The Shoals – America’s New Industrial Boomtowns – Wright predicts a bright future

SEDA Executive Director Forrest Wright

THE SHOALS – Forest Wright, Executive Director of the Shoals Economic Development Agency is really happy about a recent report on our area. The article, “America’s New Industrial Boomtowns”, written by  Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires, and appearing in a recent edition of Forbes and the blog, “newgeography” lists the Florence-Muscle Shoals MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) as the Number 1, small manufacturing city in America. This statement in the article pretty much sums up the trend, “Our research suggests that much of this growth will be in metro areas in the South and the Great Plains that are known for friendly business climates. New industrial investment is tending to go to places that are largely non-union, and feature lower taxes and light regulation.”

Wright noted that The Shoals has been up near the top of this list for the last several years. In 2013 the Florence-Muscle Shoals MSA was ranked Number 2 in the nation. “I think it is important to note that this is a trend, not just a one-time deal. And whether you’re number 1 or number 2, or 5… That’s still pretty strong.” “Obviously it’s something we’re very proud of. It’s indicative of what this community (The Shoals) has been experiencing, particularly manufacturing, in the last several years. In small MSA’s in the nation for job-growth in manufacturing. This is pretty strong. This ranking is the result of what what has been seen (in the recent past) in per-capita job growth in manufacturing. And we’ve had that distinction for the last several years.”

Here is what it means to be ranked this high. If a consultant for a manufacturer, who is looking for a new site to build a factory, sees The Shoals ranked this high, it tells the person to get busy and look more closely at our area.

Wright continued, When a consultant looks at these rankings he/she has to ask, “Why? Why are they doing so well? What’s going on down there that’s so good? I might be interested in that.” Wright said that if nothing else, the consultant has paid attention to the high ranking of The Shoals; saw something in Alabama (if he happens to be thinking about Alabama as a site), we will be the first place in the State to be researched. Wright added, “But equally important, it should give folks around here some confidence in this particular industry sector. And it’s really a kudo to those existing industries that are here already, he continued, “Because they are a large source of that job growth, these companies that are here already.”

Wright offered some encouragement to those employees that are in the process of losing their jobs because of the impending closure of Champion Paper in Courtland, and the recent announcement by Hillshire Brands to idle its Florence facility. “First, we realize that there’s not much we can say to make those people feel good. We understand that clearly, but it should give them some confidence that there are lots of opportunities out there now. It (the new job) may be different. It may require that person to re-train, re-tool… That’s not unusual at all. That’s not unique, whether you are the one got that furlough notice or not, we all have to re-train constantly in what we do. That’s the nature of the beast. Even today, there are opportunities out there.”

Wright emphasized that he understands that the Number 1 ranking won’t make those workers feel better who are in the process of losing their jobs. “But that ranking represents is a lot of job growth out there and a lot of opportunities out there for other things.”

This is a partial listing from newgeography.com:

The full listing may be found at newgeography.com by following this LINK.

The Forbes article may be found at this LINK.