Alabama 23, November 16, 2022

Boosting Baldwin County Officials Expect Novelis’ New $2.5B Aluminum Plant to Be Boon for Region

By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT

Intended to serve the beverage and automotive industries, a $2.5 billion aluminum plant will provide a major economic boost to Bay Minette, Ala., while also serving as a source of pride.

Atlanta-based Novelis has selected Baldwin County for its recycling and rolling mill on a 3,000-acre mega site in the southern region of the state.

“The North Baldwin community has been very receptive to Novelis and their man ufactured product,” said Kristina Pittman, who serves as executive director of the North Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce. “With the growth they are bringing to the area, residents are excited for new business opportunities in a variety of areas.”

The plant also will make history. The high-tech, low-carbon project will be the first

see MILL page 10

Montgomery Whitewater Center Set to Open in Summer 2023

Construction crews are busily creating Montgomery Whitewater, a $50 million world-class outdoor recreation and entertain ment facility along the banks of the Alabama River.

At the park’s core is a manufactured whitewater channel that will allow for raft ing, paddling, outdoor activities, entertain ment and retail amenities in the Alabama capital city and its surrounding region. The family-oriented facility sits on 120 acres and is designed for users of all ages to enjoy the sunshine of the region and share in its healthy, active lifestyle.

The park’s developers are confident that once it is open next summer, it will bring a new energy to Montgomery and serve as a signature adventure destination for the region.

The Montgomery Whitewater complex is being constructed at the intersection of Interstate 65 and I-85, along the city’s west side, making it convenient for motorists to reach.

Features Offer Range of Fun Things to Do

S2O Design & Engineering, a Coloradobased waterpark engineering firm, designed

the venue’s centerpiece, a massive dualchannel whitewater course. The artificial river system creates Class II-IV whitewater and delivers a fun and safe rafting or pad dling experience for guests — from novice paddlers who have never experienced white water to seasoned paddlers and competitors. The course includes a 1,900-ft.-long recre ation channel for a more mellow whitewater journey as well as a 1,600-ft.-long competi tion-level channel that ramps up the excite ment to Olympic-level action.

In addition, Montgomery Whitewater will offer a wide range of professionally guided and self-guided whitewater experiences, from rafting and kayaking to standup pad dleboarding.

However, water course activities will not be the only challenges found at the Alabama park, according to Montgomery Whitewater.

The complex also will provide other com plementary activities centered around active outdoor sports, including a climbing tower, bouldering wall, zip lines, a high ropes course, five kilometers of hiking and biking trails, and an enhanced connection to the Alabama River.

The modern, open-air entertainment facil ity is planned to offer guests a “river-side”

restaurant, retail shopping, an outdoor amphitheater, and areas to hang out and watch the action. Its design and program ming will cultivate its role as a gathering place for a variety of community events, including races and competitions, live music, meetings and conferences, as well as outdoor training and team building for mili tary, public safety officials and first respon ders.

Montgomery Whitewater’s design and development is being coordinated by Southern Whitewater Development Group (SWDG), a firm credited with developing the most successful whitewater projects in the world.

When complete, Montgomery Whitewater will be one of only three stand alone recirculating whitewater parks of its scale and caliber in the United States.

courtesy of

Whitewater Montgomery Whitewater is an outdoor recreation and entertainment facility situat ed on the banks of the Alabama River. The facility sits on 120 acres and is designed for all users to enjoy outdoor activities and special events and share a healthy, active lifestyle.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s office/Hal Yeager photo

Gov. Kay Ivey and other officials perform the ceremonial groundbreaking for the $2.5 billion Novelis aluminum plant that is expected to provide a major economic boost to Bay Minette, Ala.

Rendering

Montgomery

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Birmingham Mayor Plans to Build Family Fun Center

Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham, Ala., announced Oct. 31 that the city would be constructing a multi-milliondollar “family fun center” on the city’s west side.

The new facility will include a skating rink, jump park, esports center, bowling alley and food court, among other fea tures, and be located at the Birmingham CrossPlex. The lat ter, near Five Points West, opened in 2011 and has since been used for indoor track and field competitions as well as other sporting events. It includes a 200-meter hydraulic running track and a 50-meter swimming and diving pool.

Woodfin has set a target of 2024 for opening the new entertainment facility at the CrossPlex. According to a news release on BirminghamAL.gov, the city has already allocated $2 million for pre-construction.

Woodfin has commissioned the Birmingham IEO to hasten the project’s timeline, he noted.

“I am thrilled to honor our West Birmingham residents by bringing this into their community,” he said in the statement. “The concept of sports and entertainment options under one roof will be a game changer for our families, our children and our visitors. I envision this being a major hub for family fun and plan to make sure it is a state-of-the-art facility because our community deserves it.

“Every day, every weekend, our fam ilies leave our city limits to take their children to family fun amenities such as bowling, such as skating, such as jump parks, such as game rooms and other things of that nature,” he continued. “We deserve to give our families the same things in our city limits and that’s what

Woodfin added that the facility will be 20,000 sq. ft., and discussion about the project began more than six months ago. He said the funds come from the refinancing of com mercial development bonds that were approved by the Birmingham City Council in 2020.

“The fairground park area has historically been the con vening space for the westside, and what better way to honor its original purpose and accomplish those goals,” said Cornell Wesley, director of the Birmingham Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity (IEO).

Woodfin unveiled the concept to West Birmingham neighborhood leadership and District 8 councilor Carol Clarke in recent days to gain their interest and support.

The design concept for the complex is currently in the pre liminary stages, but Woodfin has commissioned the Birmingham IEO to hasten the project’s timeline, he noted.

Neighborhood Leaders Welcome Project

“I’m excited. The city’s commitment to do this gives me hope that this is going to happen,” Bush Hills Neighborhood President Walladean Streeter told WIAT-TV in Birmingham. “This can bring great opportunities for all the generations of our community.”

Johnny Gunn, president of the Belview Heights neighborhood, echoed Streeter’s comments in saying, “This will attract the family features we have been requesting. It brings all ages togeth er. This can be a rebirth to bring people back to our community for family enter tainment.”

Local business owner, Sharon Hill, also told the television station that the center will complement the Birmingham Crossplex and bring in more traffic for businesses, adding that having a place for quality family time would be price less.

“Once the kids are grown and gone, you can’t get that time back, and I think being able to spend time [at] the arcades or skating rink or a bowling alley would be great for families to bond together,” noted Hill, who owns the 3 Daughters Beauty Supply store on Crossplex Boulevard.

Road Forward Welcomes New Sponsor: Construction Partners Inc.

Construction Partners Inc. (CPI) has joined The Road Forward, an initiative of the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) to achieve net zero carbon emission asphalt pavements by 2050.

As a leading asphalt paving con tractor and asphalt producer in the southeastern United States, CPI has a mind for sustainability and an eye for innovation in every mile it creates. The decision to support the industry-wide initiative, The Road Forward, is just one example that demonstrates CPI’s commitment to strengthening climate steward ship within the industry. In fact, CPI played a role in shaping the initiative — Jamie Moretz, vice president at CWR Contracting Inc., a CPI company, served on NAPA’s Climate Stewardship Task Force.

The CPI companies are active members of NAPA, with member ships dating back to 1965. CPI’s involvement within NAPA has been extensive, including its lead ership support in advancing work force development and sustainabil ity initiatives.

“As chairman of the board for NAPA in 2019, I was particularly focused on addressing our work force crisis,” said John Harper, CPI’s senior vice president.

“During our research, we quick ly discovered that sustainability and workforce development are connected. Much of our existing and future workforce is passionate about leading the way toward a more sustainable future.

“Our industry must invest in new technologies and processes to stay

ahead of the curve while attracting future generations of workers to support us in creating sustainable transportation infrastructure.”

CPI’s Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation, Heather Dylla, serves on NAPA’s Environmental Committee, Sustainability Committee, and Net Zero Task Force. Working along side the CPI operating companies, Dylla is improving the company’s ecological performance and help ing reduce its carbon footprint while preserving productivity.

“Collaborating with NAPA and adopting available industry tools — such as the NAPA Emerald Eco-Label EPD software and the newly formed EPA ENERGY STAR APEX program — has shaped CPI’s environmental sus

tainability program,” she said.

“There is no question that achiev ing meaningful emission reduc tions will require collaboration across our supply chain and with our external stakeholders.”

In supporting The Road Forward, CPI is providing industry leadership, in alignment with their own corporate commitments, on climate action. CPI’s support will help fund ongoing research and education to aid the entire U.S. asphalt industry in producing net zero carbon emission asphalt pro duction and construction by 2050.

“By joining The Road Forward initiative, CPI is a committed part ner in tackling the challenges that face our industry,” said Dylla. “CPI understands the importance of reliable roads and sustainable

practices. By working together and with the support of The Road Forward, we will continue to develop and implement new tech nologies and best practices that will help meet this challenge.”

“The Road Forward proudly welcomes the leadership commit ment of Construction Partners, Inc.,” said NAPA President and CEO Audrey Copeland. “The CPI team has been integral to expand ing our shared knowledge about environmental and sustainability topics. Their continued support propels our collective vision: sus tainable communities and com merce connected by net zero car bon asphalt pavements.”

For more information, visit AsphaltPavement.org/Forward and www.constructionpartners.net.

we’re going to do.”

Rendering courtesy of the city of Birmingham Rendering of the proposed Family Fun Center at the Birmingham Crossplex.

$50M, 9,000-Seat Amphitheater Could Transform Northside

For James Clark, the plan to build a multi-million-dollar, 9,000-seat amphitheater on the former Carraway Hospital site in his Birmingham, Ala., neighborhood has been four years in the making.

Clark was Norwood neighborhood president when devel opers first pitched the proposal for an amphitheater and multi-family housing on the site.

Now that the proposal has resurfaced, with housing, com mercial and office space joining the amphitheater, Clark envisions a return to prosperity for the neighborhood, with rising property values and other amenities along with the amphitheater in Norwood.

“Older neighbors said when Carraway was open, it was the premier hospital in area,” said Clark, an area resident since 2004. “There were restaurants, things to do, you could go to a café in the hospital. When that died, there was no rea son for people to go over there, and it withered. And the neighborhood kind of withered, too.

“This will bring investment back into the neighborhood,” he predicted.

The $50 million amphitheater would be owned by the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) and managed by Live Nation, the global $6.3 billion live entertainment giant.

The amphitheater’s proponents want to locate the venue at The Star at Uptown, the $300 million mixed-use develop ment on the former Carraway Hospital campus in North Birmingham.

It also would replace the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham, also owned by Live Nation.

Proponents Envision an A-Plus Venue

AL.com reported in October that the Carraway project was described as “the only tier one amphitheater in central Alabama,” according to a document detailing the economic “opportunity” of the new venue presented to members of the

Jefferson County Commission (JCC) at a work session.

“This an opportunity for generational change,” said Commission President Jimmie Stephens. “We can become an A-plus concert site rather than a C-plus.”

City Councilor Hunter Williams also supports the project.

“We would have the only Live Nation amphitheater in the state, which means their shows would go from Atlanta to Birmingham to Nashville, not from Atlanta to Nashville,” he said.

Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson, a civic-minded Norwood resident and comedian known by Alabama foot ball fans for his “How Alabama Fans Watch” videos on YouTube, said he welcomes the project despite joking about how late-night noise emanating from the amphitheater would disrupt his sleep.

“Noise is always a concern when a project of this magni tude is so close, but the new amphitheater is a much-needed project for the city’s economy and I support it 100 percent,” Johnson told AL.com in a text message. “As a neighbor hood, we’ll work with project officials to address any con

cerns and I look forward to a great partnership.”

Earlier, Johnson joked on Twitter: “Them shows better end by 9 p.m. We like to sleep over here in Norwood.”

Clark’s husband, Robert Christian, said the project is a net positive for not just Norwood but all North Birmingham.

“The area is turning into an entertainment destination regionally, and that’s just going to amplify that with this [facility’s scale],” he explained. “I think it is going to trans form the whole northside, not just Norwood, per se. The pluses for this really outweigh any negatives such as noise.”

Property values have been rising in the area after years of stagnation, Christian noted, with even burnt-out homes in Norwood selling for $150,000.

He added that the pandemic was to blame for the econom ic slowdown and significantly slowed the redevelopment at the Carraway site.

“I’m really excited to have something tangible happening with the property,” he said. “I look forward to seeing it change and evolve, and the neighborhoods around it evolve with it.” 

Partnership to Invest $300M for New Rocket Factory, Warehouse

Switzerland-based Beyond Gravity, a manufacturer of structures for rocket launch vehicles, is adding a new production facility in Decatur, Ala., to supply additional pay load fairings for the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) next-generation Alabamabuilt Vulcan rockets.

Beyond Gravity and ULA held a ground breaking ceremony Oct. 27 at the new pro duction site in northern Alabama’s Morgan County. When it is operational, the facility will employ 200 additional people — essen tially doubling the company’s headcount in the state.

Beyond Gravity — formerly known as RUAG Space — said the expansion project follows its selection by ULA to supply 38 payload fairings for Vulcan rockets launch ing satellites as part of Amazon’s Project Kuiper. A fairing is the pointed tip of the rocket that protects the satellites from high temperatures, mechanical stresses and other hazards.

Project Kuiper aims to place a constella

tion of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide affordable high-speed broadband connec tions around the world.

“I am very proud that the Vulcan launch vehicles that will carry the Kuiper constella tion into space rely on our leading-edge and proven technology in the field of composite structures,” said André Wall, CEO of Beyond Gravity, in a Made in Alabama news release. “This contract with ULA marks the next chapter in our long-standing partnership and further strengthens and expands our presence in the U.S.”

Facility Latest Alabama Rocket Factory

According to Made in Alabama, the online news site for the state’s Department of Commerce, Beyond Gravity said the new 250,000-sq.-ft. production building will include 30,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and another 20,000 sq. ft. for offices.

Company officials expect the facility will be completed in time for operations to begin

in early 2024.

“Beyond Gravity has fantastic people with a high level of commitment and a clear focus on the needs of our customers,” said Paul Horstink, executive vice president of the company’s Launchers Division.

“With this new facility, Beyond Gravity will move to the next level — from produc ing a total of 10 payload fairings in Decatur per year to a target of 25,” he added.

ULA, which maintains America’s largest rocket factory in Decatur, and Beyond Gravity have had a strategic partnership to produce composite structures for ULA rock ets since 2015.

“We have a long history of a strong part nership with Beyond Gravity and look for ward to continuing the great work as we increase our launch rate for our Vulcan [rockets],” said Tory Bruno, CEO of ULA.

ULA previously announced that is near ing completion of the first Vulcan Centaur rocket at its Decatur plant as it awaits instal

lation of its BE-4 engines. Blue Origin, the company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has established its own factory for the BE-4 engines in nearby Huntsville.

ULA expects Vulcan to make its maiden flight early next year.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama commerce department, said these develop ments point to the growth taking place in the space segment of his state’s aerospace indus try.

“Alabama has long been a major player in designing and manufacturing the most inno vative, complex solutions to conquer skies and space, and we are continuing to influ ence the direction of the global industry today,” he said in the Made in Alabama news release. “Companies around the world know our workforce has proven itself time and time again, and that’s why they keep turning to Alabama to help solve the industry’s biggest challenges through groundbreaking work.”

Rendering courtesy of Direct Communications

Conceptual rendering of amphitheater in North Birmingham.

Alabama AGC Hosts National Conference for First Time

From Oct. 5 to Oct. 7, Alabama AGC served as the chapter host for the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Leadership Development Conference. The event took place at the historic Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa in Mobile.

The conference, co-hosted by AGC of America, brings together the nation’s emerging leaders under 40 in different areas of the con struction industry. Over three days, attendees had the opportunity to workshop development and leadership skills while networking with colleagues.

The national event takes place each year, but this was the first time in AGC history it happened in Alabama.

“It was a real honor for Alabama AGC to be the host chapter for this national event. We hope everyone got to appreciate what Alabama has to offer and enjoyed themselves on the bay. We are

especially proud of the support our Alabama members gave, said Billy Norell, CEO of Alabama AGC.

Part of the event included a presentation on work zone safety awareness, a mission Alabama AGC has brought to the national level in the construction industry, and recently recognized with a national AGC chapter award.

The presentation, led by Skip Powe of (Smith Seckman Reid Inc.) and Morris King (Vulcan Materials), featured an appearance from Millie King, AGC’s official work zone safety dog.

The event included other notable guest speakers like Philip Rivers, former NFL quarterback for the Chargers, and current AGC Vice President, Tom Brown. Attendees ended the event with a service project at the Ronald McDonald House of Mobile.  (Photos courtesy of Alabama AGC.)

Six-Story, $52.5M Mixed-Use Project Expanding Research Park

Yet another sign of Huntsville, Ala.’s rapid growth trajectory appeared recently with a ground breaking celebration for The Arcadia at 4810 Bradford Drive, a $52.5 million, six-story mixed-use development across from the new Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE) in Cummings Research Park East.

The project is being built on the former site of John Paul II Catholic High School. Crews began demol ishing the building that once housed the high school as well as other tenants earlier this year.

When complete, the new build ing will feature 19,047 sq. ft. of commercial ground floor space, split between 12,022 sq. ft. of room for workshare/offices and another 7,025 sq. ft. of restaurant and retail space. The second through fifth floors will include 250 residential units, made up of one- and twobedroom apartments and studios.

The Huntsville Business Journal noted that Capstone Building Corp. has started construction on

Arcadia, which is designed and engineered by Williams Blackstock Architects. Both com panies are based in Birmingham.

In addition, the project, found at the corner of Wynn Drive and Bradford Drive in the research park, is being developed by Bobo Family Group LLC, an investment firm in Florence; Retail Specialists, a Birmingham real estate agency; and Florencebased Boaz Ventures LLC.

Arcadia Latest ‘Rocket City’ Development

Joey Azar, a partner at Boaz, told Huntsville Business Journal in September that Arcadia is a “23- or 24-month proj ect,” with site work having been under way since July. He expects that it will open around the third quarter of 2024.

Azar described Arcadia’s planned apartments as having

“executive high-level finishes,” and emphasized that the six-story building “will add to the mixed-use and urban type of feel here in this area of the park.” The benefits of Arcadia’s location, he said, are its easy access to local businesses, the Redstone Arsenal, and downtown

ty dynamic corner. It’s a great piece of real estate and we’re excit ed about creating 250 new resi dences for those that work here and around the park, and adding some office, retail, and other commercial [spaces] as well.”

According to James Bobo, CEO of Bobo Family Group, the various developers involved in the building project “couldn’t have picked a better city for it.”

on a legacy that has made Huntsville great, and in doing so has delivered a better quality of life, higher-paying jobs and more opportunities for the people of North Alabama.”

Mayor Tommy Battle noted that while Cummings Research Park came to life 60 years ago, a revi sioning took place in the past 10 years that focused on increasing capacity and making it more work er friendly.

Huntsville.

“Hopefully, you can tell by the energy we’re pretty thrilled about being here in Cummings Research Park East,” Azar told guests at the groundbreaking. “As many of you know, especially if you’re from the area, Wynn and Bradford is a pret

In expanding on his comment, he invoked the name of Werner von Braun, the famed German rocket engi neer, and architect of the U.S. space program, who was brought to Huntsville in the 1950s by Alabama Sen. John Sparkman to successfully sell him on the idea of the city’s potential for building moon rockets.

Since then, Bobo said, the Rocket City’s “leaders have con tinuously come together to carry

“We came up with the idea of urban developments [and] have places where people can actually live, have their places to play, but also have places to work,” he said, adding that Arcadia was one of the first developments to take advan tage of the revisioning of the research park’s master plan.

“We want to say congratulations to y’all, [and] we are very excited,” he told Arcadia’s developers while describing the new project as “kind of a diamond in the middle of a great workplace, and it’ll be a great place for people to continue to live, work and play for years.”

The conference brings together the nation’s emerging leaders under 40 in different areas of the construction industry. Over three days, attendees had the opportunity to workshop development and leadership skills while networking with colleagues.

Morris King of Vulcan Materials and Millie King, AGC's official work zone safety dog.

Williams Blackstock Architects and Bobo Development Group rendering

Work Begins On Downtown Hotel, Now Larger Than Planned

Construction crews finally were able to start work on a new downtown Huntsville, Ala., hotel, a project long delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The multi-story hotel also grew bigger during the down time.

The Autograph Collection by Marriott is being built at the southwest corner of the reconstructed parking garage on Monroe Street across from the Von Braun Center’s Propst Arena. Originally approved by the city council in March 2019, the hotel was initially designed to encompass six floors

and 187 rooms.

Now, according to AL.com, the statewide online news service, updated plans show the hotel with eight floors and more than 200 rooms.

Additionally, the $40 million project will have a rooftop bar overlooking Big Spring Park as well as two full-service restaurants and a conference/banquet space.

The hotel’s developer, Ascent Hospitality of Buford, Ga., wants to see it finished by late 2023 or early 2024, AL.com noted.

The Huntsville City Council in 2020 sold

0.7 acres to Ascent at a cost of $1.6 million. The land was formerly included in the orig inal parking garage.

City Has Added Several Hotels in Recent Years

Municipal officials have worked success fully for the last several years to boost down town Huntsville’s inventory of hotel rooms to accommodate larger conferences at the Von Braun Center.

The rebuilt parking garage, which will wrap around parts of the Autograph, includ ed plans for guest parking at the hotel and the Hampton Inn on the northern side.

When open to guests, the Autograph will be the latest in a hotel growth spurt in the downtown district that includes plans for two more hotels at other nearby projects. Three hotels have opened in central Huntsville since March 2019: The AC Hotel by Marriott on Williams Street, Jefferson 106 (a Curio by Hilton brand) on Jefferson Street, and the Hampton Inn at Monroe Street and Clinton Avenue.

A fifth hotel also is planned as part of a $325 million development known as Front Row at the former site of the Coca-Cola bot tling plant on Clinton Avenue., while a sixth — the Moxy hotel next to the AC Hotel — is envisioned for the third phase of

CityCentre.

Huntsville’s Front Row to Grow Its Downtown

Rocket Development Partners, a joint venture of Essex Capital and Ascend Property Group, “is set to deliver an incom parable mix of residential, retail and office spaces, entertainment and community” to the heart of Alabama’s largest city, according to a press release from the developers.

The project will cover 11 acres and will be across Clinton Avenue from the Von Braun Center. It will include multi-family resi dences — “unlike anything currently found in the market,” the press release said — as well as chef-inspired restaurants, Class A office space, a boutique hotel and “an active, accessible urban plaza for community events and programming.”

“The unparalleled project matches the exciting growth and vibrancy of the Huntsville community and will be one of the most transformative projects to the city’s evolving downtown core,” Rocket Development Partners predicted.

The city of Huntsville is investing $18 million in support of the project while city officials expect the final product to generate about $43 million in taxes over 10 years. 

New $2.5B Mill Will Have Ripple Effect Throughout Area

fully integrated aluminum mill to be constructed in the United States in four decades.

“To know our region is hosting state-of-the-art technolo gy, not seen in over 40 years, is astonishing,” said Pittman. “I can’t stress this enough, the opportunities for our area are wide open due to Novelis’ support and belief in our commu nity.”

The new plant will create approximately 1,000 jobs, which Novelis projects will pay an average annual salary of $65,000. Pittman said construction of the mill will have a domino effect.

“The new avenues for businesses, retail, restaurants, hous ing, etc., is on its way, due to Novelis’ commitment and sup port. The excitement for growth opportunities is immense, and we are keenly aware of that, especially considering their cutting-edge technology and the audiences they will be serv ing.

“Novelis has been wonderful to work with, communica tive and friendly, and they clearly want to be involved in our community. We appreciate a recycling program and their commitment to supporting our community. We’ve had dis cussions about different ways they want to engage and become involved, it’s been impressive to see such enthusi asm for a community from such a major corporation.”

A groundbreaking, complete with ceremonial shovels and heavy equipment on site, was held in early October 2022 as part of the construction preview. A number of dignitaries

were on hand for the event, including Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.

“With this massive investment and large-scale hiring plans, Novelis will launch a high-tech aluminum mill that will generate significant economic impacts throughout the region for generations,” said Ivey. “Novelis is a world-class company, and we know that it has selected a prime location in ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ and specifically Baldwin County as home for its growth plans.”

According to the news release, the highly anticipated facility will be the most sophisticated and sustainable of its kind, with employee safety expected to be a top priority. The plant will be powered with renewable energy, use recycled water and be a zero-waste facility. Novelis has pledged to become a carbon-neutral company by 2050, and by 2026, it plans to reduce its carbon footprint by almost a third.

In addition, the Baldwin County plant will make use of advanced automation and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and robotics. The facility will have an initial 600 kilotonnes of finished alu minum goods capacity per year.

“Novelis’ decision to locate the nation’s most technologi cally advanced aluminum mill in Baldwin County is a pow erful testament to both the state’s attractive business climate and to the capabilities of our talented manufacturing work force,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The magnitude of this project makes it a game-changing development for Alabama’s

industrial sector and a jobs engine for the region.”

While the Baldwin County plant will primarily be focused on the beverage can market, it also will serve the automotive segment. Aluminum produced by Novelis can be found in more than 200 vehicle models produced by automakers across the globe.

Novelis also works with customers from industries that include building and construction, aerospace and consumer electronics.

Not surprisingly, local organizations committed to helping bring new business to the area are extremely pleased with the mega site’s anchor tenant.

“Baldwin County’s accelerated growth and forwardthinking leadership has made it possible to attract Novelis, a world-class company, to our community,” said Lee Lawson, president and CEO of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. “The economic and generational impact this investment will have on Baldwin County will help further diversify and grow our economy for years to come.”

Novelis also announced plans to develop an Advanced Manufacturing and Leadership Center of Excellence in Daphne, where training will be provided to industry leaders across the company’s footprint. The leadership center will be located at the Daphne Innovation + Science Complex and will help push Baldwin County to the forefront of innovation in workforce training and leadership in the metals industry.

Rendering courtesy of the city of Huntsville Rendering of the Autograph Collection Hotel by Marriott on Monroe Street in down town Huntsville.