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FY 2009 First Edition
SEDA News
International Trade
Available Building Highlight
Meeting Schedule
Previous E-Newsletters
SEDA News
The Shoals Recognized as a
Targeted and Prepared Community
Boyette Levy, an Atlanta consulting firm that provides
strategic advice and communications support in economic and
community  development, presented findings and
recommendations on Thursday, October 16, and recognized the
Shoals community and Shoals Economic Development Authority
for its leadership and participation in the Valley Targeted
and Prepared Community Program (TaP). This program,
offered by
Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development
in cooperation with local power companies and administered
by Boyette Levy, helps communities enhance their economic
development efforts.
The Shoals was one of three communities selected this year
in the Tennessee Valley region to participate in the
program. The TaP program features a planning process
that includes an in-depth evaluation of a community's
resources and strengths to target and recruit specific
industry segments, which could result in additional jobs and
investments.
"TVA applauds The Shoals for their successful completion of
this strategic planning process. It helps prepare the
community for continued economic success," says TVA Senior
Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley.
The strategy for The Shoals was developed using an in-depth
process that included the following steps:
h Conducted a leadership
audit and made assessments related to the existing economic
development structure;
h Identified the community's economic core strengths and areas for development;
h Interviewed community stakeholders; and,
h Assessed the community's fit with certain attractive industry sectors or business opportunities to determine appropriate targets for the community.
"Our findings show that the best targeted business
opportunities for The Shoals include aerospace/aviation
suppliers, automotive suppliers, foreign direct investment,
and retirement services," said D el Boyette, principal of
Boyette Levy. "The
Shoals encompasses Colbert and Lauderdale Counties and is
located in Northwest Alabama near the intersection of U.S.
Highway 72 and U.S. Highway
43, both four-lane highways.
U.S. Highway 72 also connects The Shoals to Interstate 40
and Interstate 65. The Shoals is home to two
institutions of higher learning, the
University of North
Alabama and
Northwest-Shoals Community College.
Leadership in The Shoals is also very dedicated and
interested in the future of the community and the
 development of industry. These are all major assets
that strengthen the community's efforts to attract and grow
businesses."
"Boyette Levy is doing an outstanding job in helping our
community accomplish our goals by providing a path to follow
to obtain positive economic growth for our citizens," said SEDA Past Chairman Macke Mauldin.
Forrest Wright, president of the Shoals Economic Development
Authority, said, "The TaP Community Program provides us with
valuable information to help fine tune The Shoals' economic development efforts. TVA and Boyette Levy
have highlighted our assets and identified the targeted
business sectors that will best fit and thrive in our area."
SCA Recognizes America Recycles
Day with Celebration and Tour of Newest Paper Machine
Don
Lewis, president of
SCA Tissue North America, welcomed a
group of SCA supporters to the SCA Tissue -- Barton
Operations facility in the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park
on November 14, 2008, to recogniz e America Recycles Day with
a celebration and tour of SCA's newest paper
machine. This exciting event came just 19
months after SCA publicly announced plans to invest $150
million in this new addition to its Barton facility.
The new machine will give SCA an additional production
capacity of 70,000 tons of recycled paper products at
Barton.
Mr. Lewis highlighted the strong commitment that
SCA has made to recycling
and to operating in an environmentally friendly way.
"On an environmental front, the total annual recycled
tonnage for SCA Tissue is 800,000 tons," said Mr. Lewis.
"To put that in perspective, that's enough recycled material
to cover more than 249 football fields three feet high from
end zone to end zone. So that's pretty impressive.
"Recycling by SCA Tissue annually results in
environmental savings of 302 million gallons of oil, 2.4
million cubic yards of landfill space, 5.6 billion gallons
of water, and 3.2 billion kilowatts of electricity.
That's a perfect segue into the America Recycles Day, which
is tomorrow, November 15.
"SCA
was named the second greenest company on the planet in 2007
by the
Independent, a major
British newspaper, in conjunction with
Ethical Investment Research Services.
To put that in perspective, we were number two, but number
one was a wind-turbine company, so it was very tough
competition.
"In just over four years of operation in the
state-of-the-art facility here in Barton, we've won multiple
environmental kudos including a state pollution-prevention
award, a state waste-recycling award, and an award from the
Alabama Department of Environmental Management."
Mr. Lewis presented award checks to several Shoals area
winners of America Recycles Day grants: the
Florence/Lauderdale Tourism bureau for its
Shoals Earth Day
Fest,
Covenant
Christian School in Tuscumbia for a hands-on
environmental classroom, and the
Cherokee High School Future
Farmers of America (FFA) to initiate a recycling program
between the Barton tissue plant and the school's FFA
program.
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Photo Gallery |
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(l to r) Don Lewis, SCA Tissue; Beth Greenwood,
Florence/Lauderdale Tourism |
(l to r) Don Lewis, SCA Tissue; Becky Odell,
Covenant Christian School |
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(l to r) Don Lewis, SCA Tissue; Dennis Deaton,
Cherokee High School; Sarah Beth Worsham, Cherokee
High School; Kyle Robinson, Cherokee High School;
Kevin Foster, Cherokee High School; J.J. Benjamin,
Cherokee High School |
(l to r) Jim Haeffele, SCA Tissue; Marty Ferguson, SCA Tissue |
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(l to r) Roger Bedford, Alabama State Senator; Mayor
Chuck Lansdell, City of Cherokee; Marty Ferguson,
SCA Tissue |
(l to r) Rex Burleson, Colbert County Commission;
Mayor Bobby Irons, City of Florence |
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(l to r) Macke Mauldin, Shoals Economic Development
Authority; Bobby Denton, Alabama State Senator |
(l to r) Mike Curtis, Alabama State Representative;
Dr. Humphrey Lee, Northwest-Shoals Community College |
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(l to r) Allen Hughes, Sheffield Utilities; Mayor
Chuck Lansdell, City of Cherokee |
(l to r) Dr. Joan Parris, Shoals Economic
Development Authority; Beth Dickerson, Florence City
Schools; Liz Anderson, Shoals Economic Development
Authority |
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(l to r) Billy Ray Moore, Shoals Economic
Development Authority; Mayor Bobby Irons, City of
Florence |
(l to r) Forrest Wright, Shoals Economic Development
Authority; Andy Chorney, SCA Tissue; Tim Fulmer, SCA
Tissue |
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(l to r) Marty Ferguson, SCA Tissue, Doug Ruggles,
Shoals Economic Development Authority; Roger
Bedford, Alabama State Senator; Richard Decker, Martin
Plant Services |
(l to r) Shirley McClure, Shoals Economic
Development Authority; Lesley Cox, Shoals Economic
Development Authority |
Southwire Company Announces "12 for Life" Program
The
Southwire Company has
made a strong commitment to The Shoals, and in particular,
to the
City of Florence, by announcing a "12 for Life"
program to help at-risk students of Florence City High
School and the Florence Freshman Center stay in school and
work toward graduation. The exciting announcement was
made at a news conference held at the
Florence City Schools
Board
of Education office on October 14.
Patterned after a similar program at Southwire's facility in
Carrollton, Georgia, the program in The Shoals will give
at-risk students the opportunity to earn $8.00 per hour
while still attending school for at least four hours a day, with the
goal of obtaining their high school degree. From 30 to
35 students will be employed in the program.
The students will do age-appropriate jobs at a
30,000-square-foot facility that Southwire purchased just to
the west of Southwire's production facility in the
Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park. The building will
be modified and equipped to suit Southwire's needs and
should be ready for the program to begin in mid-2009.
The Florence City School system will provide an on-site
coordinator and transportation for the students.
Hopefully, this program will be as successful here in
The Shoals as it has been in Carrollton. It certainly
demonstrates an innovative way to tackle two issues, that of
improving graduation rates for at-risk students and
developing a productive workforce for manufacturers in the
area.
SEDA Appoints New Officers for
FY2009
 The Shoals Economic Development Authority has
appointed new officers for the 2009 fiscal year.
The officers for this year are as follows:
Jack Johnson, Chairman
Buster Smith, Vice Chairman
Dr. Joan Parris, Treasurer
Incoming Chairman Jack Johnson presented outgoing
Chairman Roy Rudolph with a plaque commemorating his service to SEDA and congratulated him for the accomplishments of the past year.
National Alabama Corporation
Update
National Alabama Corporation
(NAC)'s outstanding progress continues as the company moves
forward on two fronts: the construction and equipping
of its massive rail-car manufacturing facility in the
Barton
Riverfront Industrial Park and the hiring of the management
and production team members to operate the facility.
On the construction and equipping front, the progress
over the last year has been incredible, moving rapidly from
a greenfield site in September 2008 to first erection of
steel in February 2008 to a manufacturing facility with
completed roof and building shell.
On the employment front, the senior management team is
nearly complete at this point. AIDT's recruitment and
training of NAC manufacturing and maintenance team members
continues at a steady pace. As groups of pre-employment trainees
complete classroom training and move to the assessment part
of the process, new trainees are moving from orientation to
classroom training. Once the trainees have completed
both the pre-employment classroom training and the
assessment portion, they are interviewed by NAC for possible
employment. Those hired by NAC then begin welding
training at
Northwest-Shoals Community College, which equipped
a welding facility specifically for training NAC's new
hires.
Employment highlights:
h 10
orientation sessions held – 1300 invited
h The
core management team on board and engaged
h First
“new hires” in welding school at NW-SCC
h Expect
approximately 100 to 125 new “Team Members” by first of
2009
h The HR
team is currently organizing support systems, team-member manuals, and training programs
Shoals Manufacturers Association Annual Dinner
The Shoals Manufacturers Association (SMA) held its annual dinner on November 13 at
Turtle Point Yacht and Country
Club.
SMA members enjoyed spending the
evening together with invited
guests
from The Shoals area, including
officials from local and state
government. The
annual dinner is a highlight for
the SMA members each fall.
The SMA
is made up of Shoals
manufacturers who meet
every other month to discuss
issues facing industry as a
whole, as well as concerns of specific companies.
These bi-monthly meetings
typically feature a speaker
selected by the SMA Executive
Committee to present
information that will benefit
the SMA membership.
Speakers have covered a number
of interesting topics in recent
meetings:
pre-employment testing, worker's
compensation, wellness programs,
legal issues, Ready to
Work, energy conservation, Dream
It--Do it, employee training. The upcoming
speaker for the January 14,
2009, meeting will focus on the
results of the 2008
elections and the implications
for employers.
Shoals
area manufacturers with ten or
more employees
are eligible to join the SMA.
For more information, contact
Lesley Cox, SEDA, at
(256) 764-0351.
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Photo Gallery |
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(l to r) Janice Curtis; Mike Curtis, Alabama State
Representative; Ginger Lewey; Curtis Lewey, Applied
Chemical Technology |
(l to r) David Haygood, Sparks Industries; Mayor Bobby Irons, City of
Florence; Evonne Haygood; Sara Irons |
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(l to r) Norm Freebeck, Tarkett; Kellie Freebeck |
(l to r) Bonnie Calvery; Janet Blazer |
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(l to r) Susie Heird, Shoals Economic Development
Authority; Sara Irons |
(l to r) David Logan, Alabama Electric Motor
Services; Bill Quesenberry, Alabama Electric Motor
Services |
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(l to r) Bill Calvery, Dixie Heat Treating; Carl
Parasiliti, Imperial Casting; Judy Parasiliti |
(l to r) Ashley Mitchell; David Draper, Robbins LLC |
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(l to r) Mike Nelson, Shoals Tubular; Curtis Lewey,
Applied Chemical Technology |
(l to r) Amy Leiter; Brad Leiter; Dillon Hodges |
Shoals Industry Classic Golf
Tournament
SEDA hosted the 13th
Annual Shoals Industry Classic Golf Tournament on
September 29, 2008, at the
Robert Trent Jones Golf
Trail @ The Shoals. The tournament brought
together 131 golfers from local industry, sponsors,
government, and economic development to promote
support for industry in The Shoals and build
camaraderie among stakeholders in The Shoals
economy.
SEDA would like to express its thanks once more to the
support of the sponsors who made this year's
tournament a success:
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Photo Gallery |
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Flight #1 Winners
(l to r) Will Little, Bill Howard, Mike McDaniel |
Flight #2 Winners
(l to r) Jay Irons, Stan Tomblin, Tyndal Davis |
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Flight #3 Winners
(l to r) Jonathan Toland, Jerry Mizell, Dwight
Smith, David Mullins |
Flight #4 Winners
(l to r) Kristin McDaniel, Chad Burleson, Drew Uhler |
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I nternational
Trade
2008 North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA) Trade Education Tour
--
Export Solutions: Improving Your Bottom Line
The
North Alabama
International Trade Association (NAITA) held a trade
seminar in The Shoals on October 23, 2008, at the Shoals
Center for Business and Economic Development. The
seminar, entitled Export Solutions: Improving Your
Bottom Line, featured specialists in various aspects of
international trade from the
U.S. Department of Commerce's Birmingham Export
Assistance Center,
the
Alabama International Trade Center (AITC),
NAITA,
Regions Bank,
Panalpina, and the
Alabama Development Office.
Anne Burkett, NAITA Executive Director, opened the
seminar
 with
a welcome from NAITA and a brief overview of NAITA's
role in promoting international trade to companies in
North Alabama, followed by an introduction of the
participants in the seminar.
The first speaker, Michael Brooks, assistant director of the
Alabama International Trade Center, directed his
presentation toward three key areas of exporting, which
included advantages to exporting, the need to thoroughly build export
readiness, and six different aspects of
the export transaction.
Robert Stackpole, international trade specialist with
the U.S. Department of Commerce's Birmingham Export
Assistance Center, followed Mr. Brooks with a
presentation on identifying international markets.
The presentation highlighted the important role that the
U.S. Commercial Service can play in helping companies
find international markets for their products and/or
services by utilizing the following from the U.S. Commercial Service:
market research,
Gold Key Matching Service,
trade counseling,
the Advocacy Center,
International Partner Search,
International Company Profile,
International Buyer Program,
U.S. Export Pavilion,
Catalog Exhibition Shows,
China Business Information Center,
Middle East and North Africa
Business Information Center,
Commercial News USA,
and the
Trade Information Center.
Next on the program, Glenn Sigler, vice president of
global trade finance at Regions Bank for the Alabama,
Mississippi, and Florida panhandle region, presented
information on export financing and getting paid.
Critical to any international trading is the need to
define the risks involved--commercial, sovereign,
transaction--and look at ways to mitigate the risk.
Mr. Sigler noted a number of ways to finance an export
transaction and included pertinent information on
Incoterms 2000,
the
Export-Import Bank,
pre- and post-export financing, SBA Export Express,
and
export credit insurance.
Guy Falkenberry, a business development manager for
Panalpina, wrapped up the seminar with a comprehensive
look at transporting goods internationally. He
focused on how critical it can be to develop a good
working relationship with a properly licensed freight
forwarder. His presentation took an in-depth look
at the different types of export documentation used in
international trade by the shipper and by the forwarder.
He then discussed Incoterms 2000, liability and
insurance, and the Indirect Air Carrier Standard
Security Program.
Overall, the seminar proved to be very informative and
certainly benefited the company representatives who
attended. With the
Export Alabama Trade Alliance
working to assist Alabama companies to
export their products and services, international trade
should become a reachable opportunity for a greater
number of companies. Companies in The Shoals that
are interested in learning more about international
trade should contact Bart Jackson, SEDA, at
256-764-0351 .
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Available
Building Highlight
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Gieske Building
9341 Highway 43
Killen, AL 35645
Lauderdale County
88,000 Square Feet |
|
Click
here
for
building form (.pdf)
with details
about the
building |
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Meeting Schedule
SEDA Monthly Board of
Directors Meetings
December 9, 2008
January 13, 2009
February 10, 2009
March 10, 2009 (cancelled)
April 14, 2009
May 12, 2009
Shoals
Manufacturers Association
January 14, 2009
March 11, 2009
May 13, 2009
Shoals Industry-Education
Training Alliance
January 21, 2009
April 15, 2009
July 15, 2009
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Top
Previous E-Newsletters
September 2008 E-Newsletter
NAIDA Presents SEDA President with Economic Development Award
SCA Named to 2008 World's Most Ethical Companies List
National Alabama Corporation Event
Shoals Training Alliance Holds Fourth Supervisor Training Class in 2008
Export Finance Seminar Held in The Shoals
SEDA to Co-Sponsor NAITA Trade Education Tour -- Export Solutions
Available Building Highlight: Warren Properties (18,500 square feet)
April 2008 E-Newsletter
2008 Existing Industry Visitation Program
Southwire Company to Expand in Florence
SEDA Hosts Annual Appreciation Luncheon in Montgomery
National Alabama Corporation Erects First Structural Steel
Empire Electronics Locates in Shoals Entrepreneurial Center
Shoals Training Alliance Holds Supervisor Training Classes
Available Building Highlight: Warren Properties (18,500 sq. ft.)
December 2007 E-Newsletter
The Shoals Wins CEDA Award from the Southern Economic Development Council
The Shoals Chosen for TVA Valley TaP Program
Shoals Manufacturers Association Annual Dinner (multiple photos)
SEDA Appoints New Officers for FY2008
International Floors of America, Inc. to Expand in Florence
National Alabama Corporation Update
The Shoals Training Alliance Schedules Supervisor Training Classes
Available Building Highlight: Waverlee Building (162,500 sq. ft.)
Special Announcement
The Shoals Welcomes National Alabama Corporation (multiple photos)
June 2007 E-Newsletter
Shoals Research Airpark Reaches Important Milestone
Listerhill Total Maintenance Center Adding Capabilities
Florence City Schools Rated as a Top School District in the U.S.
Available Building: Roberson Road Complex (41,920 sq. ft.)
April/May
2007 E-Newsletter
SEDA Receives 2007 Economic Development Achievement Award
Wise Alloys Project to Widen Can Sheet Width
Alabama Development Office Named Top State Economic Development Agency in the U.S.
Alabama Ranked as Fourth Fastest-Growing Exporter in U.S.
Available Building: Wise Alloys Building (120,000 sq. ft.)
March
2007 E-Newsletter
SCA: Planting Deeper Roots in Alabama (multiple photos)
Wise Metals Group to Widen Can-Stock Capacity
City of Florence Breaks Ground on New Sportsplex
Available Building: Wylie #14 (105,000 sq. ft.)
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