ARTAG Talks Energy Savings with
Industry and Local
Leaders
Local industry and community
leaders recently met with The Alabama Retirees Technical
Advisory Group (ARTAG) at the Shoals Economic
Development Authority (SEDA) offices. ARTAG
is staffed by retired engineers,
scientists, and other professionals. They have
conducted waste reduction
assessments and energy audits in
businesses, manufacturing plants,
and schools throughout Alabama.
Buster Smith stated
that ARTAG checks air systems, water
heater systems, and other, often
overlooked, systems that tend to
increase energy costs. ARTAG helps
businesses and organizations find
ways to decrease energy costs,
without having to change human
behavior, through the use of
automated features.
Liz Anderson has been working
with ARTAG while they have been
auditing schools. She introduced
Robert Mitchell who told the
group about the energy audits
they have been doing and
demonstrated some of the
equipment used to measure energy
efficiency.
Florence Mayor Bobby Irons commended ARTAG
for the work they did at the
city-county building on Court
Street,
stating, "We appreciate what you did
there for the city."
ARTAG did energy
audits for Florence at that
building, and
they suggested changing the traffic lights
to more efficient Light Emitting
Diodes (LEDs), saving money for the
city of Florence.
Does your business or organization
need an energy audit?
ARTAG's services are conducted
by professionals who have 10 to 15
years of experience. Their free,
confidential services include
the following:
• Identify ways to reduce your
costs
• Show how to pay for lighting
with energy savings
• Identify high energy users
in your operation
• Analyze utility bills and
rate structure
• Furnish reports with
recommendations for reducing
energy costs
The Rogersville Spec building is
close to completion and it has
become a stunning landmark on
Highway 72. SEDA and the
Rogersville community have
worked closely to plan and
construct the most appropriate
facility to attract industry
to The Shoals.
The New Alabama Robotics
Technology Park
Construction of a
new
Robotics Technology Park
is underway in Decatur, Alabama,
and it is
designed to provide training in
robotics and automation, making
Alabama a leader in the field.
The Park will have three
training facilities. The first
is the Robotic Maintenance
Training Center and is for
training in robotic machinery.
The second is the Advanced
Technology Research and
Development Center and it is for
research and testing robotics
for military and space projects.
The third building is the
Integration and Entrepreneurial
Center and it will bring
education and industry together
so that new robotic machinery
will provide for the dynamic
needs of industry.
Mr. Ronnie Smith,
AIDT, stated
that the Robotics Technology
Park was established for all of
Alabama. It is a total
collaboration between 2-year
colleges, 4-year universities,
and industry. Plans are underway
to incorporate these services
offered at the RTP into the
curriculum at
Northwest-Shoals Community College
and the curriculum in science at
the
University
of North Alabama.
Mr. Smith emphasized the fact
that no one will have to leave
Alabama to receive this
state-of-the-art training. He
stated the Robotics Technology
Park is a “great economic
development tool” as there are
so many different parts that add
to the economy of our state. Mr.
Smith added that the Robotics
Technology Park will allow us to
“increase the quality of the
skills in our labor force,”
boosting local industry and
making us more competitive in
the global economy.
Thacker Casket, Truly a "Bright
Spot" in Alabama
Thacker
Casket, Inc. is a national
company with its production
operations located in the
Florence-Lauderdale Industrial
Park.
Since their move to The Shoals
in 2005, the company has grown
steadily, increasing its
employment numbers on a regular
basis.
The company has announced plans
to increase its workforce once
again. Thacker Casket employs
160 workers and will add an
additional 40 employs in the
next three years.
National Alabama Corporation has
created an up-to-date video of
its two-million-square-foot
railcar manufacturing facility
in Barton, Alabama. The video
also includes interesting
historical information about
Wilson Dam and beautiful footage
of The Shoals and the Tennessee
River.
Employment
Increasing in The Shoals
According to the Alabama
Department of Industrial
Relations, the employment
for The Shoals area is
increasing. In January of 2010,
the number of people employed in
The Shoals was 58,420. In June
of 2010, the number had
increased to 60,880. There
are 2400 more people working in
the area than were working in
January.
Florence - Muscle
Shoals
January
February
March
April
May
June
Civilian Labor Force
66,195
66,118
66,551
67,572
67,405
67,574
Employment
58,420
58,689
59,626
60,546
60,889
60,880
Unemployment
7,775
7,429
6,925
7,026
6,538
6,694
Unemployment Rate
11.7
11.2
10.4
10.4
9.7
9.9
Source: Alabama Department of
Industrial Relations. 2010. Unemployment Data. Retrieved from:
http://www2.dir.state.al.us/LAUS/CLF/pg_12_MAs.aspx
Shoals Training Alliance
Activities
The Shoals Training Alliance has
had a busy spring and summer,
with 20 classes coordinated to
train employees of local
industry. Many of the classes
have addressed the need for
employees to upgrade their
technical skills to match the
needs of companies in the 21st
Century.
Overview of Recent Training
Classes
Microsoft Access
2007
– Nineteen (19) participants
from seven (7) companies
Microsoft Excel 2007
– Thirty-nine (39) participants
from eleven (11) companies
OSHA 10 -- General Industry
Certification
– Thirty-eight (38) participants
from twenty (20) companies
Forklift Training
– Nine (9) participants from
seven (7) companies
Microsoft Project I
– Seven (7) participants from
one (1) company
Upcoming Classes
Microsoft
Access (Level III)
–
August
2–3 (at NWSCC)
OSHA 10 – General Industry
Certification
–
August 12–13 (at NWSCC)
Empowering Teams
–
September 27 (at SEDA)
Leadership Skills I
–
September 28-29 (at SEDA)
If you are an industry in The
Shoals and would like to enroll
employees in any of the upcoming
classes or if you have training
needs with which the Training
Alliance could assist, please
contact Bart Jackson at
256-764-0351. For more
information click:Overview
of the Shoals Training Alliance
SEDA is on Facebook
If you are a member
of
Facebook,
be sure to visit our page and
click the "like"
button so that you
can become a member of our
group. You can post pictures and comments
there as well as see the
latest SEDA news.
ARTAG's services are conducted
by professionals who have 10 to 15
years of experience. Their free,
confidential services include
the following:
