Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a $125 million investment from Nucor Corp to open an advanced manufacturing facility in Alabama that will produce transmission towers.
Nucor claims the facility will produce 200 full-time jobs at the Decatur facility. The positions with an average annual compensation of $75,000 will be filled over four years.
"Alabama offers world-class companies like Nucor all the advantages they need to find success, including a skilled workforce, a pro-business environment and a solid support system," Ivey said. "This investment project is a win for Nucor, Decatur and all of Alabama."
The facility is purported to be highly automated and will be adjacent to the Nucor Steel Decatur sheet steel mill.
"Nucor Corp. has a long-standing manufacturing presence in Alabama, and it's great to see the new Nucor Towers & Structures business unit commence operations in Decatur," said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. "Over the years, we've developed a strong partnership with Nucor, and I look forward to seeing our relationship expand with this new venture."
Nucor said several factors are driving increased demand for utility infrastructure, including grid hardening, renewable energy projects, building a nationwide network of EV chargers, natural disasters and replacements and population growth. Also, increased federal government support for electric infrastructure and clean energy projects will drive additional demand.
According to the Alabama Department of Labor, the state's labor force participation rate of 56.8% lags more than five percentage points behind the national rate. The most recent numbers from December 2022 show a relatively stagnant number, with the rate climbing from 56.2% in December 2021.
Nucor is a North Carolina-based company that produces several steel products, including carbon and alloy steel, hollow structural section tubing, electrical conduit, steel racking, steel piling, steel joists and joist girders, steel deck, fabricated concrete reinforcing steel, cold-finished steel, precision castings, steel fasteners, metal building systems, insulated metal panels, overhead doors, steel grating, and wire and wire mesh.
The company's capital investment in Decatur includes land improvements, the construction of a new building and manufacturing equipment.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), the chairman of the Morgan County Economic Development Association, lauded the investment as a way to strengthen Morgan County.
"It is a true vote of confidence in our community when an existing business decides to further expand its operations here. Our people are our strength in Morgan County," Orr said. "We are grateful for the excellent job they do for employers like Nucor and others across the area."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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