RAGLAND — The National Cement Company of Alabama joined with state and local officials on Thursday to break ground on the $250 million kiln expansion the company announced in December.
Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield called the expansion the “largest capital investment in the history” of St. Clair County.
Spencer Weitman, president of National Cement, called the event a “big deal for our employees.”
Weitman described how some of the younger workers at the plant are the fourth or fifth generation of their families to work at the plant. “After this, we can have sixth, seventh, eighth generations working here,” he said proudly.
“I shudder to think what would have happened without this expansion,” remarked State Representative Craig Lipscomb (R-Gadsden), whose district encompasses Ragland and the National Cement facility.
The plant is “the lifeblood of Ragland, the heartbeat of the community,” he added.
The National Cement plant on the Ragland site was built in 1910, and the company was acquired by French concrete conglomerate Vicat in 1974. Multiple officials mentioned that in the three years of talks about the expansion, the possibility of the plant moving overseas was broached more than once.
Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, told Yellowhammer News that the current form of the plant had been built with decades-old technology, and without investment, it would have become “less viable over time.”
“Any business must reinvest in itself to remain competitive,” he counseled.
During his remarks, Canfield remarked that the expansion meant he was “looking forward to the next 40-50 years of this plant’s history.
Yellowhammer News asked Secretary Canfield what local officials had done correctly with regards to retaining a legacy business. “They all spoke with one voice,” replied Canfield.
“They were focused on the project, communicated well and understood the importance to the economy,” he advised.
In earlier remarks, Canfield joined the other elected officials who took to the podium in praising the efforts of Ragland Mayor Richard Bunt, who was cited as the driving force behind the effort to keep the plant in Alabama. “He was the quarterback,” said Smith.
“This is a great day, I’m so excited for what it means to our great community,” proclaimed Mayor Bunt during his speech.
Britt Hathcox, a local union leader who has 100 of the plants’ employees in his local chapter, said he was happy about the job security the expansion would bring to the employees he works to protect.
“Mainly I’m thankful they’re spending the money here instead of overseas, which they really could’ve,” he continued.
“I’ve worked here for decades. My son works here now, maybe his can, too,” concluded Hathcox.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
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