Kay Ivey awards grant to help bring jobs to town of Steele

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Kay Ivey

Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday awarded a $118,000 grant to the town of Steele for infrastructure upgrades that will help bring new jobs to the area.

The Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) will be used to restore a water tower used by Unipres Alabama Inc., a global supplier of steel automotive parts. The company is expanding, constructing a 150,000-square-foot building to accommodate a new assembly line which is expected to create 50 jobs.

“My administration is very focused on economic opportunities for Alabamians, so job growth and company expansions like the Unipres Alabama plant in Steele are great news for our state,” Ivey said. “I am pleased to support Steele in preparing the way for this expansion and the new job opportunities it will provide.”

The company is investing in a new heat stamping process that requires water for cooling the steel used in automotive bodies. The water tank’s interior and exterior will be restored, alleviating any corrosion or deterioration that might otherwise lead to water leaks or particles getting into the cooling process.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Gov. Ivey has consistently shown her support for economic growth and a desire to bring even more jobs to Alabama,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to play a role in this project which will bring benefits to Steele and the surrounding area.”

The Steele Water Board is providing $35,000 to supplement the award.