The arrival of Met-South in Hanceville is a testament to the value of reliable workforce training and cooperation.

The company moved from Jefferson County to Hanceville, with owners Don and Cathy Jesse specifically noting the quality of training and employees who have been through Wallace State Community College.

For Hanceville and Cullman County, Met-South is now a positive testimony to the quality of training and employees that can be found in the area. For Met-South, the company has close access and the ability to work directly with Wallace State long-term to keep its employment needs filled.

Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail portrayed the value of the cooperation in the area that brought Met-South to his city, noting the efforts of Wallace State, the Cullman Economic Development Agency and others.

Nail hit upon the key ingredient to Cullman County’s future when he noted cooperation. The competition for industries and expansions is fierce among communities and states. The areas that look beyond municipal and county borders are becoming successful in keeping or attracting jobs.

With Cullman County’s unemployment rate one of the lowest in Alabama, the desire to land more economic opportunities is still strong. Available land is becoming an issue for new industries, but this is a large county with a lot of possibilities.

Looking beyond the borders of Cullman County, regional cooperation can bring more possibilities for creating new employment. The reach of Wallace State and its ability to train workers is superb in the region.

With the coming of the massive Toyota/Mazda plant in Limestone County, inquiries are already afoot about suppliers to the auto manufacturers. Cullman County has several highly successful industries that provide parts and specialty work for Toyota, Honda, Mercedes and many others.

Nail is rightfully excited about the future with Met-South and the potential for other industries to follow.

Met-South’s new facility in Hanceville is fitted with three programmable milling machines that require skilled workers. Again, the training provided locally makes Cullman County and workers in the immediate surrounding area a marketable workforce.

Cooperation at the local level is noticeable because of the growth and accomplishments the area’s has experienced in recent years. The time has arrived for even wider cooperation in the region to ensure that growth is sustained and lucrative for the workforce. Building on the regional concept of recruitment will be a door, too, that brings more people to the area to live because of good wages.

Met-South is a welcome addition to the economic community of Cullman County. All of those who worked with the company to make the new facility and skilled workforce available are deserving of high praise.