Resource Fiber production plant bringing 111 new jobs to Sulligent and Lamar County

SULLIGENT, Al. (WCBI) – On Monday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that Resource Fiber is establishing its first full-scale production plant in Alabama in the town of Sulligent, bringing more than 100 jobs to the small town.

“It’s going to be great for the city of Sulligent and also for Lamar County and this entire region,” said Sulligent Mayor Scott Boman. “Any time you can add 111 jobs to communities that are our size, it’s tremendous from an economic standpoint.”

Boman says Resource Fiber first reached out to them about their building their factory in the town of nearly 2,000 people back in August of 2020.

“Step number one was to acquire the facility,” Boman said. “So once we got it acquired, we actually acquired it through the industrial board, then that put us in a position to actually get Resource Fiber here.”

It was the size, layout and condition of the available industrial building itself that brought Resource Fiber to Sulligent. The company will be investing over $3 million in order to transform the 50,000 square-foot facility into their new production plant.

“People have lost jobs and I think it brings hope and opportunity to anybody that’s looking for that,” Boman said.

Resource Fiber is a national leader in manufacturing commercial bamboo products like nail laminated timbers and bamboo railroad ties.

“Bamboo’s obviously going to be an entirely new product line to this area and probably to the state,” Boman said.

Boman said the available jobs will be a mix of entry level positions and those requiring more experience.

“Previous experience in manufacturing, I think a lot of those could probably transition to what Resource Fiber will need,” he explained.

The company is receiving incentives under the Alabama Jobs Act and from the City of Sulligent along with a USDA Rural Business Development Grant that the city is using to buy the necessary equipment for the plant.

“We’ve been working from a lot of avenues to try and get enough dollars to make it as successful as quick as we can,” Boman said. “And also, the company is putting a lot of resources into the facility themselves.”

Boman says the jobs should pay in the range of $15 per hour plus benefits.

“It just really gives people a sense of hope to see something positive and an opportunity come to your community,” he said.

Resource Fiber says they plan to start hiring employees for the new plant sometime around April and begin manufacturing before the end of June.