FORT DEPOSIT, Alabama – For more than 85 years, Priester’s Pecans has helped families across Alabama and beyond celebrate the holidays, and the Lowndes County company continues to write new chapters in its storied history. The pecan processor and handmade candy operation is in the middle of its busiest time of the year, as more…

From juicy turkeys to decadent desserts, Alabama’s rural counties can help fill your holiday table with a tasty spread. Small farms, major food manufacturers and longtime family businesses contribute to the bounty, while also being key drivers of jobs, investment and economic growth in their communities. “The companies behind some of Alabama’s most beloved flavors…

SELMA, Alabama — Alabama officials announced today Globe Metallurgical Inc. (GMI),  a subsidiary of Ferroglobe PLC, a leading producer of silicon metal and specialty alloys, is moving forward with a plan to restart an idled silicon metal facility in Selma. The Dallas County facility will employ about 100 people and conduct business with 150 local…

BREWTON, Alabama – Provalus, an information technology services firm that seeks to tap talent in underserved communities, has opened a 55,000-square-foot headquarters in Brewton, a small city located in rural South Alabama. Governor Kay Ivey joined company leaders and local officials at a ceremony this week to mark the official opening of the new Provalus…

VANCE, Alabama – As Mercedes-Benz U.S. International continues to expand its $6 billion Alabama auto assembly operation, the company is also investing in schools and training programs across the state, including those in rural counties. In turn, the schools and training programs are helping to fill the automaker’s worker pipeline, a crucial part of its…

HEADLAND, Alabama – When Lloyd Keel opened a distillery in Henry County three years ago, he envisioned a hobby business built on his longtime interest in making whiskey. As a boy growing up in rural Southeastern Alabama, Keel and his buddies sometimes ran across the remains of Prohibition-era moonshine stills while they were playing in…

Economic development activity in Alabama’s rural counties ticked higher during the first half of 2021, building on growth projects that were launched in these areas last year despite the challenges of a pandemic. Preliminary, year-to-date results from the Alabama Department of Commerce show that projects locating in Alabama’s 40 “targeted” counties will generate at least…

COURTLAND, Alabama — At a World War II-era Air Force base in rural Lawrence County, defense contractor Lockheed Martin this month opened one of the nation’s smartest factories, where workers will bring to life futuristic technologies to protect the U.S. Lockheed Martin says the 65,000-square-foot structure in Courtland — known as Missile Assembly Building 4,…

Companies making great products in small corners of the state stepped into the spotlight at the first installment of the Made in Alabama Showcase, an event last week that featured extraordinary homegrown products. Six of the 12 companies honored by Governor Kay Ivey at the Showcase are based in rural Alabama communities — a fact…

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Governor Kay Ivey, in partnership with the Alabama Department of Commerce, today honored a dozen homegrown businesses at the Inaugural “Made in Alabama” Showcase. To celebrate October as “Manufacturing Month,” Governor Ivey selected 12 businesses for their work in producing exceptional Alabama-made products and invited them to exhibit their products at the…