Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced recently that Ecore International plans to invest $25.5 million to open a manufacturing and recycling facility in the city of Ozark.
The small, southeast Alabama town will see Ecore build a plant that will create 84 jobs, Ivey said.
Based in Lancaster, Pa., Ecore specializes in transforming reclaimed materials into high-performance flooring and surface products, according to Made in Alabama, the state's Department of Commerce online news site.
The privately held company is the largest converter of reclaimed rubber in North America, and its largest raw material is scrap truck tires.
"Ecore International is a great addition for Alabama's business community, and its decision to locate an advanced manufacturing and recycling facility in Dale County will have a major economic impact on the rural area," Ivey explained. "This project in Ozark will bring good manufacturing jobs to the citizens there and spark new opportunities throughout the region."
As part of the project, Ecore is buying an existing building in Ozark, which it will equip to reclaim the rubber from used truck tires and use the rubber to manufacture flooring and surfacing products.
The facility's new full-time positions will pay an average annual salary of nearly $42,500, according to Made in Alabama.
Ecore CEO Art Dodge noted that his company is pleased to be partnering with Ozark, Dale County and the state to build and establish the world-class manufacturing and recycling plant.
"Since its inception, Ecore has transformed over two billion pounds of rubber waste into surfaces that make people's lives better," he said. "All Ecore manufacturing facilities are certified ‘Zero Waste,' amplifying the company's commitment to environmental stewardship.
"Ecore invests in more than its facilities — we invest in our people and in our communities because we believe that when our people and our communities prosper, we prosper," he added.
Sustainability the Name of the Game
In 2021, the company upcycled more than 100 million pounds of truck tires — equivalent to approximately one million truck tires destined for landfills or illegal dumps — into high-value manufactured products shipped nationally and internationally.
Among the markets for Ecore products are nursing homes, hotels, fitness centers, recreation centers, retailers and schools.
"Ecore is a champion of sustainability, with a primary goal of creating products that improve lives and the environment," explained Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. "Its new tire recycling and manufacturing facility in Dale County will help this impressive company extend its mission while also providing good-paying jobs for citizens there."
Alabama Hopes for Major Rural Impact
Officials in Alabama and Dale County said Ecore's plans to invest in Ozark should have a major impact on the region.
Brenda Tuck, Rural Development manager of the state's Department of Commerce, said Ecore's recycling facility project joins a list of leading-edge operations that have found rural areas of Alabama to be attractive places in which to move.
Since 2020, projects valued at more than $3 billion have landed in the state's more sparsely-populated counties, according to Made in Alabama data.
"Companies from around the world are discovering that Alabama's rural communities are an ideal location to bring their game-changing innovations to life," Tuck noted. "The simple fact is these areas can offer growing businesses significant advantages that will magnify the impact of their investment and provide a launchpad for growth."
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