
Automotive Suppliers and Metalworking
With 850 employees, the Adient plant in Clanton is the county’s largest employer and supplies automotive seating to multiple automakers. Also in Clanton, Kumi Manufacturing of Alabama (KMA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kamco Industries Inc., is a full-service provider of plastic injection molding parts and is the second largest employer in Chilton County. The KMA facility has more than 20 injection molding machines, ranging from 110-ton to 2000-ton units.
The metalworking sector also ranks among the county’s top employers. Franklin Iron Works specializes in manufacturing ductile iron castings used in a wide range of industries, including water and wastewater management, power generation, vertical transportation, agricultural equipment and heavy trucking. The O-Flex Metal Finishing facility provides metal finishing and post-metal finishing services for aluminum products.
Ubique Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Patrick Industries Inc., manufactures fiberglass and core kits for the marine industry.

Wood Products/Paper/Food
In January, Boise Cascade Co., one of the largest producers of engineered wood products (EWP) and plywood in North America and a top U.S. wholesale distributor of building products, announced the addition of I-joist capabilities to its Thorsby EWP mill. The project is part of a $140 million investment to support the company’s EWP growth strategy. Boise Cascade is the third-largest employer in Chilton County.
West Fraser Lumber, a diversified wood products company based in British Columbia, operates a lumber mill in Maplesville, and South Carolina-based South Coast Paper, which specializes in converting services, engineering bond roll and manufacturing a large variety of paper products and corrugated packaging, has one of its three production facilities in Maplesville.
Taylor-Made Transportation Inc. offers transportation solutions, services and products for the pulp and paper industry. The company has more than 100 employees and operates 50 trucks, 126 trailers and chip vans to conduct business throughout the U.S.
Merchants Foodservice, which operates a distribution facility in Clanton, recently joined Performance Foodservice.
Health Care
Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton opened in Clanton in 2016, and the 30-bed hospital continues to expand its services. A wound care center opened in 2021, and in November 2023 the hospital launched a new outpatient speech therapy department. In January, the Chilton County Health Care Authority broke ground on a $6 million, 25,000-square-foot medical office building on the Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton campus. It is expected to be complete this fall and bring 35 jobs to the area.
In June, Ascension and University of Alabama at Birmingham announced the sale of the hospital to UAB. The deal is expected to be finalized in the fall.
Higher Education
Birmingham-based Jefferson State Community College maintains one of its four campuses in Chilton County, offering a range of academic courses, career and technical training and other resources to support the educational needs of residents in the area.
The City of Clanton and Jefferson State Community College operate the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center, a multi-purpose facility adjacent to the Clanton campus that hosts trade shows, special events and conferences.
Business briefs:
JUNE 2024: The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System is purchasing Ascension St. Vincent’s, including the Chilton County hospital. The deal is expected to be finalized in the fall.
JUNE 2024: Gov. Kay Ivey cuts the ribbon at a new $6 million Alabama Mineral Springs bottling facility near Jemison. The facility can produce 30,500 cases of its “Simply Artesian” water per week.
MAY 2024: McSweeny Chevy GMC opens in Clanton. Brothers Michael and Matt McSweeny acquired the Stokes Automotive building just off Interstate 65 at Exit 212.
MAY 2024: The City of Jemison completes a revitalization of its historic Main Street with ADA-compliant sidewalks, landscaping and lighting. The project was funded with ALDOT funds.
APRIL 2024: The Chilton County Commission approves construction plans for a new courthouse with a $32 million budget. The new building will be just south of the Jefferson State Community College Chilton-Clanton campus.
FEBRUARY 2024: ALDOT announces planned upgrades for parts of US Highway 31 in Chilton County. Dunn Construction Co. secured the 7.1-mile, $4.52 million project.
FEBRUARY 2024: Chilton County commissioners and the Chilton County park ranger reveal upgrades and additions made to Higgins Ferry Park, including a 30-by-30-foot wheelchair-accessible pavilion, a designated swimming area, a concrete seawall, steps to the boat launch and renovations to the John Trobaugh Pavilion.
JANUARY 2024: The Chilton County Health Care Authority breaks ground on a $6 million, 25,000-square-foot medical office facility on the Ascension St. Vincent’s hospital campus.
JANUARY 2024: Boise Cascade Co. announces the addition of I-joist capabilities to its Thorsby EWP mill. The project is part of a $140 million investment to support the company’s EWP growth strategy.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Marion Community Bank breaks ground on its third branch in Chilton County. Marion opened its first full-service branch in Maplesville in 2016 and a second in Jemison in 2018. The bank also operates a storefront branch in Clanton.
This article appears in the August 2024 issue of Business Alabama.