Interstate 22 Alliance Gateway to
Six County Regional Development Alliance - Interstate 22 Access Birmingham to Memphis, 26 Available Industrial Buildings, 25 Available Industrial Sites,
15 Available Industrial Parks, Competitive Site Location Incentives
A Special Report From The World Economic Development Alliance
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www.interstate22alliance.com
Northwest Alabama
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1. Jasper Industrial Park – 406 Acres
2. Tom Bevill Industrial Park – 64 Acres
3. Winston County Industrial Park – 818 Acres*
4. Black Creek Mega Site – 1,800 Acres
5. Brilliant Industrial Park – 122 Acres
6. North Winfield Industrial Park – 240 Acres
7. Winfield Industrial Site – 40 Acres
8. Winfield Interstate Site – 100 Acres*
9. Guin I-22 Commercial Property – 212 Acres
10. Guin Interstate Site – 369 Acres
11. Fulton Bridge Industrial Park – 300 Acres
12. Bedford Industrial Park – 72 Acres
13. Marion County Airport Site 2 – 400 Acres
14. Weston-Hamilton Site – 400 Acres
15. MG Industrial Park – 190 Acres*
16. City of Fayette Industrial Park – 100 Acres
17. Lamar County Industrial Park – 318 Acres
18. Russellville Industrial Park 2 – 165 Acres
19. Phil Campbell Industrial Park – 83 Acres
20. Vina Industrial Park – 400 Acres
21. Haleyville Industrial Site – 51 Acres
22. Hyche Addison Industrial Site – 25 Acres
*AdvantageSite Certified
Demographics
I-22 Alliance Employment Distribution
5%
33%
Public Administration
Service Providing
Goods Producing
62%
I-22 Alliance Employment Distribution
Labor Force Estimates
Labor Force
Employed
Unemployed
Rate
Underemployed
Rate
Available Labor
Effective Workforce
Recruiting Area
657,515
585,220
72,259
11.0%
n/a
n/a
n/a
I-22 Alliance
75,355
65,347
10,008
13.3%
13,820
18.2%
15,982
Fayette County
6,826
5,897
929
13.6%
1,695
24.1%
2,113
Franklin County
13,017
11,395
1,622
12.5%
2,120
16.1%
2,793
Lamar County
5,602
4,723
879
15.7%
993
17.9%
1,366
Marion County
12,285
10,394
1,891
15.4%
2,951
24.2%
3,680
Walker County
28,428
25,222
3,206
11.3%
4,933
17.2%
6,254
Winston County
9,197
7,716
1,481
16.1%
1,128
12.0%
1,676
Alabama
2,128,251
1,903,257
224,994
10.6%
n/a
n/a
n/a
United States
156,255,000
141,055,000
15,201,000
9.7%
n/a
n/a
n/a
Source: Center for Business and Economic Research, The University of Alabama and Alabama Department of Industrial Relations in
Cooperation with the US Department of Labor and the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
Note: Rounding errors may be present. Employment rates based on July 2009 data.
Underemployment data based on May 2008 labor force data and 2008 underemployment rates.
Population
1990
2000
2007
2010
Census
Census
Estimate
Projection
Fayette County
17,962
18,495
17,648
18,795
Franklin County
27,814
31,223
30,439
32,028
Lamar County
15,715
15,904
14,447
14,795
Marion County
29,830
31,214
29,580
32,283
Winston County
22,053
24,843
24,240
25,459
Walker County
67,670
70,713
68,616
72,891
I-22 Alliance
181,044
192,392
184,970
196,251
Alabama
4,040,587
4,447,100
4,627,851
4,838,812
United States
248,709,873
281,421,966
301,621,157
310,232,863
Source: Alabama Department of Industrial Relations and U.S. Census Bureau
The Interstate 22 Alliance is a collaborative effort between the Community Development Foundation of Marion County, The Franklin County
Development Authority, The Walker County Economic & Industrial Development Authority, The West Alabama Economic Development
Authority and The Winston County Development Authority.
www.interstate22alliance.com
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CROSSROADS
Where decisions are made & mobility is incarnate
By: Jonanna Widner
I went to the crossroad, mama, and I looked East and West
Oh yeah I went to the crossroad, and I looked East & West
- “Crossroad Blues,” Robert Johnson
The crossroads have always been an iconic image of the South.
They comprise that fork in the road where you choose East or
West, where decisions are made, and where mobility is incarnate.
The crossroads may be an old metaphor, but these days, in Alabama, they are very real: The I-22 Corridor, a massive, brandnew interstate highway, is almost complete, and with it comes a
new business lifeline for the Northwest section of one of the great
Southern states, Alabama. With its new highway, a huge swath
of businesses now have an easier way to transport goods—East,
West, and beyond.
“I see the I-22 Corridor opening up a section of northwest Alabama that’s never had major highway infrastructure before,” says
Grady Batchelor, President of the Industrial Development Authority of Winston County, Alabama, Inc.
Batchelor is definitely on to something. By the time the final two
miles of the highway are completed in 2010, the Corridor will link
Memphis, TN, with Birmingham, AL, a distance of 213 miles, running through Walker, Franklin, Winston, Lamar, Marion and Fayette Counties. The Corridor parallels the current road, US Highway 78.
The Corridor is no typical East-West highway. It is geared specifically to suit the logistics and transportation needs of many different types of industries.
“The development of Interstate 22
through Northwest Alabama significantly increases our marketability for
the expansion of industrial and distribution related projects. This interstate
highway opens a new corridor for
development and greatly improves
travel from Birmingham through Mississippi and on to Memphis.”
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“The I-22 Corridor will open the Northwest Alabama Counties
to the nation’s transportation system. These counties for too
long, have been isolated from the transportation system and
the Northwest Alabama area is a jewel waiting to be discovered!
We have a workforce available in the region that can support
any type or size industry, with a work ethic that will surpass any.
Buildings are available and the Industrial Parks have space ready
to custom build if preferred. The cost of living and operating in
Northwest Alabama is considerably lower than other regions in
the United States. The I-22 region, and the citizens in our alliance area, pledge to support new industry as we continue to
support existing industry. The existing industry would certainly
testify to our support. We look forward to locating and supporting any new industry to our region,” says Lamar County’s,
Probate Judge Johnny Rogers.
Merchants, industrial manufacturers, and producers concerned
with transporting their products as efficiently as possible won’t
have to worry about such issues with I-22. While Highway 78
often drops down to a two-lane road, for instance, much of
the Corridor is six lanes wide, dropping at its narrowest to four
lanes.
But it’s not just the road itself that is so attractive to the area’s
economic development; it’s also the other roads the Corridor
leads to. By connecting Memphis and Birmingham, I-22 provides a speedy connection to several major highways, making
transport and logistics efficient, accessible, and easy. I-22’s
Eastern terminus, Memphis, is where many North-bound routes
like Interstate 55 lead to St. Louis, Indianapolis and, eventually,
Chicago. Interstate 40, with its connections to Texas and Oklahoma to the West and Nashville to the East, also connects to
the Corridor in Memphis. The Western terminus of Birmingham,
meantime, leads to Interstate 20 (to Atlanta) and to Interstate 65
(also to Nashville).
These connections aren’t just lines on a map—they are trade
routes that provide the basis of a smooth and effectual industrial
operation. They are arteries that open up a better way for Northwest Alabama industries to streamline logistics and distribution.
“With economic industrial development, one of the key factors
is always transportation and access to highway systems,” says
David Knight, the Executive Director of the Walker County Development Authority. “The development of Interstate 22 through
Northwest Alabama significantly increases our marketability for the expansion of industrial and distribution related projects. This interstate highway opens a new corridor for development and greatly improves travel
from Birmingham through Mississippi and on to Memphis.”
Just what might those industries be? Many of the counties favorably impacted by the I-22 Corridor are home to metal manufacturing sites, food
processing, manufactured home sites, mining, automotive companies
and many other diverse industries.
Batchelor cites the story of Exxel Outdoors, Inc. as a case study for what
the I-22 Corridor can do, not just for the region, but for the country. The
company, which makes sleeping bags, was recently touted by MSNBC as
a success story for actually bringing back jobs from China to its manufacturing site in Haleyville, AL, where production costs are actually cheaper
than overseas. By 2010, 90 percent of Exxel’s sleeping bags will be made
there, and—thanks in part to the Corridor—they can be shipped anywhere
in the United States within three days. By contrast, shipping them from
China can take up to two months. “They were able to bring back jobs because our workforce has been able to be more effective,” Batchelor says.
“They actually account for 30 percent of sleeping bag market in the US.”
The Exxel story sums up the appeal of what Northwestern Alabama has
to offer industry and business. The area has long boasted a low cost of
living, ready-for-shovel facilities and industrial sites, low overhead, and a
willing, able workforce. With I-22 as its new artery, the region is prepared
to blossom, bolstering the established companies there with new ones
ready to take advantage of the existing infrastructure in combination with
the new logistics improvements the Corridor provides.
“We’re pretty diversified,” says Executive Director for Franklin County
Economic Development Authority, Mitch Mays, “and we’re looking to attract new industry and build on what we already have. We’ve seen growth
with all of our existing industries and that’s very important to us, but we
would like some new companies in the area.”
New companies will find plenty to work with here. According to Scott
Hunt, an attorney with Marion County, Northwestern Alabama is chockfull of incentives. “I believe Alabama is very competitive,” he says, “and
offers unique packages to entice someone wanting to locate their business or industry here.”
“We have quality workers with a solid educational base,” he continues,
“and we’re able to train our workers to compete with anyone. We have
good labor relationships.”
Hunt also notes the “exceptional industrial parks ready to be developed.
We’re ready to provide a company with a site location that’s beneficial to
them, without a tremendous amount of site preparation.”
Of course, it’s I-22 that really puts the region over the edge. “It gives us an
opportunity to work with companies that we’ve never had an opportunity
to work with before,” Mays explains. “It’s bringing Atlanta to Birmingham
to Memphis, and we see that as being a very important logistical advantage—they can reach 31 states in only one or two days, and there’s not
many places in the country that can offer that.”
“As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family and
worlds largest platform trailer manufacturer, Fontaine
Trailer Company is no stranger to the site selection process. Since our original location in Alabama, the decision to locate not just one but three new facilities along
the I-22 Corridor was made easy due to the support and
commitment our projects received from the local communities. We are excited about the success we have
experienced and look forward to many years of continued growth in the region.”
John W. Craig,
President
Fontaine Trailer Company
“Several years ago Montgomery Distributing, Inc. chose
to locate in northwest Alabama near the I-22 Corridor.
It’s a perfect location for us. We can distribute our shipments to more locations within two days than any other
shipping point in the nation, both small package and
truck. The support we have received from the local community has been outstanding and being near Interstate
22 has allowed us to have a larger footprint for our distribution operations. We have already doubled the size
of our facility and operations and have plans in the very
near future to grow even larger. Northwest Alabama is
the right place for Montgomery Distributing, Inc.”
Scott Montgomery
President
Montgomery Distributing, Inc.
“As a 3rd party logistics provider for companies and
government entities across the country, having our
headquarters facility located in the I-22 region has proven beneficial and we’re sure that benefit will continue
more so in the future. We have always been able to
identify and recruit individuals from the area who possess the qualifications, work ethic and integrity to grow
our company at a rapid pace. We are proud to be a part
of the region and look forward to thriving with the community in the years to come.”
Jacob Norman
General Manager
C2 Freight Resources, Inc.
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Fayette
county
Bachelor Building
• 278,000 SQ. FT. / 8,000 SQ. FT. Office Space
• 24 Acres
• Ceiling Height 22 FT. / 24 FT. Center
• 6 Inch Floor
• Bay Spacing Length 40 FT. Width 50 FT.
• 2 20 Ton Cranes
• 14 Dock Doors
• Zoning Heavy Industrial
• Price: $10,000,000.00
• 20 Miles To I-22
• 100 Acres
• Water: 6 Inch
• Sewer: 8 Inch
• Gas: 6 Inch
• Power: Alabama Power
• $10,000.00 Per Acre
• 20 Miles To I-22
• Shovel Ready Site
Fayette Industrial Park
• 318.4 Acres
• Water: 6 Inch
• Sewer: 8 Inch
• Gas: 10 Inch High Pressure
• Power: Tombigbee Electric Co-op
• $5,000.00 Per Acre
• 30 Miles To I-22
• Sites Are Being Graded For Buildings Now In
Industrial Park
LAMAR county
Lamar County Industrial Park
Chromalox Building
• 190,000 SQ. FT. / 17,748 SQ. FT. Office
• Dimensions 275’ X 700’
• 24 FT. Eave Height 30 FT. Center
• Bay Spacing Length 100 FT. Width 25 FT.
• 18 Acres
• Expandable To 300,000 SQ. FT.
• 8 Inch Floors
• 4 Dock Doors, 2 Drive In Doors
• Zoning: Heavy Industrial
• Price: $1,200,000.00
• 28 Miles To I-22
Winston
county
Dodd Building
• 105,600 SQ. FT. Office Space: 5,600 SQ. FT.
• Main Operations Floor: 400 FT. X 250 FT.
• 17 Foot Eave Height; 21 Foot Center
• 23 Acres
• Expandable: Yes
• Floor: 4 Inches
• 1 Dock Door; 6 Drive In Doors
• Zoning: Light Industrial
• Price: $990,000
• 15 Miles To I-22 www.interstate22alliance.com
Winston County
Industrial Park
• Advantagesite Certified
• Covenants Apply
• Medium Industrial
• 818 Acres
• Water: 8 Inch
• Power: Alabama Power Company
• 161 KVA Transmission Line
• Onsite Sewer System
• $10,000 Per Acre
• 6 Miles To I-22
Marion county
• Covenants Apply
• Industrial
• 300 Acres
• Water: 8 Inch
• Sewer: 8 Inch
• Natural Gas: Served By 10” Inch Main By Public
Gas Corporation
• Power: Alabama Power Company 47kv Power
• $5,000 Per Acre
• On I-22
• 52,000 SQ. FT. Spec Building Onsite
• Advantage Site Certified
• 100 Acres
• Water: 8 Inch
• Sewer: 8 Inch
• Gas: 6 Inch High Pressure
• 44 Kv Power Transmission Line
• $10,000 Per Acre
• On Interstate 22
Winfield Interstate Site
Fulton Bridge Industrial Park
Franklin
County
• 52,000 SQ. FT. Industrial Space
• 3,700 SQ. FT. Office Space
• Located In Russellville
Industrial Park #1
• 3 Phase Electric Service
• Gas – 6” Main, 300 PSI
• Water – 12” Main
• Sewer – 8” Main
• Price $1,488,000
Russellville
• Expandable to 105,000 SQ. FT.
• 38 Miles To Interstate 22
• 20 Miles To Northwest Regional Airport
Bevill Industrial Park
MG Industrial Park
Spec Building #1
• 500 Acre Industrial Park
• 64 Acres Remaining
• Shovel Ready Site
• Water: 12 Inch Main
• Sewer: 12 Inch Main
• Gas: 8 Inch Main
• Zoning: Industrial
• $15,000 Per Acre
• One Mile To I-22
Speculative Building #4
• 172 Acres
• Advantagesite Certified
• 3 Phase Electric Service
• Gas – 6” Main, 300 PSI
• Water – 12” Main
• Sewer – 8” Main
• 38 Miles To Interstate 22
• $10,000 Per Acre
• Located Adjacent To Russellville Municipal Airport
• 20 Miles To Northwest Regional Airport
Walker
county
• 53,000 SQ. FT. 3,000 SQ. FT. Office
• Dimensions: 160x313
• 28 Foot Eave Height; 41 Foot Center
• 14 Acres
• Expandable To 100,000 SQ. FT.
• 2 Dock Doors; 1 Drive In Door
• Clear Span Construction
• One Mile To I-22
• Price: $1,300,000
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Interstate 22 Alliance Gateway to
Northwest alabama
Interstate 22 Alliance
P.O. Box 368, Haleyville, AL 35565
Phone 1-888-489-1101
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www.interstate22alliance.com