Did You Know?

*Inside the Kumi Manufacturing plant in Chilton County*

In 2017, Alabama plastics and rubber product manufacturing companies were numbered at 225 facilities.
Additionally, total employment was 17,569 plastic and rubber manufacturing workers.

Chilton County’s Cluster of Plastics Industries

KUMI Manufacturing

Established in 2001,KUMI Manufacturing is a full-service provider of high-quality plastic injection molding parts for the automotive industry. The facility has injection molding, fabric over-mold, sheet forming, and assembly capabilities. Click here for more information about the plant.

Major Plastics Companies in Alabama

Michelin

Located one hour from Chilton County, Michelin has two locations in Alabama employing over 1,900 people. The two facilities manufacture radial light truck tires, bias mini-spares, and radial passenger tires. Click here to read more about a recent expansion at the Tuscaloosa facility

3M Company

Located two hours from Chilton County is 3M Company, a plastic fabrication company. Thisfacility specializes in the manufacture of plastic sheets and thermoplastic resins. Click here to read more about this facility.

BFGoodrich

Located one hour from Chilton County, BFGoodrich has a had a presence in Alabama for over 70 years. The tire manufacturing facility employs 1,400 people and announced an expansion in 2016. Click here to read more about BF Goodrich in Tuscaloosa

Number of Plastics Companies Within Our Labor Shed

4 All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing Companies
4 Adhesive Manufacturing Companies
3 Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing Companies
2 Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing Companies
2 All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing Companies

2 Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing Companies
1 Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing Company
1 Plastics Bottle Manufacturing Company
1 Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing Company

Engineers in Labor Shed

485 Industrial Engineers
379 Electrical Engineers
304 Mechanical Engineers

Skilled Labor

The labor shed has seen the following growth in Plastics related jobs over the last 5 years:

183% growth in people employed in Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing
64% growth in people employed in Plastics Bottle Manufacturing
24% growth in people employed in All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing
23% growth in people employed as Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
22% growth in people employed as Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
22% growth in people employed as Industrial Machinery Mechanics
21% growth in people employed as Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
16% growth in people employed as Industrial Engineers
15% growth in people employed as Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

11% growth in people employed as Industrial Production Managers
10% growth in people employed as Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
9% growth in people employed as Chemical Technicians
9% growth in people employed as Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
9% growth in people employed as Millwrights
9% growth in people employed in Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing
8% growth in people employed as Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic
8% growth in people employed in Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing

The Chilton County labor shed is home to highly skilled workers in the Plastics sector. Below are a few examples of how our workforce compares to the United States average:

5.8 times the US average of people employed as Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
3.9 times the US average of people employed in Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
3 times the US average of people employed in All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing
2.6 times the US average of people employed as Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
2.6 times the US average of people employed as Millwrights

2.5 times the US average of people employed as Industrial Machinery Mechanics
2.1 times the US average of people employed in Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing
2 times the US average of people employed in Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing
Over the US average of people employed in Other Plastics Product Manufacturing
Over the US average of people employed in Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing

The following quantities of skilled workers are currently employed in our region:

1,199 employed as Industrial Machinery Mechanics
857 employed as Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
837 employed as Electricians
615 employed as Machinists
533 workers employed in All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing
485 employed as Industrial Engineers
381 employed as Industrial Production Managers
379 employed as Electrical Engineers
304 employed as Mechanical Engineers
242 employed as Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
236 employed as Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic

225 employed as Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
170 employed as Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
155 workers employed in Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing
152 employed as Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
147 employed as Millwrights
124 employed as Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
114 employed as Industrial Engineering Technicians
103 workers employed in Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing
99 workers employed in All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing

Plastics Supply Chain

The Chilton County labor shed has an advantage to recruit plastics companies based on a review of industry purchases within the region and supply chain. Companies within these sectors would have an opportunity due to the demand for plastics products. This is based on the following supply chain statistics:

$85.1 million Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, only $7 million of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $77 million being imported from outside the region.
$23.9 million Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, only $2 million of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $21 million being imported from outside the region.
$18.6 million Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, only $1 million of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $17 million being imported from outside the region.

$15.9 million Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) products are being purchased within them Chilton County Region. Currently, only $298,000 of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $15 million being imported from outside the region.
$13.3 million Rubber Product Manufacturing for Mechanical Use products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, none of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $13 million being imported from outside the region.

Training and Education

Auburn University accommodates the broad range of polymer and fiber opportunities by offering two undergraduate programs leading to the bachelor of polymer and fiber engineering. The polymer option emphasizes polymer characterization, processing, and chemistry. The fiber option emphasizes the mechanics of composite materials and other fibrous structures.

The University of Alabama’s research areas include nanotechnology, spin-based electronics, targeted drug delivery, molecular-level simulations for studying chemical reactions, separations using membranes, solvents and composite materials, metals casting, magnetic-tape technology, synthesis of electronic materials, interfacial and transport phenomena, ionic liquids, fluid mechanics, polymer science, pharmaceutical engineering, environmental remediation, biomass conversion, and simulation of the streams and bays of Alabama’s coastal zone.

AIDT is recognized as one of the top 5 workforce training agencies in the US. Their services include:

Pre-Employment (Training Development, Videography, Media and Project Support)
Post-Employment/On-the-Job Training Support
Maintenance Assessments
Safety Assistance and Training
Leadership Development
Process Improvement (Continuous Improvement)

Alabama Technology Network (ATN):

Today’s demanding global marketplace not only encourages continual improvements in profitability and productivity—it demands it. That is where this innovative collaboration comes in, a strategic partnership between Alabama’s community colleges, the University of Alabama System, Auburn University, and the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.

Strategic advice and training is available from ATN in more than a half dozen areas including:

Information technology
Lean manufacturing
Quality systems and engineering
Environmental safety and health
Human resources and organizational development
Business services and management
Industrial maintenance
Engineering and technical services

Community College Programs

Jefferson State Community College offers Welding Technology Certificate & AAS degree program with the following courses:

SMAW Groove Plate
Principles of Welding & Metal Cutting Techniques
Mechanical Tools
SMAW Fillet/PAC/CAC Welding
Flux Core Arc Welding
Gas Metal Arc/Flux Cored Arc Welding
Welding Inspection and Testing Theory
NCCER Core Curriculum
GTAW Carbon Pipe Welding
Pipefitting and Fabrication – Welding

Utilities

Electric Utilities

Alabama Power

Operated by the Southern Company
$5.5 billion in annual revenue
Supplies over 1.4 million customers
Alabama Power actively supports economic and community development throughout its area.
Click Here to read more about economic development support.

Alabama Electric Co-Op

Operated by the Southern Company

Central Alabama Electric Cooperative is a not for profit, member-owned electric distribution utility.
The cooperative’s service area covers most of the rural areas of Autauga, Elmore, Coosa and Chilton counties as well as members in Tallapoosa, Talladega, Bibb, Perry, Dallas and Lowndes counties.
The cooperative is a $199 million company with 5,500 miles of line.
Central Alabama Electric Cooperative actively supports economic and community development throughout its area.
Click Here to read more about economic development support.

Natural Gas

Spire

Serves more than 1.7 million customers
Fifth largest publicly traded natural gas company in the country

Transportation

Road Access

Chilton County is located on Interstate 65, halfway between Birmingham and Montgomery.

Class I Rail Access

Rail service is provided by CSX and Norfolk Southern.

Air Service

Chilton County has a municipal FBO airport with commercial service being available in Montgomery, Birmingham, both less than an hour away and Atlanta 2.5 hours away.