MONTGOMERY— Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $100,000 grant to the city of Monroeville to provide infrastructure necessary for a new industry to locate there and create 40 jobs.
The Community Development Block Grant funds will facilitate J & L Industrial Services’ plans to move into the Hornady-Sawyer incubator building. The company, expected to begin operation in early 2020, will manufacture piping and structural steel that will be used in paper and steel mills.
“Bringing jobs to Alabama is and will continue to be a priority of my administration,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am certain the people of Monroeville and Monroe County are just as excited as I am about this new industry and its potential.”
J & L Industrial is a local startup company that plans to contract its services with mills throughout the southeastern United States, and J & L owners say they already have several agreements to install their products this summer during normal seasonal mill shutdowns.
CDBG funds will be used to renovate the building to accommodate the needs of the new business.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“Gov. Ivey is committed to helping create jobs to give Alabamians new employment opportunities and to continue to improve the economy,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to join with Gov. Ivey and assist in this venture.”
Gov. Ivey notified Mayor Sandy Smith that the grant had been approved. The city has pledged $25,000 for the project.
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
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