Alabama wins Silver Shovel Award for 2022 economic development successes

Last week the State of Alabama was awarded a Silver Shovel Award. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that Area Development, a national business publication, has selected Alabama for its Silver Shovel Award. This is in recognition of the state’s economic development successes during 2022.

“The Silver Shovel Award is yet another testament to Alabama’s strong pro-business environment and to the talented workers that help companies from around the world grow and thrive,” said Gov. Ivey. “This honor also demonstrates that our efforts to create good jobs and spark economic growth are producing results in Sweet Home Alabama.”

Area Development also cited Atlanta-based Novelis’s plan to invest more than $2.5 billion to build a new low-carbon recycling and rolling plant in Baldwin County as one of its ‘Projects of the Year.’ The project in Bay Minette is expected to create 1,000 jobs.

Economic Developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “Area Development Magazine has been a leading publication in our industry for over five decades. The selection of Alabama for a Silver Shovel Award is a testament to teamwork; the public and private sectors have collaborated and created an environment conducive to business.

Since being elevated to the Governor’s office in 2017 after then-Gov. Robert Bentley’s resignation, Ivey has put a strong emphasis on economic development and competing for new capital investment. Since becoming Governor, Ivey has announced new capital projects of $41 billion, creating 80,000 new jobs for Alabamians and creating the lowest unemployment numbers in the history of the state along the way. Ivey’s economic development team is led by Greg Canfield – who is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“Last year was a remarkable one for Alabama’s economic development team,” said Sec. Canfield. “Not only did these professionals secure high-impact growth projects for the state during 2022, but they also managed to set records while doing it. Their efforts are creating exciting new career opportunities for Alabama citizens and enhanced growth possibilities for communities across the state,” he added. “And we’re not slowing down.”

In 2022 the state compiled $10.1 billion in announcements of companies building or expanding facilities in the state. This shattered the old record of $8.1 billion set in 2018. The Silver Shovel Award recognized these record results for Alabama’s economic development team. This $10.1 billion in capital investment last year will create over 13,000 jobs across Alabama and stimulate economic growth in both urban and rural areas of the state.

“Companies consider many factors in the site selection process, such as a quality and skilled workforce, infrastructure, pro-business policies, community-oriented towns, and school systems, and the proximity to customers and vendors,” Jones explained. “An estimated 13,000 new jobs will result from new facilities and the expansion of existing sites throughout Alabama.”

Area Development magazine’s annual Shovel Awards recognize state economic development agencies that drive significant job creation through innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, processes, and promotions that attract new employers and investments in new and expanded facilities. The awards are presented annually to states that have achieved significant success in terms of job creation and economic impact.

Factors that go into this calculation include the number of high-valued added jobs per capita, amount of investment, number of new facilities, and industry diversity of the submitted projects.

Alabama qualified for a Silver Shovel award in the 4- to 6-million population category. Other winners in the category were South Carolina and Wisconsin.

2022 was marked nationally with large-scale projects related to electric vehicles. Area Development singled out two projects in Alabama: Hyundai’s $300 million investment to launch EV production at its Montgomery plant and Hyundai Mobis’ $205 million battery module plant nearby.

Area Development also highlighted growth plans in Alabama by Airbus, First Solar, United Launch Alliance, Manna Beverages & Ventures, and Diego.

This is far from the first time the magazine has honored Alabama with Shovel Awards. It received Gold Shovel Awards in 2006, 2013, 2019and 2021, and Silver Shovel Awards for 2007–2012, 2014–2018, and now in 2022.

Last September, Area Development reported that Alabama ranked Number 6 in its annual “Best States for Doing Business” survey, containing a sustained run for the state in that list’s Top 10.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.

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