News
Alabama’s Arista Aviation wins $111 million State Department contract
ENTERPRISE, Alabama — Arista Aviation Services LLC said today that the U.S. State Department’s Office of Aviation has awarded it a five-year contract with a maximum value of $111 million to perform maintenance on the agency’s UH-1 helicopters. The Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contact for UH-1 Programmed Depot Maintenance extends the work already being done…
Tuscaloosa County auto supplier on track to open high-tech facility
VANCE, Alabama — A Spanish auto supplier is moving forward with a $30 million wheel assembly factory in Tuscaloosa County, a project that will create more than 70 jobs. Truck & Wheel Group plans a 127,000-square-foot, highly automated facility in Vance that will assemble, sequence and balance wheels for delivery to automotive production lines. This…
Gateway Tire to invest $11 million in Alabama distribution center
DOTHAN, Alabama – Officials with Gateway Tire announced plans today to invest $11 million to open a 200,000-square-foot tire distribution center in Dothan’s Westgate Industrial Park, adding heft to the area’s strong distribution/logistics sector. The project will create 30 jobs initially, with more possible in the future. Governor Kay Ivey, who attended a groundbreaking ceremony…
Altec bucket truck showcased at ‘Made in America’ day at White House
A “Made in America” day highlighting U.S.-made products at the White House today featured a bucket truck assembled by Birmingham-based Altec Industries, which exports its products to more than 100 countries. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation today declaring this as “Made in America” week to celebrate homegrown products from each of the 50 states.…
Updated Alabama Launchpad competition spotlights entrepreneurs
AUBURN, Alabama – Alabama’s entrepreneurs have a growing list of opportunities to showcase their innovative ideas. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama is expanding its successful startup competition, and the newest site is Auburn. EDPA is partnering with the City of Auburn, Auburn University’s Raymond J. Harbert College of Business and the Auburn Research and Technology…
Alabama makes strides in bringing high speed Internet to rural communities
Fiber infrastructure is a key tool in attracting new and expanding businesses across Alabama, and local providers are actively working to install innovative internet technologies, particularly in the state’s rural areas. In recent years, AT&T has invested nearly $1.2 billion in Alabama to enhance its wired and wireless networks, in both urban and rural areas.…
International Beams to invest $20M in Alabama manufacturing facility
DOTHAN, Alabama — International Beams, a producer of engineered wood products, announced today that it will invest nearly $20 million to open a manufacturing facility near Dothan to produce innovative timber panels and beams using Southern Pine lumber. IB said its project will create 60 full-time jobs on a two-shift operation, with the possibility that…
Blue Origin to invest $200M in Alabama rocket engine production facility
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Blue Origin, the spaceflight company started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced today that it will manufacture its BE-4 engine in a state-of-the art production facility to be built in Alabama’s Rocket City. The new facility will be in Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second-largest research park, and construction can begin once…
Tuskegee University aerospace engineering program ascends with industry
TUSKEGEE, Alabama – Tuskegee University has made significant contributions to the U.S. aerospace industry, and that influence is poised to grow. Since it started in 1983, the school’s Aerospace Science Engineering Department has produced more than 200 graduates who are working across the nation. In the last five years, enrollment in the program has been…
At Paris Air Show, states find plenty of competitors in U.S. hall
PARIS – The competition for aerospace jobs and investment is fierce. No place demonstrates that better than the U.S. Pavilion at the 2017 Paris Air Show, where nearly two dozen states have exhibition booths. At the aerospace industry’s premiere trade show, these booths serve as a nerve center and meeting space for the state economic…