"Some days are diamond and some days are gold," says Governor Bob Riley quoting a Bob Denver song, when hearing the announcement of Alabama getting the ThyssenKrupp steel processing facility which will be located in Mount Vernon, Alabama.
How much is a billion dollars? Think of it this way, Alabama's annual budget is about 18 billion dollars give or take a few hundred million dollars(I'm not great with numbers - as I'm a Tennessee graduate). With that 18 billion all government in the state of Alabama is funded.
The ThyssenKrupp plant is a big deal. ThyssenKrupp is putting a $3.7 billion dollar investment into the area. That's about 18% of the Alabama budget. And that's not all - the plant will employee 2,700 workers and MORE - the construction phase will create 29,000 new jobs. Over twenty years the plant will create as many as 60,000 jobs not directly related to the plant facility.
Michael Rademacher, Vice Chairman and CFO of ThyssenKrupp Stainless, said. “This facility represents the largest investment in the history of ThyssenKrupp Stainless. While our direct entry to the US market is perhaps a bold step, it is also a logical and forward-looking one. The stainless steel market throughout the NAFTA region offers significant potential, and we are now poised to further strengthen our position.”
Money! Money! Money! More people moving into the area! More housing construction. Every small city within 100 miles of Mount Vernon will be impacted directly and indirectly by the decision made in Dusseldorf, Germany. Mount Vernon is about 87 commuting miles from Brewton, Alabama and 54 commuting miles from Atmore, Alabama.
I grew up in a town that has a 3500 employee aluminum plant. Alcoa Aluminum impacts cities up and down the Tennessee Valley. ThyssenKrupp will do the same thing. The Alabama automobile manufacturering market will be impacted and influenced to move closer to the steel! Expansion and more car manufacturers are likely on their way because of this development.
Population growth, economic growth, and cultural changes will create new demands on old stale county and city governments. While it be beneficial for most, the change will be painful for some as the region is delivered into the 21st Century.
I live in Loudoun County, Virginia, the wealthiest county in the United States. Our roads are packed along with our schools and hospitals. We have sections of Northern Virginia that look like Saigon, Calcutta, and Tijuana. In a scaled down way, the same thing will happen to south Alabama. There's no hiding place from change - you better get used to it. It's been a long time coming.
Hats off to Governor Riley and the hard working team that made this happen!
Check the ThyssenKrupp website for employment and vendor opportunities.
Until next time...
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