Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield welcomed the news that ThyssenKrupp Materials North America, Inc. will be investing $13 million in Alabama and employing up to 45 people within the next five years at a new facility in Bibb County.
ThyssenKrupp Materials North America, a leading provider of production materials and integrated service solutions for the North American market, and a sister company to ThyssenKrupp Steel USA, today announced it will build a new materials processing and distribution center in the Bibb County town of Woodstock, under the company’s Coil Processing Group.
The materials processing and distribution center will include a 100,000 square foot craned building with four lines for processing materials such as carbon steel, aluminum and stainless steel. The end products will be distributed to various Ken-Mac Metals and ThyssenKrupp Steel Services customers, including manufacturers of automobiles, heavy trucks and truck trailers, home appliances and HVAC equipment. The plant can be expanded by 150,000 square feet, taking into account the potential for future infrastructure improvements.
“The decision to locate our Coil Processing Group’s newest processing and distribution center in Alabama reflects the economic vitality and extensive opportunities that exist in the southern United States,” said Hans-Josef Hoss, President and CEO of ThyssenKrupp Materials North America.
“Many of our top customers, including Original Equipment Manufacturers, have plants and facilities in Alabama and the surrounding states and require just-in-time processing and delivery. Our goal is to further enhance their supply chains by building this new facility right here in Woodstock,” he added.
“Alabama has become a destination state for the automotive assembly and automotive supplier sectors, and today’s announcement helps us build on our success,” Governor Bentley said. “We appreciate the opportunities that companies such as ThyssenKrupp Materials North America provide in the form of jobs for our citizens and investment for our state’s economy. Alabama has a strong workforce and a business-friendly climate. Job creation remains my number-one priority, and this announcement will mean more new jobs and more new opportunities for the people of this area. I want to thank everyone who worked together to make this announcement possible.”
Commerce Secretary Canfield said the announcement is a win for the state on more than one front because not only does the company supply the automotive sector, it represents the first international investment in Bibb County in a number of years. He thanked Department of Commerce Project Manager Hollie Pegg for her efforts on the project.
“Alabama has a distinct advantage in attracting OEMs, suppliers and companies which are involved in automotive-related research activities,” Canfield said. “The state has several universities (Auburn University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Alabama at Huntsville) that are participants in the Automotive Research Alliance (ARA). Automotive manufacturers and suppliers can use the resources and training programs of the universities to advance technology as well as manufacturing solutions.”
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director Jim Byard said, "While most rural counties have experienced substantial out-migration, Bibb has bucked the trend with steady population gains. Because growth requires adequate public facilities, ADECA has been pleased to be a partner on past infrastructure improvements and we look forward to assisting Bibb County officials with future projects as they prepare to welcome their new neighbor, ThyssenKrupp.”
Based in Southfield, Michigan, ThyssenKrupp Materials North America processes and distributes a full line of aluminum, stainless, copper, brass, specialty metals, steel, and plastics products used in the production of automobiles, commercial food equipment, HVAC equipment, consumer durable goods and other diverse applications. The company also offers procurement, storage, and material delivery services, as well as supply chain management, transportation and logistics, and production support outsourcing services.
Construction of the new facility, which will employ 20 during the first year of operations and up to 45 within the next five years, is scheduled to begin this month. Hiring is scheduled to begin in early 2013. Jobs will include hourly and salaried positions across a range of functions, such as machine operations, material handling, logistics, sales and administration.
As part of ThyssenKrupp Materials North America’s Coil Processing Group, the facility will support the operations of the company’s Ken-Mac Metals and ThyssenKrupp Steel Services divisions. Ohio-based Ken-Mac Metals offers a complete line of nonferrous and stainless steel flat rolled products and processing services, including aluminum, pre-painted aluminum and stainless steel sheet and strip, while ThyssenKrupp Steel Services, headquartered in South Carolina, is a major supplier of hot and cold rolled carbon steel to customers in the southeastern United States.
Hoss expressed his appreciation to both state and county officials who provided the company with an incentive package that included funds contingent on jobs created, as well as infrastructure development assistance to allow road and rail access to the facility. “We have been very fortunate to receive the support of state and county officials. I think they appreciate the positive impact our and other ThyssenKrupp companies have on this great state, and recognize our commitment to investing and growing in Alabama. We appreciate their support.”
Hoss added that information on how qualified candidates can apply for positions at the facility would be announced in the coming months.
Torsten Gessner, chairman and CEO of ThyssenKrupp North America’s new Regional Headquarters in Chicago, noted that the announcement by ThyssenKrupp Materials North America is part of a wider effort by ThyssenKrupp companies in the North America Region to continue expanding their footprint in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Regional Headquarters provides integrated strategic direction and services for all ThyssenKrupp companies in North America, and helps to identify new markets and opportunities for growth in the region.
ThyssenKrupp is a diversified technology and materials group based in Essen, Germany. It has 170,000 employees in over 80 countries developing ideas and innovations into solutions for sustainable progress. In fiscal year 2010/2011,ThyssenKrupp generated sales of $68 billion.
ThyssenKrupp Materials North America, Inc. is a leading provider of production materials and integrated service solutions with over 2,800 employees and 95 locations in North America. The company is focused on value-added processing and distribution of a full line of aluminum, stainless, copper, brass, specialty metals, steel, and plastics products. Supply chain management, transportation and logistics, and production support outsourcing solutions are among the many services provided to customers. ThyssenKrupp Materials North America business units include Copper and Brass Sales, Ken-Mac Metals, ThyssenKrupp Steel Services, ThyssenKrupp Industrial Services, AIN Plastics and Lagermex. ThyssenKrupp Materials North America is part of the Materials Services business area of ThyssenKrupp.
ThyssenKrupp companies in North America offer a range of products and services, including premium carbon steel; high-performance alloys; automotive components and systems; elevators, escalators, moving walks and passenger boarding bridges; and material trading, logistical and industrial services. In fiscal year 2010/2011, ThyssenKrupp companies in Canada, the United States and Mexico employed more than 24,000 and recorded sales of over $10 billion.
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