Location and logistics

• Gadsden is on Interstates 59 and 759 in northeast Alabama; I-65 is a one-hour drive away, and I-20 is 45 minutes away.
• We are within one hour of Birmingham, two hours of Atlanta and three hours of Nashville.
• Two rail lines serve Etowah County.
• Gadsden’s airport provides general aviation services and accommodates private jet aircraft; the Birmingham International Airport is less than an hour’s drive away.
• More than 30 first-tier automotive parts suppliers are within a two-hour drive of Gadsden.
• There are 8 vehicle assembly plants within a three-hour drive.

Industrial buildings
A variety of buildings are available for sale or lease. For example, more than 1,000,000 square feet of buildings (many having cranes) are now available for lease in a new, privately developed, heavy industrial park comprising the former Gulf States Steel site.

• An electric power substation and a 115 KV transmission line are adjacent to this property.
• Rail service is provided by CSX and Norfolk Southern; rail and truck scales are on site.
• T-1 data connections are in place.

Industrial sites
There are several industrial parks in Etowah County. The largest is Gadsden’s 1,000-acre Airport Industrial Park, adjacent to an I-59 interchange.

• Individual sites can be configured in size and dimension to your specific requirements.
• All utilities are in place.
• A complete Environmental Impact Statement has been performed, disclosing
no problems.

Support services

• Machine shops, tool & die shops, stamping operations and plastic injection molders are here.
• Other locally available services include electroplating, e-coating, powder coating, flocking, annealing, industrial gases, cutting and shearing, grinding and mold repair.
• Chapters of NTMA and ASQ offer continuing education and networking programs.

Local government regulations

• The policy of local elected officials and government department heads is to make sure new and expanding industries do not encounter any “red tape”.
• A building permit can be issued within five working days of the submission of plans.
• We are in attainment with all EPA ambient air quality standards; no local permits are required.

Local corporate tax rates

• The combined state, county and city property tax is 49 mills on 20% of assessed value, or $9,800 per $1 million annually; of that, school district assessments total 25 mills.
• State and local sales taxes on construction materials total 9%, of which 0.5% is for schools.
• The combined use tax rate on the purchase of machinery and equipment is 3.25%, of which 0.125% is for schools.

Financial incentives

• State income tax credits can constitute 100% capital cost recovery.
• We offer non-educational real property tax exemptions, for ten years.
• Non-educational taxes on personal property also can be exempted for ten years.
• We offer non-educational sales tax exemptions on construction materials and furnishings.
• Likewise, we offer non-educational use tax exemptions on machinery and equipment.
• No inventory taxes are assessed on raw materials, component parts or finished goods.
• A retroactive state grant to help defray site preparation costs is available.
• Job applicant screening and training to company specifications are free of charge.

Labor availability, cost and climate

• The population is 37,500 in Gadsden, 103,000 in Etowah County, and 350,000 in a 30-mile radius.
• More than 2,000 persons have filed job applications at the Gadsden Security Office; 15,000-plus residents are underemployed.
• As examples, average hourly wage rates here are $9.96 for material handlers, $11.32 for welders, and $12.38 for machinists.
• Alabama is a Right to Work state; 94% of the industries in Etowah County operate without unions.

Education and training

• Our public schools were the first in the state to adopt a Tech-Prep diploma curriculum.
• Our community college offers Associates degrees in Automotive Manufacturing, Automated Manufacturing, Computer, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Industrial Maintenance, Machine Tool, and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
• Our advanced manufacturing technology center provides postsecondary education, company-specific training and engineering assistance in CAD (including CATIA), CAM, CIM, CNC, MRP, LEAN manufacturing, PLCs, and quality systems such as ISO, QS and TS.
• We have registered apprenticeship programs for mold makers, machinists and tool & die makers.

Quality of life for transferees

• Our public school systems have advanced academic and fine arts programs.
• A large community college and branches of two state universities are here.
• Costs of housing and of living are among the most affordable in the U.S.
• Gadsden has two regional medical centers and numerous health care providers.
• A symphony orchestra, art museum, civic theatre and cultural arts center are here.
• The climate allows year-round golf, tennis, fishing and other recreational activities.
• Gadsden is a Keep America Beautiful national award-winner, a recipient of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' City Livability Award, and a winner of the prestigious "All-America City” award from the National Civic League.

These are just some of the reasons why Prince Metal Stampings recently built an automotive stampings plant here, why Jay Mid-South LLC chose Gadsden for a robotic welding/assembly operation to make automobile seat components, and why MS-2 LLC constructed a mold maintenance and repair facility here.

However, attracting new firms is our second priority; our top priority is helping existing companies solve problems and prosper. We have a formal program, selected as one of the best development projects in the U.S., to save local plant managers time and money. In Gadsden and Etowah County, we work to ensure our industries remain satisfied. Give us the opportunity and we will perform for you, too.