By Staff
In just two more days Alabama will find out whether a major German steelmaker plans to put a plant near Mobile.
And while such a project might seem as if it will have no impact on our community, consider that ThyssenKrupp may need suppliers that could locate in or near Escambia County.
The main plant and its suppliers will need workers. ThyssenKrupp could employ up to 2,700 people and countless more in feeder plants.
Those workers will need places to live - and places to spend their grocery and gas money.
The entire region can benefit from the ThyssenKrupp project, and we're waiting along with Mobile to find out just where the plant will locate.
The Alabama Legislature finally came to an agreement last week over the incentives to provide the steel plant, and the state is in competition with only Louisiana to land the new plant.
Brewton and Escambia County may not be directly affected by the plant, but our economic development officials are already working to make contact with suppliers who might be interested in locating here.
We're glad to see that our Legislature made the commitment to help lure ThyssenKrupp - and we hope it's enough to make a difference. While we might not see a direct impact anytime soon, any major economic boost to our state helps boost Alabama's image in the world - and that helps boost our image, too.
So we'll keep our fingers crossed along with our neighbors as the countdown to Friday's announcment continues.