, Corridor X, was officially completed and opened by the cutting of a wide red ribbon by Gov. Robert Bentley and a dozen other state, county and federal officials. The ribbon cutting took place within sight of where I-22 connects to I-65 in northern Jefferson County in Fultondale.
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Tennessee clothing manufacturer expands again in the Shoals
on June 20, 2016
The same company that launched a high-tech clothing manufacturing facility in Florence two years ago is expanding again in the Shoals.
PerformanceScrubs.com, a Tennessee-based Performance HealthCare Products company, will host the grand opening of its new Factory Store from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 25 on 4001 Helton Drive, Building A, in Florence. The facility, which is in the old Dalmation Press building, has been selling new and overstock inventory since early June.
"The addition of the Factory Store will help us serve the healthcare community of Florence, Alabama," said David M. Prentice, senior vice president of sales at PerformanceScrubs.com. "The Factory Store is located in the same location as our manufacturing facility, so customers will be able to see where their garments are made."
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6 North Alabama communities added to Main Street Downtown Network
on June 20, 2016
Main Street Alabama is taking a regional approach toward downtown revitalization through a new partnership with the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments.
The statewide organization is working with NARCOG to add Courtland, Eva, Falkville, Hanceville, Hartselle and Town Creek to the Downtown Network Communities of Main Street Alabama.
Main Street Alabama will use the nationally-recognized Four Point Approach to strengthen each community's downtown through organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.
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ACE 2016 Star Awards Announced
CLANTON, ALABAMA. The Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) presented the 2016 ACE Star Awards at the Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) Annual Community Reunion June 17th in Clanton, Alabama at the Alabama Power Company - Clanton Conference Center.
The ACE Star Awards recognizes individuals who have performed above and beyond the call of duty and embody the principles of the ACE Program, a comprehensive development program designed to assist Alabama's smaller communities in their efforts to plan, grow and prosper.
The 2016ACE Star Award recipients are:
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Mark you calendar for August 30 and make plans to attend the 6th Annual Alabama Innovation & Entrepreneurship Conference in Birmingham
This year's keynote speaker is Andrew Yang, Founder and CEO of Venture For America . Click here to learn more about the speaker and the event, which is presented by Alabama Launchpad, a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama!