Sept. 30, 1993 marked a watershed moment in Alabama history. That is the day Mercedes-Benz went against the grain and chose our state to be the home of their first U.S. manufacturing facility. It was a decision that changed the future of our state like no one could have imagined.
Fast forward more than 30 years to January 2024, and Alabama is a top five automotive manufacturing state with five world-class Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) – Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and Mazda.
These manufacturers are key drivers of our economy, but who drives their success? The answer is nearly 50,000 hardworking Alabamians in the automotive manufacturing sector.
The men and women who work in Alabama OEM facilities and about 150 supporting supplier employers are highly skilled and highly paid. Helping create these types of opportunities is a major reason I sought public office in the first place. Opportunity is why I focus on education, workforce development and economic development. Every person who wants a good job in Alabama should be given every advantage the state can provide to land that job, turn it into a career and support their family with it.