January 2025

We're starting the year by discussing the vital role small businesses play in creating jobs, preserving culture, and fostering innovation. Learn how supporting local shops strengthens your community and builds a brighter future for everyone!

Dirt keeps moving!

Progress on our 300,000-square-foot building pad in the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park is moving along exceptionally well. Located adjacent to our existing 250,000-square-foot speculative building, this new pad is a strategic and valuable addition to the industrial park.

This project has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Shoals Industrial Development Committee, TVA's InvestPrep program, the State's SEEDs Act, the Florence Industrial Development Board, and the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Expansion Committee. Together, these partnerships are instrumental in advancing our mission to attract the ideal addition to The Shoals and further strengthen our community's economic growth.

The Center for Learning and Professional Development at the University of North Alabama and the Shoals Economic Development Authority partnered to launch Code Alabama in 2023. Since then, two cohorts have graduated from the program, giving these students a great start in the booming coding industry. This program was made possible partly by the Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development's Workforce Invest Program. We are proud to be one of the communities TVA highlighted in a video series. Check out our video below!

The purpose of the Shoals Manufacturers' Association (SMA) is to foster a working relationship among Shoals area manufacturers and to promote a healthy business climate, making it feasible for existing companies to expand and/or remain in the Shoals area in a working partnership with the Shoals Economic Development Authority. Shoals area companies involved in the manufacture of products and parts for profit are invited to join SMA.​

For more information, including the cost to join, visit our website. To join or for any questions, contact Rob Jones, Shoals EDA, at (256) 349-5632 or e-mail at rjones@shoalseda.com.

The Shoals Employment Growth Program is designed to encourage full-time employment growth through a streamlined process that provides assistance to eligible applicants offering new employment opportunities for Shoals citizens. Shoals area for-profit companies that operate under certain business activities listed in the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) can be reimbursed up to $8,000 for each new qualifying full-time employee hired, up to ten new full-time employment positions per year.

Click here for more information on the Shoals Employment Growth Program or contact Rob Jones, Shoals EDA, at (256) 349-5632 or e-mail at rjones@shoalseda.com.