A Pocket of Success in the South
Nestled in northern Alabama just 50 miles from Birmingham and 55 miles south of Huntsville, Cullman is a financial and commercial city with a population nearing 17,000. Two national highways, two state highways, one regional airport, and a Class 1 railroad ensure Cullman is connected to major crossroads of the South.
The city has a diversified economy driven by manufacturing, retail, and agriculture. Over 120 manufacturing and distribution companies, with total employment ranging from nine to 1,300 workers, are located in Cullman County, which is also one of the top six counties in the United States for total agricultural income.
The retail industry is also on the upswing, too, as taxable retail sales in Cullman County grew by more than 33% between 1999 and 2004, surging from $562 million to more than $746 million. Major retailers include Blockbuster, Lowes, Radio Shack, and Walgreens, among others.
While Cullman offers small town charm, it is also one of the three cities that comprise the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman combined statistical area, which is home to over one million people.
Employers and Employee Totals (Manufacturing)
Wal-Mart Distribution 1,404
McGriff Industries 556
REHAU, Inc. 470
Golden Rod Broilers 450
HH Technologies, Inc. 360
Webb Wheel Products, Inc. 264
Topre American Corporation 254
Rusken Packaging 241
American Protein 238
Axsys Technologies 235
Employers and Employee Totals (Non-manufacturing)
Cullman County Schools 1,038
Cullman Regional Medical Center 985
State of Alabama 683
Wal-Mart Super Center 550
Wallace State College 530
Cullman County Government 400
City of Cullman 350
Cullman School System 345
Woodland Medical Center 225
Good Hope Contracting 200
Source: Cullman EDA
Cullman: Connected to the South
Tuscaloosa, AL 90 miles
Chattanooga, TN 129 miles
Montgomery, AL 149 miles
Nashville, TN 150 miles
Atlanta, GA 156 miles
Memphis, TN 239 miles
Mobile, AL 295 miles
Plane and Simple: Cullman’s Airport Is Important to Business
In May, officials from the Cullman Folsom Field Airport held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new 16-plane, $550,000 hangar. The project took two years to complete, and was funded partially by a $250,000 grant from the state of Alabama. The airport itself paid the remaining balance.
In total, 77 planes are housed at the airport, and a long-term goal to reach a capacity of 100 has been set.
“With 100 planes you get access to the maximum potential state grant ($400,000) offered each year,” says Bob Burns, manager of the airport. “Most of our growth has been in the last five years,” says Burn. “Corporations came in. But if can’t fly in, they go somewhere else.”
Cullman: A Workforce To Be Reckoned With
The Cullman Area Workforce Solutions (CAWS) program is a partnership dedicated to improving the labor pool in the greater Cullman region. Focus areas of the CAWS program include:
- Exchange opportunities for educators to give them a better understanding of area careers
- Career readiness programs for students to prepare them for the workforce
- The Cullman Area Career Awareness Expo to help promote career opportunities
- Programs targeted toward underemployed and dislocated employees