National Alabama breaks ground

National Alabama Corp. is one step closer to becoming a reality in the Shoals.

Officials from National Steel Car of Hamilton, Ontario, as well as close to 300 attendees, including economic development, business and political leaders across the state, celebrated the official groundbreaking at the site in Barton on Thursday.

National Alabama Corp. is under construction in Barton Riverfront Industrial Park in Colbert County. The $350 million project is slated for completion in late 2008 or early 2009. The company plans to employ 1,800 people, producing approximately 8,000 railway freight cars annually.

Gov. Bob Riley attended the groundbreaking and said he believes the local community is the biggest reason why the company decided to situate itself in the state.

"I think they chose this area because they felt so welcome here," Riley said.

Riley said that Alabama is definitely on the map for future economic development projects similar to the railcar company.

"International companies today look at Alabama differently than they did before. Coming to Alabama, it's understood you can be successful," Riley said. "This is going to be the first of many more economic opportunities to come to this area."

Greg Aziz, chairman and CEO of National Steel Car, the railcar's sister company based in Canada, said that it was a proud day for National Alabama Corp., the state of Alabama and the Shoals.

"National Alabama is new to your community, but we hope to become a valuable member of your community in the near future," Aziz said.

He said the project will reshape 640 acres of land on the company's property with construction of a 1 mile-long, 2 million square-foot building. Process equipment installation will take place during the summer of 2008, followed by the start up for the entire operation before the end of 2008 or early 2009, he said.

"Hitting those very aggressive targets will take the teamwork of the very best professionals available from across North America. And that is exactly who we have on board, all focused on National Alabama Corporation's creation," Aziz said.

Aziz recognized several individuals and companies that he said are making contributions to help with the success of National Alabama, including Roger Staubach, with Staubach Corp., a national firm that manages commercial real estate, as well as general contractor Yates Wallbridge and Albert Kahn Associates Inc., the firm in charge of the plant's architectural and design elements.

Shoals Economic Development Authority Board Chairman Macke Mauldin called the occasion momentous.

"We have not had an experience like this in 95 years, since the construction of Wilson Dam," Mauldin said. "We're about to see a project that's immense in every respect."

Colbert County Commissioner Tim Leigh said that a large help in bringing the company to the Shoals was the recently passed half-cent sales tax that is being collected in Colbert and Lauderdale counties, to build a fund for the purpose of attracting economic development to the Shoals.

"We had to pass a half-cent sales tax in order to make this happen," Leigh said. "This is the first project to be funded by that, and there will be plenty more."

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Northwest-Shoals Community College was presented with a $25,000 endowment in the name of National Alabama Corp. and in celebration of the official ground breaking.

Kenda Williams can be reached at 740-5720 or kenda.williams@timesdaily.com.