Montgomery Celebrates Business Expansion

by WAKA Action 8 News

Montgomery has had a lot of new industry move to the area over the last year.

City leaders took time to recognize those companies who keep deciding to stay in the capital. 

The mayor and members from the chamber of commerce went on the Success Starts Here bus tour this morning. They went to three facilities across the city that have been growing, and bringing more jobs with them.

Some of these businesses have been in town over 20 years, like Thermalex. And not only are they bringing in new jobs, but they’re making the other jobs more secure.

“They also protect 6,969 existing jobs representing about 230 million. Actually the number, I just looked at it, is 230 million three dollars of capital investment this year,” said Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange. 

Hartzell Engine technologies was one of the stops along the way. The company is bringing in workers from other facilities to help fill their 80 thousand square foot headquarters in Montgomery. 

“The new equipment that you see in our facility represents a 4 million dollars investment in machining inspection and test equipment that we use to create precision aircraft components here,” said Mike Disbrow, president of the company.  

As the bus tour continued, we found that these companies, including Mobis Alabama, a major supplier for Hyundai and kia, say the end of the recession has helped them grow. Thermalex is buying new equipment to increase its production. This is the facility’s 6th major expansion.

“Thermalex actually over the last couple of years has been working three shifts a day six and seven days a week to combat that demand so this is going to provide some welcome relief to our workforce who have been outstanding,” said Thermalex President Michael Brotherton.