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Growth in Alabama’s auto supply chain accelerates with major investments – Alabama News Center

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Growth in Alabama’s auto supply chain accelerates with major investments – Alabama News Center


Alabama’s automotive industry continues its impressive expansion, with new growth projects and investments from key automotive suppliers adding momentum to the sector.

Over the last few years, the state’s auto manufacturing sector has attracted more than $5 billion in new capital investment, generating around 8,500 job commitments in projects tracked by the Alabama Department of Commerce between 2020 and 2023.

“These investments are a testament to Alabama’s strength as a leading player in the global automotive supply chain,” said Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “We’ve built a business-friendly environment where automotive suppliers, large and small, can grow and thrive.

“This growth is creating quality jobs and solidifying Alabama’s standing as a top location for advanced manufacturing in the U.S.”

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The most recent development came this month when Mobis broke ground on a $52 million, 460,000-square-foot expansion in Montgomery aimed at enhancing its aftermarket parts operations for Hyundai’s and Kia’s dealer networks across the nation.

Mobis broke ground on a $52 million, 460,000-square-foot expansion in Montgomery aimed at enhancing its aftermarket parts operations for Hyundai’s and Kia’s dealer networks. The project will create 27 jobs. (Montgomery Chamber)

The new facility will create 27 additional jobs with an average wage of more than $28 per hour, further strengthening Montgomery’s status as a critical hub for the automotive industry. Learn about Hyundai’s Montgomery plant.

Mobis has invested $475 million in Montgomery since 2002, when it launched operations there, and the company has more than 1,500 employees at the growing site.

“Investment by existing industries is the highest compliment we can receive, and Mobis has demonstrated its commitment by reinvesting in this facility,” said Anna Buckalew, president and CEO of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. “Over the past 20 years, partnerships and relationships have been the foundation of our success.

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“Connecting and supporting our existing industries ensures they continue to grow and thrive,” she said.

In addition to Mobis, other automotive suppliers have also announced substantial projects across the state. In Opelika, Daewon America recently committed to a $46.2 million expansion that will add 100 jobs at its facility in the Northeast Industrial Park.

Daewon’s total investment in Opelika now exceeds $164 million since it began operations in the city in 2006, according to John Sweatman, Opelika’s economic development director.

“Opelika has been an incredibly supportive home for our United States headquarters,” said Chris Cho, president of Daewon America. “We are proud to continue expanding our operations here and further strengthen our ties to the community.”

The additions at Daewon are expected to be completed in summer 2027.

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Meanwhile, in Cullman, Rehau recently completed a $66 million investment to introduce a new paint line at its plant, which has created 50 new jobs. Rehau, the first automotive supplier to follow Mercedes-Benz to Alabama, now employs more than 770 people in Cullman and continues to expand its footprint in the region.

In August, Rehau marked the completion of a $66 million investment to introduce a new paint line at its Cullman plant, which has created 50 new jobs. (Hal Yeager / Governor’s Office)

“Rehau’s investment demonstrates the value of Alabama’s workforce and the supportive business environment we’ve cultivated,” said Dale Greer, director of the Cullman Economic Development Authority. “This expansion is proof of the company’s continued confidence in Cullman and Alabama as key locations for their operations.”

Alabama’s automotive industry, launched in the 1990s, has rapidly grown into a national powerhouse. As companies like Mobis, Daewon America and Rehau continue to expand their operations, the state remains a key destination for automotive manufacturing and supply chain growth.

With a strong foundation and an ever-expanding network of suppliers and manufacturers, Alabama’s auto industry shows no signs of slowing down.

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This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Opelika and the Cullman Tribune supplied material for this story.



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Southern 88-85 Alabama A&M (Mar 5, 2026) Game Recap – ESPN

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Southern 88-85 Alabama A&M (Mar 5, 2026) Game Recap – ESPN


HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — — Terrance Dixon Jr.’s 19 points helped Southern defeat Alabama A&M 88-85 on Thursday.

Dixon shot 7 of 10 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line for the Jaguars (15-16, 11-7 Southwestern Athletic Conference). Michael Jacobs scored 15 points while going 4 of 11 and 7 of 9 from the free-throw line, and added five rebounds. AJ Barnes shot 3 for 7 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points, while adding six rebounds.

Koron Davis finished with 23 points for the Bulldogs (17-14, 10-8). James Graham added 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals for Alabama A&M. Kintavious Dozier also had 12 points.

The Jaguars led by 10 points with 59 seconds to go, before the Bulldogs executed a three-point play from Bilal Abdur-Rahim then got a 3-pointer from Dozier in the span of nine seconds, cutting the deficit to four. A free throw battle closed out the result for the Jaguars.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.



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Top-30 overall recruit Jaxon Richardson commits to Alabama

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Top-30 overall recruit Jaxon Richardson commits to Alabama


Jaxon Richardson, the No. 27 overall recruit in the 2026 class per the Rivals Industry Ranking, has committed to Alabama.

The 6-foot-6 four-star small forward out of Southeastern Prep (FL) ultimately chose the Crimson Tide over USC, Creighton, and Ole Miss. He also received offers from Miami, Cincinnati, Michigan, Florida, Villanova, and others.

Richardson, a McDonald’s All-American, becomes the Crimson Tide’s third commitment of the 2026 cycle. He joins four-star shooting guard Qayden Samuels (No. 28 NATL) and four-star small forward Tarris Bouie (No. 54 NATL).

He’s the son of NBA veteran and two-time NBA Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson. His older brother, Jase, played for Michigan State last season before being selected 25th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic.

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Rivals’ National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw says Richardson is one of the most explosive players in the 2026 class:

Jaxon Richardson is able to combine fluid athleticism with explosive burst in a way no other player in this class can. He uses his athleticism to his advantage on the floor. He fills the outside channels with a purpose in transition, he is aggressive in the passing lanes, and he plays as a vertical floor spacer in the dunker spots and lob plays. Last summer, playing with the Florida Rebels on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 12.8 points on 54.0 percent shooting and 10.5 attempts per game. Last high school season, he averaged 12.9 points on 61.0 percent shooting on 8.9 attempts per game. He is a highly efficient player, as 84.4 percent of his makes last high school season were at the rim.



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Alabama Baseball Ties Stolen Base Record In Win Over Hornets

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Alabama Baseball Ties Stolen Base Record In Win Over Hornets


Alabama baseball cruised to a win over Alabama State on Wednesday night, beating the Hornets 13-4 to complete the season sweep. The Crimson Tide tied a program record with nine stolen bases in one of the stranger contests that will be played this season.

The tone was set for a tumultuous night on the basepaths in the opening minutes of the game. Leadoff batter Bryce Fowler, who exited Tuesday’s game after getting beaned in the head, was walked, and promptly took second base. He advanced to third on a wild pitch in Justin Lebron’s at-bat, paving the way for Lebron to steal second when he was ultimately walked as well.

The successful baserunning instantly paid off, as Brady Neal drove both in with a double to left-center field before John Lemm walked two at-bats later. Both runners stole their respective bases on the same pitch in Jason Torres’ plate appearance, meaning that four of the first five batters of the game stole a base.

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Alabama has been exceptional on the basepaths, sitting at 30-for-30 on the season. Lebron, who swiped two bags on Wednesday, leads the team with 12. The junior had an up-and-down night, hitting his eighth home run of the season, but also committing an error at shortstop for the fourth consecutive game.

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“Get those things out of there now, baby. The dude is unbelievable,” an unconcerned Rob Vaughn said on Tuesday of Lebron’s errors. “We’re going to look up at the end of the year, and that guy is going to have five or six errors, which one he’s got right now, and we’ll be like, ‘Man, that guy is the best of all time to do it.’”

Wednesday’s game was a very prototypical midweek contest with no shortage of quirks and oddities throughout its nearly four-hour runtime. Fifteen Alabama batters were walked, falling just one shy of the program record, and the hit by pitch record was tied as seven batters were plunked.

The game was never competitive from an on-field standpoint. After barely escaping with a 2-1 win in the first matchup with the Hornets two weeks ago, this was a far more accurate representation of what these games typically look like, as Alabama now leads the all-time series 15-0.

Freshman Joe Chiarodo made his first career start, allowing two hits and one walk over two scoreless innings. He was named the winning pitcher. Luke Smyers, Connor Lehman, Anthony Pesci and Tate Robertson were the other pitchers to take the mound. Lehman allowed a three-run blast in the sixth inning, and those were the only runs until the incredibly-named Skywalker Mann drove in a run off Robertson in the ninth.

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Perhaps the most shocking figure from the game was that Alabama had 19 runners left on base. The Crimson Tide left the bases loaded in four different innings. As stated, this was just a bizarre baseball game across the board. With the midweeks out of the way, the Crimson Tide gets to prepare for its final weekend tune-up before SEC play as North Florida heads into Tuscaloosa on Friday.



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