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July 30, 2010  |  Email This Page

The foundation for our Billion dollar industrial boom was built on existing long-standing corporations in our area
plus affordable land, resources, an educated workforce, and alternatives to high-cost trucking for transport

Monroe County is preparing for an economic development and industrial growth period like we have never seen before. There are many reasons why new companies are moving here and why existing local organizations are choosing to invest big money to expand.

Location, Location, Location! Our location is important as the population in the Southeast US continues to grow.

Not counting the massive impact that Toyota’s eighth U.S. manufacturing plant within 60 miles of Amory, which will build the Prius and new hybrid models, our facts and figures are astounding. The total capital planned to be invested in 12 projects between 2008 and 2010 will exceed $1.2 Billion!

Anchored by the cities of Amory and Aberdeen, for a county of our size we have a thriving business community with a pro-business attitude, a "big city" hospital with Gilmore Memorial and our quality of life, beautiful weather and true "Southern hospitality" will keep drawing more business and new jobs and neighbors!

Tony Green – Executive Director, Monroe County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development

Tony, on left in photo, with Mayor Howard Boozer, third from left, and executives from Steel Development Company, Inc.

"To be successful in landing a new manufacturing industry in the 21^st century, it’s mostly about location and resources. The most important requirements for industry is that its physical location needs to be close to raw materials, suppliers, vendors, highly accessible modes of transportation and an available, trained or trainable labor force. Having good access to four lane highways, railroads, and water is very valuable. Monroe County is very fortunate in that we have all three transportation modes to offer. A company can receive and ship to anywhere in the world via the Burlington Northern Railroad, the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway, and the Highway 45 corridor, which runs north – south, and two major transportation routes which run east – west (SR 82 to our south and Interstate 22 north of Monroe County)."

Steel Development Company Inc.'s future side at our Amory Industrial Park and port on the Tenn-Tom Waterway

Tony's greeting and tour of the Amory Industrial Park!
Running time: 1:04 minutes

SR 278 – a bypass of SR 78 runs alongside Amory and our Amory Industrial Park & its port

The Tenn-Tom Waterway is a marvel of modern engineering and opened for commercial traffic in January of 1985 – the completion of a dream that had begun more than 100 years before. The Tenn-Tom forms a 234 mile long, 300 feet wide by 9 feet deep transportation artery connecting west-central Alabama and northeastern Mississippi. Made up of a series of ten locks, each measuring 110 feet by 600 feet, it connects out part of the nation with the existing 16,000 mile inland waterway system and shortens shipping distances for many inland ports by over 800 miles. It joins the Tennessee River in Northeast Mississippi with the old Tombigbee River near Amory, Mississippi.

The Tenn-Tom has 3 major functions – Navigation, Wildlife Mitigation and Recreation. Navigating the Tenn-Tom as opposed to taking the Mississippi river saves companies over 800 miles to the Coast and about $130,000,000 annually. The Wildlife Mitigation Program, which includes over 70,000 acres of land on the Tenn-Tom and another 100,000+ acres at other areas, provides wildlife opportunities for everyone, whether it is bird watching or deer hunting. Last but certainly not least, the Recreation Program provides opportunities for boating, picnicking, swimming and camping. Waterway

Street Map

SR 45 goes from Gulf to Bay!

Amory 278 Connector

SR 78 from Atlantic to Memphis

Our appeal to major manufacturers is undeniable – from the Tombigbee Waterway – the man-made "connector" to the intricate navigate-able waterways of the nation's breadbasket, and you can see our compelling location at the crossroads of SR 45 and SR 78 – we are at the 278 connector. Add our existing rail system and you can see our strategic location!

Notes: On this Tupelo Waterway Map notice Amory's close proximity to Tupelo, but that our location on the Tenn-Tom Waterway – unlike Tupelo, makes us extremely compelling for industry! Kinder-Morgan operates a bulk material handling terminal at the Port of Amory, located at Mile 369 on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

Our already-diversified industrial base likely also contributed to more companies choosing Monroe County. Automotive parts and metal products, furniture, boats and truck bodies - these are just some of the products made by the more than 50 industries operating in Monroe County. Holley Performance Products, Tronox, Lane Furniture, Summit Boats, Inc., NauticStar Boats, True Temper Sports and Block Sportswear all call the county home. Monroe County's close proximity to several major automobile manufacturers make it a premier location for the automobile supply industry to locate and expand their operations. A well-educated workforce known for its strong work ethic and supportive governmental leaders add to the perfect mix.

Our leaders are excellent stewards of our economic growth. Pictured above is Tony with Tronox's Learnard Dickerson, Mayor Boozer and Mississippi Governor Hailey Barbour are with an executive at the Steel Development Company, Inc.'s groundbreaking in late 2008, and upper right is Tony at NauticStar with CEO Phil Faulkner. In the photos below, Tony is pictured overseeing the grading of land for RTI – a titanium sponge manufacturer, who also made a multi-million dollar commitment to build its plant in Monroe County south of Amory.

"Tronox has been a big industry for Monroe County since the '50s. RTI will be a big addition to that. I believe they will be providing more than 200 jobs here once their plant is completed." - Tony

Tronox signed a definitive agreement with RTI International Metals, Inc. under which RTI will purchase titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) from Tronox's Hamilton, Miss., titanium dioxide plant. The TiCl4 will be used in the manufacturing of titanium sponge at a new plant that RTI will build adjacent to Tronox's Hamilton facility. Tronox expects to generate annual operating profits from TiCl4 sales and incremental cost savings in the range of $12 million to $15 million once the plant reaches full production. RTI estimates the plant will come on line in 2010, ramping up production over the next several years.

Tony surveying the land for RTI international Metals, Inc., in view of the Tronox plant – south of Amory on SR 25

NauticStar

Tony's lake view from his office – note Amory High’s fields on far right of photo

"Our new friends and business partners have described our people as follows: (1) a hard working, highly ethical and productive workforce, (2) the cooperation of state and local officials is extraordinary, and (3) the quality and the hospitality of the people is unmatched. They also like the quality of life that they see.

Over $1.2 billion to be invested in Monroe County will pay taxes, pay salaries, pay utilities, purchase goods and services, and provide 500-600 jobs when other parts of the country are having problems, and many small towns our size are dealing with issues of decline and not growth."

Comments from David Rumbarger – CEO, Community Development Foundation (CDF, Inc.), Tupelo

"Monroe County fits into the mix of geography for Toyota. 6,000 people who work in the South Industrial Park in Tupelo are Monroe County residents. Monroe County is definitely a 'piece of the puzzle' and is in the circle of where things will happen. Being so close and just south on Highway 45, benefits from Toyota's presence here are in its future."

David on the Toyota Influence – Toyota's 8th US manufacturing plant will build the Pruis and with studies showing that 50% of its workers come from within a 60-mile region, this means we fit into the Toyota picture.

Following the strategy and mindset that what is good for our area is good for all of us, no matter where new industry chooses in Northeast Mississippi, David says what was a key factor in landing Toyota was our region’s quality and number of manufacturing jobs: 32% of our workforce is in some form of manufacturing while the average mid-level city is at less than 9% - with little influence of unions. We know how to build things and educational and technical schools are already here to help to grow a modern manufacturing workforce.

Regarding Monroe County, David pointed to the fact that 48% of the working pool that descends on Tupelo's employers come from outside Tupelo's Lee County, so we are a region which truly has no real economic boundaries but instead things of the region as a whole – we work together in Northeast Mississippi!

David gives significant credit to Amory Mayor Howard Boozer, above, an executive board member with the Three River Development District which successfully sold Toyota on Northeast Mississippi.

Additional from David:

Tupelo video clips used by permission from CDF, Inc
Running time: 2:54 minutes

Population Trends in our Region:

David describes our population growth at 1% per year, which is healthy and doesn’t tax the area’s infrastructure and aids in better long-term planning. David says that based on studies, Toyota will add an additional .5% to our population after five years due to the exponential growth of companies that will follow Toyota here, which he terms a "flywheel multiplier effect." Toyota defies all economic trends due to the desire for its product and this population growth is planned for.

Tupelo's 2008 Comprehensive Growth Plan

Tony Green's Comments on Toyota:

Tony comments on Toyota coming to our region
& reviews companies with a long history in Monroe County
Running time: 1:04 minutes

Our close proximity to Toyota makes us a premier location for the automobile supply industry to locate and expand their operations. A well educated workforce known for its strong work ethic and supportive government leaders add to the perfect mix that is Monroe County.

More about Monroe County’s Growth

Co-owners Joe and Cassie Scobey, from Poplar Bluff, MO

It's not just that it is a hotel, but what it represents – higher end services are coming in anticipation of our growth. Joe and Cassie co-own this Heritage Inn franchise with another couple, and Joe was kind enough to meet us and give us a tour of his business.

Joe discusses coming to Amory
Running time: 41 seconds

Photo Tour of Heritage Inn & Suites

Walgreens

In 2008 Walgreens announced a $2.2 million project to build a modern superstore on the corner of SR 278 and Earl Frye Boulevard a few hundred yards from Gilmore Memorial – opposite the McDonalds.

It's not just a new drug store but what this means – major retailers such as Walgreens don't arbitrarily decide to build new stores, but base their plans on growth trends and traffic counts. With daily traffic counts in excess of 14,000 on the main streets of Amory, this is plenty to host a Walgreens. Watch for more retailers!

Gilmore Regional’s Women’s Center – $18.5 Million expansion

Gilmore Memorial CEO Dwayne Blaylock

Tours & Galleries:

More Local Companies
Drive from Birmingham to Amory

Aerial Photos
Drive from Amory to Tupelo

Industrial Park Photos
Drive to Amory from Tupelo

More Growth Information & Facts:

Why make Gilmore Memorial and Amory the place for your career and future?

Agriculture in Monroe County: Agriculture is not as considerable to our economy as most rural counties in Mississippi, which also makes us unique, and farming is not in the top 10 industries or work categories for men or women. Although there is considerable farmland in the County, 93% are family farms averaging 257 acres in size. 60% have livestock or poultry and 40% of the average farm is used for crops. The average age for principal farm operators is 56.

Signifcant Credit given to the following sources:

Industrial Park Site map www.monroecountyms.org/direct_copy_monroe_county_site_location_map.html
Tronox-RTI Announcement: www.tronox.com/media/news/archive/news2008/news_20080325.htm
Monroe County Chamber/EDA Director Tony Green: tony@gomonroe.org
Tupelo Community Development Corp, Inc.: www.cdfms.org 662-842-4521
How Lock & Dams operate along the Tombigbee waterway: www.tenntom.org/econdev/ttwecondevinlandww.html
www.usaelectionpolls.com

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