Opelika, Alabama —
See What We Can Do
for Your Business
In addition to having sites worth seeing, Opelika,
Alabama, has an excellent location situated along Interstate
85 in east central Alabama, halfway between Montgomery,
Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia. This location places Opelika
within the thriving Southeast automotive corridor.
Opelika also has an available work force. The current
economic downturn has brought about the impending
closure of Opelika’s largest manufacturing employer, Miche-lin/BF Goodrich. Over 1,000 hardworking employees will
be out of work as of October 31 of this year. These are well-skilled employees with a strong work ethic. They would be an
excellent addition to any company considering a new location
in Opelika.
The sites mentioned include one of the premier industrial
parks in the Southeast. The 2,200-acre Northeast Opelika Industrial Park continues to catch the attention of the automotive
industry, with the recent additions of Hanwha Alabama and
Daewon America joining existing automotive suppliers Benteler
Automotive and Mando America Corporation. The Northeast
Opelika Industrial Park is a fully developed, planned industrial
park offering sites from 10 to 1,000 acres. The park is bordered
by Interstate 85 to the east and a CSX mainline to the west, with
an interchange that directly serves the park at Exit 66. The industrial park also has proven to be a strong choice for distribution
centers that include Wal-Mart and Jo-Ann Stores.
Population/Labor
• Part of Alabama’s fastest growing Metropolitan Statistical Area,
with a 32 percent growth rate between 1990 and 2000.
• Civilian labor force over 267,000 within a 40-mile radius of Opelika.
• Metropolitan population of over 129,000.
Education/Quality of Life
• Excellent local school systems.
• Southern Union State Community College with 4,000 students and
Industry Training Center
• Auburn University with more than 23,000 students, including 3,700
engineering students.
• Home to Grand National Golf Course, a stop along the acclaimed
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
• Cost of living well below national average.
Economic and Business Incentives
• Competitive local incentive program.
• Sales and use tax exemptions and property tax abatements for
qualifying companies.
• Nationally recognized industry training program, Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), providing recruitment, customized training, and
employee development cost-free to new and expanding companies.
• One-stop environmental permitting through Alabama Department
of Environmental Management.
• Alabama is a right to work state.
With a 2,200-acre, fully developed industrial park located along
Interstate 85 with numerous available sites, an available work force
and a superior location, Opelika is clearly worth seeing.
Location/Transportation
• Besides Interstate 85, Opelika is served by U.S Highways 29, 280, and 431.
• In close proximity of four other major metropolitan areas, including Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama, and Columbus and Atlanta, Georgia.
• 70 miles from Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama in Montgomery,
Alabama.
• 17 miles from the new Kia Motor Manufacturing of Georgia in West Point.
• One hour and 15 minutes from Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta.
• Opelika is located within the central time zone.
Alfred F. Cook, Jr., CEcD
Director
Opelika Economic Development
P.O. Box 390
Opelika, AL 36803-0390
Phone: 334.705.5115
Fax: 334.705.5113
E-mail: acook@ci.opelika.al.us
www.opelika.org
