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New Plant, 100 High Tech Jobs Coming To Atmore

The City of Atmore officially signed off Thursday on an agreement with Hunstville-based Brown-Precision that will bring 100 new jobs and a multi-million dollar investment to a new industrial park. And officials say they hope it is just the beginning of the job announcements in a new aerospace corridor.

Aerospace is Alabama’s second fastest growing industry sector and a key target in my Accelerate Alabama economic development strategy,” Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said in a prepared statement. “I’m committed to helping companies like Brown Precision expand in Alabama and strengthen their aerospace business. Rural communities are important to me, and I am honored to know the hard-working men and women in Atmore will soon have an opportunity to compete for more than 100 skilled well-paying jobs.”

“We are excited about being in Atmore,” Greg Brown, president and co-CEO of Brown Precision said Thursday morning in Atmore. “We hope this is going to be a corridor of aerospace industry all up and down I-65.” .

“Brown Precision is a great addition to Southwest Alabama’s growing aerospace cluster, which is poised to become a key region in this global industry over the next decade,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Brown Precision counts many of the industry’s biggest names as clients, so its expansion to Atmore says a lot about the region’s potential.”

Brown Precision, a family owned company founded in 1964, performs precision machining for clients in the aerospace and medical industries. It manufactures complex components ranging from aircraft and helicopter components to artificial human joints. Clients include GE Aviation, GKN Aerospace, Bell, PPG Aerospace, and Smith & Nephew.

The Atmore facility is expected to eventually employ more than 100 workers in activities such as CNC-based manufacturing, custom fabrication and component coating. The company expects to make an initial investment of approximately $7 million in the facility, with expansions possible.

“We think the Atmore area is a great fit for what we do at Brown Precision Inc., and we look forward to being part of the community,” said Dan Brown, the company’s co-CEO and chief operating officer. “We believe southwest Alabama and the Coastal Gateway region is positioned extremely well as a point of growth for the aerospace industry, and we wanted to be on the leading edge of that. We look forward to putting down roots that will hold for many years to come.” Dan Brown will move to the Atmore area to oversee the new facility.

At a ceremony in Atmore today, Mayor Jim Staff welcomed Brown Precision as the first industrial tenant in the Rivercane Industrial Park, located at the intersection of Interstate 65 and Alabama 21. A new access road to the park will be built in coming months.

“It is great day for Atmore,” Staff said. “They are going to be a great fit for the community.

“The Atmore area is a prime area to become a cluster of aerospace activity,” Tim Martin, president and CEO of the Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority. He said CIEDA’s Muskogee Metalworks will work in conjunction with Brown Precision, allowing the companies to bid on larger projects, especially for the government.

To develop the Rivercane Industrial Park, the City of Atmore received funding commitments from the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Delta Regional Authority.

The Alabama Department of Commerce and AIDT, the state workforce development agency, lent support to the Brown Precision project, as did numerous local agencies and businesses. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians and Creek Indian Enterprises also supported the project.

“We believe our region is going to benefit greatly over the years from the presence of Airbus and the expansion of the aerospace industry in general,” said John Johnson, executive director of the Coastal Gateway Economic Development Alliance, which acted as project manager.

“Adding Brown Precision Inc. to existing local aerospace companies, such as Muskogee Technology, and connecting with our local community colleges and training programs, serves notice that the Coastal Gateway region is not only ready to expand our aerospace sector, but has also proven capable of doing so,” Johnson added.

Pictured top: The Atmore City Council, with Mayor Jim Staff (right), approved the resolutions necessary to enter into an agreement with Brown Precision during a special meeting Thursday morning. Pictured top inset: Greg Brown, president and co-CEO of Brown Precision. Pictured botttom inset: Tim Martin, president and CEO of the Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority. Pictured below: A large crowd was on hand for the Brown Precision announcement. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.