National Alabama Corp. is one giant step closer to meeting its rapid site construction schedule at Barton Riverfront Industrial Park.

With the help of local and state leaders, National Alabama and its parent company, National Steel Car Limited, based in Ontario, Canada, celebrated the progress that has been made at site of the railcar manufacturing company Friday. Part of the celebration included raising the future plant's first steel beam.

"We have accomplished another milestone and entered a new phase of National Alabama's journey," said National Steel Car Chairman and CEO Gregory J. Aziz.

Aziz said the steel "will become the spine and shape of National Alabama, housing our equipment and our technology, certainly, but most importantly, it will be our home where our skills and sense of team will help National Alabama achieve the excellence that is our dream."

Gov. Bob Riley and U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Ala., attended the celebration with local leaders that included Florence Mayor Bobby Irons, Colbert County Commission Chairman Troy Woodis and Shoals Economic Development Authority President Forrest Wright. Riley congratulated the company in its accomplishments at the site and commended local and state leaders for their efforts in bringing the project about.

"The South is leading the nation in economic development and in the quality of life," Riley said. "Not only is the South leading the nation, but Alabama is leading the South."

Riley said the community and the project are taking economic development "to a completely different level."

Cramer said the project has brought the community and the state together more than any other project has done.

"Never have I seen our community work together as well as they have on this project," he said.

Frank Jalsevac, vice president of manufacturing for National Steel Car Limited, said "to get this amount of work done so far is phenomenal," and now the project will really begin to take shape and move along.

The company has accomplished a 640-acre site clearing for the area where the building will be located.

Aziz explained that the project will require 20,000 tons of steel, and structural steel is already on site with 14,500 pieces ready to be put into place.

Aziz said there are between 300-400 specialized workers on site, which will increase to 800-1,200 workers in the next several months as the project accelerates.

"On-site employment levels will largely remain at these levels and sometimes higher through to nearly year end," he said.

Company officials say they have made sure to bring local contractors for the construction process, he said, and has tried to hire as many local people as possible.

"We want to provide as much impact to this area as we can," he said. "Where we can support and help develop local business and expertise, it is to everyone's long-term benefit. That is our goal and our commitment."

Aziz said the company's relationship with the Alabama Industrial Development Training organization on recruitment and training "has been nothing less than excellent."

The company has received more than 6,500 applications for pre-employment training, and training programs are being developed through Northwest-Shoals Community College and AIDT.

"This is the best possible solution for National Alabama - working with the local communities and business, helping to build skills and opportunity for people to advance their careers and creating an atmosphere where young people can make the choice to stay in the area, develop skills and pursue successful careers," Aziz said.

He said the company and AIDT are hosting the first orientation session next week for 200 potential candidates with pre-employment training.

The primary hiring programs will ultimately take effect in 2009, when the plant begins production, he said.

"We will have 225 to 275 people on board from late spring to year end 2008, when the first railcar comes off the line," he said.

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