Shelby County Economic & Industrial Development Authority

SCEIDA.ORG

The Birmingham News
April 14, 2004

"Shelby firm to expand, add 50 jobs"
by Malcolm Daniels
News staff writer

An Alabaster company that produces glass for major automakers has begun a $6 million expansion that will bring more jobs to the city.

AGC Automotive Americas, formerly known as AP Technoglass, is adding 33,000 square feet to its plant at Shelby West Corporate Park.

Plant manager Charlie Colwell said the expansion, scheduled to be finished in July, will bring at least 50 new jobs to Alabaster, and nearly double the number of workers at the facility.

AGC Automotive makes windshields and windows for the Honda plant in Lincoln and Daimler Chrysler in Vance. The company also will supply glass to the Hyundai plant in Montgomery.

Colwell said the company has experienced a pick-up in business, which made the Alabaster expansion necessary.

The expansion will bring AGC’s plant to 83,000 square feet. The numbers of workers at the plant will jump to at least 118.

In addition to providing new jobs, the plant expansion will help Shelby County in its efforts to attract automotive-related businesses to the county, said James Dedes, executive director of the Shelby County Economic & Industrial Development Authority.

“We’re very pleased to see the expansion,” Dedes said. “This expansion enhances our programs to recruit automotive companies to Shelby County.”

SCEIDA markets and recruits companies to the county-owned 390-acre Shelby West Corporate Park, which is off the Airport exit of Interstate 65.

The park’s tenants are AGC Automotive; BTC Wholesale Distributors, which moved from Birmingham two years ago; Armstrong Relocation, a moving company; and National Scouting Report, an athletic scouting service.

Ditch Witch of Mobile, which sells and services equipment used to install underground utilities, has a building under construction at the park, Dedes said. The Ditch Witch building is scheduled to be finished by mid-summer, he said.

The county is working to attract companies to locate in the final phase of the park, which consists of about 200 acres. Sites can range from five to more than 50 acres.