Grant could enable business to rebuild in Phil Campbell

PHIL CAMPBELL – Rebuilding and recovery efforts have been ongoing in the town of Phil Campbell for over a year, and a recent grant awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley will help the town continue to move forward.
Bentley recently announced that he awarded $389,352 to the town of Phil Campbell that will help S&T Montgomery Distributing Co. to relocate and expand their business in the town.
The grant represents a matching amount the town needed in order to be able to receive a $1.9 million grant from the Economic Development Administration’s disaster recovery fund, which they have already applied for.
The town will know within 60 days if they received the $1.9 million EDA grant. If they do not receive the grant, the $389,352 grant for matching funds awarded by Bentley will be reallocated.
The purpose of the $1.9 million grant is to help the town expand economically and improve the infrastructure in the Phil Campbell Industrial Park, where S&T Montgomery Distributing Co. will be relocating.
The company is currently located in the Russellville Industrial Park #2, but Sherye Price, assistant director of the Franklin County Development Authority, said the company was outgrowing their current facilities.
“This company has been in the area for several years,” Price said. “We’re glad that their business is growing and expanding. We’re also glad they chose to remain in Franklin County when deciding where they wanted to relocate.”
Plans to build a 60,000-square-foot building in North Phil Campbell Industrial Park are in the works for the company, which distributes car audio accessories and consumer electronics.
Bentley hoped the Community Development Block Grant would also help improve public services in the town as well since the matching funds will enable the town of Phil Campbell to receive the larger grant that will provide sewer and water services for the company and build a 300,000-gallon water tank that will serve the community as well as the company.
“This project is another step in rebuilding Phil Campbell and it contributes to the growth of Franklin County,” Bentley said. “Progress like this is possible because of the cooperation and hard work of local officials and the diligence of Phil Campbell residents.”
The expansion of S&T Montgomery Distributing Co. will create 23 new jobs in addition to the 17 people already employed with the company.
“We are very appreciative of Gov. Bentley for awarding us this grant so we will be able to provide matching funds for a grant that will help us improve the infrastructure at the industrial park,” Phil Campbell Mayor Jerry Mays said.
“Improving the infrastructure will help us attract more businesses that will allow us to continue to grow economically.
“We also appreciate ADECA’s role in this grant and S&T Montgomery Distributing Co. for choosing our town to be part of their expansion.”
The grant awarded by Bentley came from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant.