MONTGOMERY, AL, January 15 – Manufacture Alabama, the state’s trade association representing textile and other manufacturing industries, enters 2007 – and a new Legislative Quadrennium in Alabama – focused on the areas most crucial to the competitive success of its members, including energy, transportation infrastructure needs, workforce development, fair trade practices and other key manufacturing issues.  These issues have comprised Manufacture Alabama’s successful agenda since the association was formed in 2002 through the mergers of the Alabama Textile Manufacturers Association, the Alabama Industry and Manufacturers Association and the Alabama Chemical Association. 

            “Four years ago, at the start of the last Legislative Quadrennium (the four-year period for which Alabama’s Governor and State Legislature are elected) Manufacture Alabama was a fledgling organization just beginning to establish its identify,” said George Clark, association president.  “Today, in contrast, we begin a new year widely recognized as the effective voice for manufacturing in Alabama and with a number of initiatives in place to address the competitive, legislative and regulatory needs of textile and other manufacturers.  These initiatives, often involving innovative partnerships with public sector agencies and legislative leaders, have helped ease the manufacturing crisis that cost Alabama close to 100,000 manufacturing jobs between 1994 and 2002,” Clark added.  “We are excited about building on that momentum and keeping Alabama a leading manufacturing state.”

            Among Manufacture Alabama’s newest initiatives is the Alabama Commission on Infrastructure, formed jointly by the association and state legislative leaders headed by Alabama House Speaker Seth Hammett.  The Commission has worked over the last year to address transportation infrastructure issues critical to existing manufacturers and to future economic development efforts. 

          Alabama faces a growing highway congestion crisis that threatens the ability of manufacturers to efficiently ship products and materials, and negatively impacts public transportation and safety.  The Infrastructure Commission includes a number of manufacturing officials, state legislative and administrative leaders and transportation experts from the business, academic and economic development communities appointed by Speaker Hammett and charged with exploring intermodal solutions to the state’s infrastructure challenges. 

            Tommy Johnson, president of Frontier Yarns, who has long been active with Manufacture Alabama’s Textile Advisory Council and on a number of the association’s committees, was appointed by the House Speaker to serve as chairman of the Commission on Infrastructure. 

            Before the March 6 start of the 2007 Legislative Session, the Commission will deliver to the Alabama Legislature, the Governor and the state’s Congressional Delegation a series of specific recommendations for implementation and funding of transportation infrastructure improvements and strategies.  The recommendations will cover a variety of transportation areas, including highways and bridges, railroads, waterways, intermodal facilities, private investment opportunities and other issues. 

            The cost and volatility of energy – particularly natural gas – remains among the most pressing competitive challenges facing manufacturers in textile and other industries.  Manufacture Alabama is active both on price/supply and consumption side initiatives at the state and federal levels.  The association worked closely with members of Alabama Congressional Delegation and their staffs on successful passage in December of a federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) bill that will open up 8.3 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for new offshore natural gas and crude oil exploration and production. 

            Besides providing vital new domestic sources of energy, the OCS bill will benefit Alabama with revenue sharing royalties for drilling off its coastline that Manufacture Alabama and the Commission on Infrastructure believes can be used to help fund transportation projects in the state.  “The OCS bill was our number one federal legislative priority in 2006 and we are gratified that the hard work and diligence of the coalition promoting its passage paid off,” said Clark.  “We commend Alabama’s two U. S. Senators and seven Congressmen for their roles in this important legislative victory.”

            Manufacture Alabama in 2006 also continued its push for approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Mobile Bay and for other new sources of natural gas needed by Alabama manufacturers.  On the consumption side, the association is expanding energy assessment partnerships with several state universities aimed at helping manufacturers reduce energy usage and save costs in their operating processes.  “We are committed in 2007 and beyond to continue to seek answers to the critical energy challenges facing our member companies,” Clark said. 

            Manufacture Alabama also will continue its leadership role in innovative programs to address another critical competitive challenge for manufacturers – the need for trained workers with the skills required in today’s high-tech operating processes.  The association has developed and is enhancing innovative partnerships with Alabama’s Department of Postsecondary Education and other state agencies involved in education and worker training.  The programs are aimed at providing manufacturing-specific training through the state’s two-year college system.  Manufacture Alabama also will continue to promote funding of these programs in the state budgets. 

            The association in 2007 also will continue its long-standing position for free and fair international trade through enforcement of trade laws to assure that Alabama manufacturers are given a level playing field in today’s global marketplace.  “Textile manufacturers and other Alabama industries and their workers face growing competitive challenges from China and other nations,” said Clark, “and we will continue to work with our Congressional Delegation and others to assure that free trade is fair and legal trade.  We will continue to speak out and testify against illegal practices such as dumping, subsidies and currency manipulation by nations like China.

            “On these and many other fronts, Manufacture Alabama stands ready to build on our first five years of success in representing the interests of Alabama’s textile industry and other manufacturing industries across the state,” Clark concluded.