Dr. Patrick Murphy relocated with his family to Birmingham from Chicago on August 9, and since then has immersed himself in the city’s culture, specifically its thriving entrepreneurial scene.
Mercedes-Benz breaks ground on new battery factory in Bibb County
Breaking ground on the new Mercedes-Benz battery factory are, from left to right, Jason Hoff, president and CEO of MBUSI, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Markus Schafer, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain. Credit: Made in Alabama.
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International broke ground recently on a battery plant in Bibb County, near its Vance, Ala. plant.
The plant, located in the Scott G. Davis Industrial Park in Bibb County, will provide batteries for future electric SUVs under the product and technology brand EQ.
The battery plant is part of a
$1 billion expansion Mercedes-Benz announced last year for its Alabama plant to set up electric vehicle production in the United States. The company is also building a new $248.2 million Global Logistics Center and a new after-sales North American hub on 278 acres in the Scott G. Davis Industrial Park in Bibb County, both providing a $307.9 million annual economic impact on the state and $285 million impact on the Birmingham region. With the battery plant, Mercedes-Benz said its Bibb County campus will employ at least 600 people.
The $1 billion expansion also included production of the new Mercedes-Benz GLE, which is based on a completely new SUV platform, assembled in its Alabama plant. The first car rolled off the line the same day as the ground breaking.
“Just as Mercedes helped put our state on the cutting-edge of automotive manufacturing, Alabama will help put Mercedes on the cutting-edge of electric vehicle development,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “We continuously strive to reaffirm the ‘Made in Alabama’ brand as one of excellence. So, naturally, there is no better state for Mercedes to building upon their world-class brand of excellence than right here in Alabama.”
Mercedes-Benz worked closely with the State of Alabama Department of Commerce, the Bibb County Commission and the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) to bring the project to Bibb County.
“Mercedes is committed to be a world leader in the development and production of electric vehicles,” said Jeff Traywick, who managed the economic development project for the BBA. “The announcement of its first U.S. facility for the production of battery packs and battery analysis solidifies the commitment through this major investment in our region. We look forward to seeing the growth of its second campus in Bibb County. These projects will bring hundreds of much-needed jobs and capital investment to that part of our region.”
Mercedes-Benz has invested more than $6 billion in its Alabama operations since 1995.
“Mercedes’ commitment to Alabama has been a source of pride and economic growth in our state for many years, and the company’s continuing investment has stimulated thousands of additional jobs as well as investments by other companies, said Brian Hilson, president and CEO of the BBA. “This latest investment by Mercedes in Bibb County, where batteries will be assembled to support world-class electric vehicles, is an exciting economic development project for our community. The Birmingham Business Alliance thanks Mercedes as well as our state and local partners who teamed together to make this project successful.”
Virginia McGarry joins BBA as market analyst
Virginia McGarry has joined the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) as Market Analyst for Innovation and Technology. In this role, McGarry will be responsible for the growth and development of new businesses within the region with a special focus on emerging and early-stage research, development and technology companies.
Commissioner David Carrington nearing end of public service career
In a testament to what eight years and hard work can do, Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington has seen the county go from bankruptcy early in his time in office to the past 18 months, which have included economic development successes like Autocar, Amazon, DC BLOX and Shipt, totaling over $1.23 billion in capital investment and 3,127 jobs for Jefferson County.
Networking event for startups a success, more to come
Best practices: Data from Magic City Summer intern program provides insight for employers
Summer has officially ended, and so has this year’s Magic City Summer intern program.
Findings from the program’s 251 summer interns gave insight about the perceptions of this year’s participants, who were connected not just to the companies they interned with but also to Birmingham. The participants were from 135 hometowns, 21 states and four countries and represented 79 different colleges and universities.
Amazon breaks ground on $325 million fulfillment center in Birmingham
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, center, stands with partners from the City of Bessemer and Jefferson County to break ground on Amazon’s new fulfillment center.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey was on hand today to break ground on the new $325 million Amazon fulfillment center for the Birmingham region.
Located on a more than 100-acre site in Bessemer, the online retail giant is building a 2 million-square-foot, multi-floor, state-of-the-art fulfillment center that will employ at least 1,500 people and take a footprint of 15 football fields.
Amazon employees at the state-of-the-art fulfillment center will work alongside innovative technology created by Amazon Robotics, which help employees complete jobs in a more efficient manner. Employees will pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, household items and toys.
Amazon’s fulfillment center will have an annual economic impact of $202.7 million on Jefferson County and a $232.1 million impact on Alabama, according to an analysis prepared by the prepared by the Center for Business and Economic Research, Culverhouse College of Business, The University of Alabama, and commissioned by the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA).
Annually, $122.7 million will be added to Jefferson County’s GDP, $44.8 million of which is earnings to households for 1,523 direct and indirect jobs; $137.3 million will be contributed to Alabama’s GDP annually, $79.6 million of which is earnings to Alabama households for 2,630 direct and indirect jobs.
The BBA worked with the following organizations to recruit Amazon: Alabama Department of Commerce, Jefferson County Commission, the City of Bessemer and its Industrial Development Board, AIDT, Alabama Department of Transportation, Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, Alabama Power Co., Spire, Cushman & Wakefield | EGS Commercial Real Estate and U.S. Steel.
Gray Construction is the general contractor on the project and Seefried Industrial Properties is the developer. The two companies are assisted in the project by All-South Subcontractors Inc., American Fire, Bhate Geosciences Corp., Cooper Steel, Dunn Construction, Gaylor Electric, Goodwyn Mills Cawood, Jay-Ton Concrete Construction Co., Macgregor Associates Architects, Plateau Excavation Inc. and RJ Mechanical Inc.
Recruitment, screening and pre-employment training will be handled by AIDT. Interested candidates can visit www.amazondelivers.jobs.
Labor force in the Birmingham region reaches all-time high for August
With a tightening labor market across the nation, Birmingham is experiencing record breaking labor force growth. For market conditions to remain favorable, labor force growth will need to keep up with employment growth. Overall, conditions remain favorable with the number of employed residents growing only slightly faster (2.5 percent) than overall labor force participants (2.3 percent) when compared to August 2017.
New and expanding: Nearing 100 years in business, Marx Brothers focuses on sustainability
Best practices: OnBoard Birmingham builds ambassadors for Birmingham, helps retain talent in city
When Regions Financial Corp. makes hires, the company is interested in diversity, and not just race and gender. Alabama’s only Fortune 500 company looks to fill its talent pipeline at its headquarters in Birmingham with local people, but also with individuals from outside of Birmingham and the state of Alabama.
Though the company has an extensive onboarding program for its employees, it turns to the Birmingham Business Alliance’s (BBA) OnBoard Birmingham program to help employees from other cities, states and countries feel at home in the Magic City.
Best practices: Mercedes-Benz’s apprenticeship programs seek to fill workforce pipeline
As the automotive industry grows in Alabama, there is a higher demand for a larger workforce in the industry, and ways to find potential hires can be challenging.
Though low unemployment rates are good news for the state of Alabama and its people, it can be a challenge for large companies like Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) to fill its workforce pipeline, said Jason Hoff, president and CEO of MBUSI.
Jeff Traywick named one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers
MotionMobs president Taylor Peake talks recent honors and the perks of being different
New and expanding: Mercedes-Benz facilities well underway
Construction is scheduled to be complete in 2019 on Mercedes-Benz U.S. International’s (MBUSI) new Global Logistics Center and a after-sales North American hub in Bibb County, said Jason Hoff, president and CEO of MBUSI.