On the right track

BARTON - National Alabama, the railcar plant that arrived in the Shoals with much fanfare, continues to impress local and state leaders who worked to ensure the plant's presence in Barton Industrial Park.

One year after the announcement, the massive 2.2-million-square-foot structure stretches nearly 4,000 feet long.

The roof and much of the sides are complete.

Some 22,620 tons of steel have been erected and 64,102 cubic yards of concrete poured.

Massive excavation work has churned out more than 2.9 million cubic yards in material.

A total of 333 precast panels are in place.

Amidst the euphoria surrounding the plant's announcement in July 2007, some wondered if the industry's goal of rolling out the first railcar by early 2009 was realistic.

Yet, judging by the storied history of National Steel Car, officials had little reason to doubt that goal would be reached by the firm, which was established in 1912.

National Alabama is a subsidiary of National Industries Inc., which is the parent company of National Steel Car.

A Tuesday morning tour of the construction site reaffirmed that faith for state and local officials.

"It's fantastic to see this thing come up essentially from out of the ground to this point," Gov. Bob Riley said. "Almost a mile long. That just is incredible progress."

Forrest Wright, executive director of the Shoals Economic Development Authority, has kept close tabs on the plant's progress.

"It became real evident real early in the process that these folks could do anything they want to do, and they've proved it so far."

Indeed, Greg Aziz, National Steel Car's chairman and chief executive officer, said Tuesday the work is on schedule.

Construction began in February on the northern side of the building, said Peter Earle, communications and public affairs counsel for National Steel.

Contractors Yates Construction and Walbridge Aldinger have just about finished the building's encasement and are preparing to move into equipment installation, Earle said.

As many as 1,400 construction workers will be on site in the next month or two, he said.

"We've hired the best to be our contracting consulting partners, and it shows," Earle said. "The teams have worked well together and the building is pretty much on time."

Site superintendent Rich Kimmel said work will include some 10 miles of track alongside the building - enough to hold 500 railcars in preparation for shipping.

He said storm water work is completed and about 40 percent of electrical work is done. The concrete work is about 65 percent complete. The batch plant for the concrete is on site.

Fabrication of the railcars will begin at the north end of the building and the railcars will be carried by a crane attached to the ceiling, station to station, during production. A transfer pit is about midway through the building to send the cars to various stations, depending on the type of car and work that is needed on it, Kimmel said.

The plant, which will hire up to 1,800 workers, is taking form and the first workers could come on board by September, Earle said.

He said some 150 workers will be hired in September. Those numbers will increase from there and hit 850 in 2009 and anywhere from 1,400 to 1,800 by 2010.

The 1,800 jobs represent a significant boost for workers seeking employment, but National Alabama's impact appears to stretch far beyond that.

In addition, up to 1,200 construction jobs could be on tap at the height of the project.

Another important aspect is the psychological boost the project has given the Shoals, which raised sales taxes by a half-cent to fund economic development projects, including Project Tiger, which was the name given to the railcar project.

"This is tremendous for northwest Alabama," Riley said. "When they start hiring, especially with the wages they're talking about, I think the economic impact on northwest Alabama is going to be huge."

Earle said the starting rate will be about $14 an hour, and the benefits package will be competitive with those of the top employers in the Shoals.

"We're looking for people who want a career," Earle said.

Tuesday's gathering was more than a chance to tour the plant. It was an opportunity for a slightly belated one-year anniversary celebration of the Shoals' landing of the facility, which announced its intentions to build in Barton on July 18, 2007.

One year later, railcar officials say they are more sure than ever that they selected the right location from a field of contenders that literally started out with the entire continental United States.

"This is absolutely the best choice," Earle said. "The people here have been outstanding, up and down the dial, from the private sector and public sector. They are a great community.

"Whenever the area leadership came together to talk about it, they kept asking what can they do to facilitate us and make those business decisions to compel us to locate here."

That continues to this day. "Since we've started building, the relationship has only grown and improved," Earle said. "Hopefully, this is the beginning of National Alabama becoming an integral part of the Shoals."

Securing the rail plant, along with an economic-development program that included tourism projects such as the four-diamond Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and two Robert Trent Jones golf courses, have the various governments within the Shoals placing an emphasis on working as one rather than fighting each other for projects.

The efforts, coupled with assistance from the Retirement Systems of Alabama and the state, have the area on the map for economic development.

"You have to go back to RSA, Walgreen, SCA, North American Lighting - that's where it all started," Muscle Shoals Mayor David Bradford said. "The icing on the cake was the railcar plant."

It cost the state and local area some $140 million in incentives, ranging from providing land, to granting tax abatements and helping with finances.

But company officials say the result will be an annual payroll of more than $163 million when you include direct and indirect jobs. The company also is investing $350 million for the 640-acre project.

"This kind of cooperation was the first of its kind in the state, putting these kinds of incentive programs together," Bradford said. "It shows we can go out and play with the big boys.

"The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. This united effort was unprecedented and we have gotten noticed for it."

Earle said the project could bring as many as 7,000 jobs to Alabama, when adding indirect employment caused by such factors as spin-off industries and hiring in the community to meet the demands of the industry and its employees.

"The company expects to purchase $15 (million) to $20 million in goods and services locally annually," he said.

Already, construction jobs are paying off for some area businesses. Among them are hotels, particularly those along U.S. 72 in Colbert County, which is a direct path to the Barton site.

"We're full with construction workers," said Harry Patel, a clerk at the Four-Way Motel. "It has really meant a lot of business for us."

"We stay full almost all the time with construction workers from the railcar plant," said Shonda Shipley, front-desk clerk at Key West Inn. "Some of them leave on the weekend, but most of them are here all the time.

"They're spending money with us and other places in the area where they eat."

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.