Four Alabama firms to help Airbus expand in Mobile
Birmingham-based HPM, which is overseeing the construction of a second assembly line at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Mobile, announced that four other Alabama firms will play major roles in the project. The new assembly line will allow Airbus to accelerate production of a second aircraft in Alabama, the A220 passenger jet. Airbus said the expansion will increase its workforce in Mobile by more than 430 employees. – Made In Alabama
Hyundai to reveal new crossover at New York Auto Show
Hyundai announced it will travel to the 2019 New York Auto Show to unveil the Venue. We’re not talking about a sponsorship deal with a football stadium or the grand opening of a concert hall. Venue is the name of the South Korean firm’s next crossover. Aimed at what Hyundai identified as “urban entrepreneurs,” the Venue will join the company’s growing family of crossovers and SUVs. – Digital Trends
Roundup some lawyers: Monsanto loses big in herbicide case
A federal jury in California has awarded $80 million to a man who said Monsanto herbicide Roundup was a “substantial factor” in him developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, CNN reported on Wednesday. It’s a major blow to the chemical manufacturer and its parent company, German chemical giant Bayer AG, which are facing hundreds of lawsuits related to the glyphosate-based herbicide in San Francisco. – Gizmodo
New bill would give local control on grocery taxes
A new bill would allow cities and counties to decide to reduce or remove the sales taxes on groceries. Currently, cities and counties set local sales tax rates, but state law does not allow them to reduce or eliminate sales tax for certain items. People in Marshall County had mixed reactions when they heard about the bill. – WAAY
Eight companies throughout state honored for export activity
Gov. Kay Ivey has announced the winners of the 2019 Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards. The awards, announced Wednesday, recognize companies that fuel Alabama’s export business. “Our winners this year range in size from the small business to the large corporation and also hail from different parts of Alabama,” Ivey said. – Alabama Political Reporter
AC Hotel by Marriott in downtown Huntsville now open
The first piece of the CityCentre development in downtown Huntsville is now open for business. The AC Hotel by Marriott – the first in Alabama – announced Tuesday that it was now welcoming guests at its location at Williams Avenue and Monroe Street. The hotel has 120 rooms over six levels and has blended itself into the Rocket City by adopting some historic neighborhood names. – AL.com
Bain acquires majority stake in Rural Sourcing
Bain Capital Double Impact, the impact investing business of Bain Capital, has acquired a majority stake in Rural Sourcing, a leading provider of onshore outsourced digital technology and IT services that taps talent located in small and mid-size cities across America, including Mobile. The partnership will allow Rural Sourcing to further scale its national footprint. – Cision
Boeing awarded $29M add-on contract for lasers
The Missile Defense Agency on March 26 awarded Boeing Co., Huntsville, a $29 million add-on to an existing a contract aimed at developing of a low-power laser weapon for use on an aircraft—such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)—and in conjunction with the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The value of this contract is increased from $33,000,000 to $62,000,000. – ExecutiveBiz
Community Bank opens new office in Fairhope
Community Bank has opened a new full service office at 206 North Greeno Road in Fairhope. The new office is a relocation of the office previously located on Estella Street. The new state-of-the art building is 4800 square feet and includes all LED lighting, artwork from local customers, exceptional audio visual equipment, a tech bar, as well as a CB Express station for customers to conduct their transactions quickly at the touch of a button. – News release
Alabama State Rep. Dimitri Polizos dies at 68
Alabama State House Rep. Dimitri Polizos has died after suffering a heart attack, State House officials confirmed. According to Clay Redden with the Alabama House of Representatives, Polizos passed away on Wednesday after suffering from a massive heart attack at home Tuesday. He was 68-years-old. Polizos was first elected to the District 74 seat in a special election in December 2013. – WSFA
