Area Development
Reliance Worldwide Corporation, a global provider of water control systems and plumbing solutions, will expand its operations and build a 300,000-square-foot distribution hub in Cullman, Alabama. The project is expected to create 130 jobs in the region.

Reliance of Americas CEO Sean McClenghan noted, "when this facility opens roughly one year from now, we'll be approaching 1.1 million square feet for manufacturing and distribution in Cullman County. At that point in time we'll be employing 500 employees. We wouldn't be making this investment in our business unless we believe our growth would continue.

The Governor’s Office said “the city will use Community Development Block Grant funds to provide traffic safety improvements at the entrance to Cullman Industrial Park #2. The traffic safety improvements precede plans by Reliance World Corp. to expand their facility in the industrial park and hire 30 new workers to its existing workforce of 280 people.”

“Funds will be used to provide traffic improvements at the intersection of Alabama Highway 69 and 24th Street SE. City officials said the improvements are necessary because of increased traffic volume coupled with frequent automobile crashes at the site,” the Governor’s Office explained.

In addition, the city of Cullman is supplying $105,000 for the project and approved a tax abatement in which the company is exempt from paying state and city noneducational ad valorem taxes and construction related taxes for 10 years.

“The perils of the COVID-19 pandemic are not over, but I am encouraged by the good economic news that is emerging throughout Alabama,” Governor Ivey said. “The expansion by Reliance World Corp. is just another indication that Alabama’s economy is getting back on track. I am pleased to support this expansion.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to the Cullman Times, the 81 acres where RWC will build its distribution site was previously owned by Randall York. To acquire the property, the city swapped about 100 acres it owned on County Road 469 with York, the site of the annual Rock the South music festival, and paid him an additional $400,000 for the property.

The newspaper quoted Dale Greer, director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency, as noting “the York property was better suited for industrial development and the city saved millions in infrastructure costs, including road, water, sewer, electricity, natural gas and fiber, which were already available along Hwy. 69 fronting the property.”