Toyota expansion means more jobs, schools support

Alabama Governor Bob Riley recently announced that Toyota Motor Manufacturing would expand its facilities in Huntsville, Ala.

Investment for the expansion will be $250 million, bringing Toyota's total investment in the area to $490 million. The expansion will nearly double the size of the engine-producing facility and increase employment by 300.

"Toyota's announcement is proof positive of the outstanding relationship between this community and existing industry," said Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer. "We're so pleased Toyota chose to increase capital investment here locally and bring additional jobs to Huntsville."

Tilt-up construction reduces time, costs for Mercedes-Benz support facility in Vance

Alabama entrepreneurs Hollingsworth and McNeil recognized an opportunity at Legacy Industrial Park in Vance, Ala., and recently used a large tract of land there to build a Mercedes-Benz support facility.

The developers are partners in Synchronous Industrial Services, which fabricates and sells parts to Mercedes-Benz and is owner of the land.

The first structure to be built was a 400,000-sq.-ft. warehouse, large enough to support growing customer demand for Mercedes-Benz' ML Series SUVs.

After examining the potential for savings in both construction costs and time, designers chose tilt-up concrete construction instead of precast concrete following a recommendation by Seretta Construction of Orlando, Fla.

Seretta began the concrete construction in March, working for general contractor Hollingsworth Construction. Seretta engineered and designed the foundation, slab and tilt-wall panels, and constructed the building shell.

The 400,000-sq.-ft. project consisted of 90 tilt-wall panels. Seretta completed the concrete building shell in June, just three months after arrival on site. All of the panels were erected in less than 30 days. The fast-track schedule enabled the owners to begin their lease contract with Mercedes-Benz sooner, enhancing the cash flow potential of the building.

The Mercedes-Benz assembly/warehouse project was completed in July and is now supporting the automaker's expanded requirements.

Seretta also erected a 150,000-sq.-ft. Euro Fit building adjacent to the larger assembly/warehouse facility.

White-Spunner completes Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile

White-Spunner Construction recently completed the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile, Ala., in just 232 days.

The $20 million terminal is 66,000 sq. ft. and two stories tall.

The Alabama Cruise Terminal is the first grassroots port facility to be built since Sept. 11, 2001.

"This project represents a milestone for Alabama," said Roy Largue, vice president and project manager for White-Spunner Construction. "The state's first venture into a new industry and the first building in the nation to meet and exceed new security standards . . . all in record time."

Working closely with local workers, contractors, suppliers and designers, White-Spunner Construction worked double shifts to meet the target completion date and within budget.

Thirty local area companies developed the tight schedule.

A precast structural system used to construct prefabricated pieces of concrete enabled the building to be constructed in hours and minutes rather than days and weeks.

Largue said the modification was critical to the project's success because it eliminated weather-related issues that typically plague the Mobile area during the spring.

The terminal facility is financed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama through its affiliate, Alabama Real Estate Holdings Inc., and includes a 500-space parking facility.

Mobile to get new IPSCO heat-treated plate facility

IPSCO Inc. of Lisle, Ill., announced recently that it has selected Mobile, Ala., as the location to build its new continuous plate heat-treating operation.

The company also announced it has awarded the major contract for the design and supply of equipment to LOI Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pa.

The $45,000,000 facility will produce 170,000 tons per year of heat treated plate, quenched and tempered or normalized, ranging in thickness from 3/16 in. to 3 in. and widths up to 123 in. The 140,000-sq.-ft. facility will include a shot blast station, hot leveler, stenciler and shear, all of which will be fully automated.

Based on agreed schedules, a "normalizing line" is expected to start operations in fourth quarter of 2005 and a "quench and temper unit" in first quarter of 2006.

IPSCO operates steel mills at three locations and pipe mills at six locations in Canada and the United States. IPSCO has a combined annual steel making capacity of 3,500,000 tons. The company's tubular facilities produce tubular products such as line pipe, oil and gas well casing and tubing, standard pipe and hollow structurals.