Automotive Suppliers / Metals
In Etowah County, Fehrer Automotive supplies components for vehicle interiors for Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa and Volkswagen in Chattanooga. Prince Metal Stampings and Choice Fabricators Inc. specialize in metal stamping, welded assembly and electrocoating for the automotive industry. Koller-Craft South specializes in injection molded plastic automotive components. Inteva’s Gadsden facility manufactures products ranging from armrests, consoles and instrument panels to glove boxes, window regulators and motors. C, G, and J Inc. manufactures full lines of all-aluminum charge air coolers, oil coolers and radiators.
In St. Clair County, automotive suppliers WKW North America, Eissmann Group Automotive and Unipres Alabama are among the county’s top manufacturing employers. In Steele, Meyer Utility Structures manufactures large utility poles. And in Pell City, Valtir, a global supplier of highway safety products, and Garrison Steel, which specializes in structural steel fabrication for clients throughout the Southeast, are also top employers. In January, Indiana-based Ford Meter Box, a manufacturer of underground waterworks products, announced plans for a $23 million expansion of its facility in Pell City, and in February, Douglas Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of conveyor system components, announced plans for an expansion of its Pell City facility, valued at nearly $11.7 million and creating 50 jobs.
Louis Allis, which makes specialty electric motors, operates a manufacturing facility in Blount County. Metal suppliers in the county include Tennessee Valley Metals, Stephens Pipe & Steel, Hornsby Steel and Jones Valley Fabrication. Alabama Guardrail celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024; the company specializes in installing and repairing highway guardrails, denied access fencing and overhead and traffic control signs. PSStech LLC manufactures a range of precision machining solutions, including 5-axis milling, Y-axis turning and CNC plasma cutting.
Agriculture / Food Service
Poultry processors Koch Foods and Tyson Foods are among the top 10 largest employers in Etowah County. Vending machine supplier Buffalo Rock’s Gadsden facility serves Cherokee, Dekalb, Etowah, Marshall and parts of Blount, Calhoun, Jackson and St. Clair counties, and last year, K-VA-T Food Stores celebrated the opening of its second Food City store in Gadsden. Dean Sausage Co. has operated out of Atalla since 1955 and supplies grocery stores throughout the South.
In St. Clair County, the food service sector is also represented. In 2024, Moody-based Red Diamond Coffee and Tea launched Morris & Park, a collection of eight flavors of single-serve teas. The name of the new product line is a nod to the company’s Birmingham roots, combining the name of its first office location on Morris Avenue with its current address on Park Avenue. The company also expanded its ready-to-serve iced tea line in 2023, when it launched a new sweet tea and lemonade product. In January, Midas Foods International announced it had acquired J.M. Exotic Foods, a manufacturer of spices, seasonings and specialty food products; Midas said the company’s 50,000-square-foot facility in Moody will remain in place. Food ingredient supplier Processor’s Choice is also headquartered in Moody; the company operates four regional warehouses and ships to more than 20 states. In Pell City, meat processor Royal Foods offers more than 50 products and supplies customers in 10 Southern states.
Tyson Foods is the largest industrial employer in Blount County.
Additional Manufacturers
Vulcan Industries in Moody specializes in designing, engineering and manufacturing custom retail displays and store fixtures. Cintas in Gadsden provides a work uniform rental program and laundry services for businesses. Selma-based American Apparel, a manufacturer of combat and utility uniforms for the armed services, operates a facility in Oneonta.
Higher Education
Community colleges in each county offer a variety of programs and workforce certifications for in-demand jobs.
Gadsden State Community College offers 65 programs that can be completed in two years or less and prepare graduates for direct entry into the workforce.
In addition to career and technical training degree programs, Jefferson State Community College’s St. Clair-Pell City campus offers many short-certificate programs that provide non-credit workforce training that can be completed between six weeks and six months.
And Wallace State Community College’s Oneonta campus is expanding its workforce training options with the addition of a full-time CDL instructor. It also has a robust adult education program and offers free ESL and GED classes.
Health Care
Health care facilities in all three counties are listed among the top employers. With more than 1,000 employees, the Gadsden Regional Medical Center is the largest employer in Etowah County. Gadsden is also home to Riverview Regional Medical Center, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Gadsden and Mountain View Hospital.
In November 2024, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System Authority assumed ownership of Ascension St. Vincent’s Health System in central Alabama, including hospitals in St. Clair and Blount counties.
Tourism
Visitors are drawn to the three counties for hiking, biking, golf and a variety of other outdoor activities. The scenic Locust Fork River is popular for whitewater rafting; Rickwood Caverns is famous for its “miracle mile” of underground caverns; and Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake offer an abundance of largemouth and spotted bass for anglers.
Business Briefs:
JANUARY 2025: QuikTrip breaks ground on a new travel center on I-59 in Ashville. The facility is expected to open in the Spring of 2026 and create two dozen jobs.
DECEMBER 2024: The Gadsden City Council approves site preparation for $20 million Coosa Harbor mixed-use development project.
DECEMBER 2024: The Pell City Council approves a development incentive package that will bring an Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse to the city.
OCTOBER 2024: Gadsden receives $2.97 million grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior for the Downtown Gadsden Greenway project.
OCTOBER 2024: Etowah County receives a $4.6 million SEEDS grant to help construct approximately three miles of water transmission main to serve the NEAR Megasite.
OCTOBER 2024: Two St. Clair County communities, Moody and Springville, received funding from the SEEDS program totaling $2.5 million as part of an initiative to help smaller communities develop industry-ready sites to attract new businesses.
JUNE 2024: Gadsden State Community College opens the Advanced Manufacturing and Workforce Skills Training Center on the East Broad Campus. The center will house the mechatronics, industrial automation, precision machining, mechanical design technology, additive manufacturing and electronics engineering programs.
JUNE 2024: Allied Mineral Products breaks ground on a $23.5 million expansion of its Pell City plant that produces a variety of heat containment and refractory products used in industrial applications. The project will add a 200,000-square-foot production facility and create 13 new jobs.
MAY 2024: Gadsden State Community College announces a $7.9 million renovation of the Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center and academic wing, with new studio space, computer labs, restrooms, electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, plus an updated entrance.
APRIL 2024: Gadsden State Community College breaks ground on a $10 million baseball-softball complex.
JANUARY 2024: Ford Meter Box announces plans for a $23.2 million expansion of its Pell City facility. The Indiana-based manufacturer of underground waterworks products will build a new 60,000-square-foot building and invest in new equipment to allow for fabrication of large-diameter steel components and increased production capacity.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Shivaay Hospitality LLC breaks ground on an 89-room Marriott TownePlace Suites in Pell City. It will be St. Clair County’s first Marriott brand.
This article appears in the April 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
