ALABAMA

New Toyota Engine Plant Cited for Huntsville

Toyota will build an engine plant in Huntsville, creating 300 jobs. An investment of $275 million is planned for the plant. The plant will make 150,000 V-8 engines a year for Toyota Tundra pickups built in Princeton, Indiana. The new Toyota plant will be built in North Huntsville Industrial Park, a 440-acre cotton field northwest of downtown.

Service Zone Chooses Covington County

On March 9, Service Zone officials announced it will locate a new Technology Support and Customer Care facility in Covington County, Ala. Service Zone's new inbound call center will be home to more than 600 employees with technical support, customer service and problem-solving skills to take calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The 44,000-square-foot facility will be built adjacent to the Andalusia/Opp Airport. The new facility is Service Zone's ninth tech support center. Others are located in Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Honda Supplier to Build

Precision Strip Inc. will build a $12.6 million plant north of Talladega to make parts used by Honda suppliers. The 110,000-square-foot facility will employ 25 initially. Precision Strip is based in Ohio and employs about 700 workers in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

Lockheed to Build Missiles in Troy

Missiles for a $20 billion weapon system will be built in Troy. Lockheed Martin will spend more than $13.5 million over six years to add 93,000 square feet at its Pike County facilities to produce the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missiles. The additions will be made in phases as the program moves toward full production, which will be up to 320 missiles a year. The plant currently employs 160 workers; 150 more jobs will be added gradually at the plant. The 200,000-square-foot Troy facility now does final assembly, testing and storage of other missiles such as the Hellfire II and Longbow Hellfire antitank missiles, the Javelin anti-tank missile, and the AGM-142 air-to-surface missile. The army is spending an estimated $20 billion to develop, build and field about 1,250 THAAD missiles.

Convergys Chooses Alabama

Convergys Corporation has chosen Muscle Shoals as the site for a $6.4 million customer contact center that will employ 700. It will occupy a 47,000-square-foot facility in Southgate Mall. Ohio-based Convergys provides billing, customer care and employee care services to companies in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, Internet, cable, and broadband services, technology and financial services.

More Honda Suppliers to Alabama

Two more Honda suppliers have announced they will locate in Alabama. Kumi Manufacturing Alabama, a new company formed by Kamco Industries, will spend $10 million and create 77 jobs in Clanton in Chilton County to build a plastics factory to supply Honda's minivan plant. Yachiyo Manufacturing of Alabama will build a $6.4 million 41,000 square foot plant in Steele in St. Clair County. Yachiyo will employ 60 people.

American Freightways to Create 200 Jobs in Bessemer

American Freightways will spend $8 million to build a freight terminal in Bessemer, creating 200 jobs. The 90,000-square-foot facility to be built on acreage off of the Davey Allison Parkway, will receive, package and ship freight within a 250 mile radius. American Freightways has 266 centers across the country, covering 40 states. It is the third largest freight carrier of its kind in the nation, specializing in less-than-truckload shipping. The new facility will open next year.

Call Center Locates in Opelika

Afni Inc. has opened a 450-employee telephone customer call center in Opelika's Fox Run Business Park. The 25,000 square foot facility opened in January.

New South to Open Consolidation Center in Talladega County

New South Express will invest $6 million in a 200,000-square-foot consolidation center in Talladega County to support Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. New South will employ 100 people at the facility, which will receive parts shipments from suppliers and work them into the just-in-time assembly methods at the Lincoln plant. The company has a similar operation near the Honda plant in Marysville, Ohio.