(Update) Royal Technologies expansion to create up to 50 new jobs
Royal Technologies has announced that they are building a 165,000 square-foot expansion to their Cullman facility, bringing 40-50 additional jobs to the area.
In a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday morning, Royal Technologies President Jim Vander Kolk spoke about his company and the reasons they chose Cullman as a place to build and grow. The expansion will cost around $14 million.
Royal Technologies’ Cullman facility produces precision-molded, made-to-order pieces that fill structural and decorative purposes in a variety of products, including automotive parts, office chairs and appliance fittings. The company has been in business for 29 years, and has been in Cullman since 2010.
Vander Kolk said the Cullman facility currently sends office furniture to Mississippi, automotive products to Montgomery, and sends products to Remington’s Huntsville factory and Rehau in Cullman.
Vander Kolk said he and the rest of Royal Technologies were first introduced to Cullman when they were looking to expand outside of their headquarters in Michigan.
Hudsonville, Michigan is a long way from Cullman, but the people in both communities share the same values; values of trust, integrity, respect and stewardship, Vander Kolk said.
“I’m a firm believer that who you are is manifested by what you do,” he said. “And that’s what attracted us to this community.”
Vander Kolk also gave special thanks to Peggy Smith, the former director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency, and Dale Greer, who is the director of the agency today.
Cullman is blessed to have people like Smith and Greer, and others in the community who hold each other accountable and exemplify the true value of being good people, Vander Kolk said.
“To good people and honest people, good things happen,” he said.
Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield attended the ceremony as a representative of Gov. Kay Ivey and the rest of the state government.
“It is a rare opportunity to be able to celebrate an announcement of this type,” he said.
Royal Technologies is an example of successful economic development at a local level, but some of the company’s success has come from other efforts, including its current partnership with Rehau and automotive companies in Montgomery, Canfield said.
“I think that today is definitely a celebration of coming together, of having great leadership and great vision. Of having a community that knows where its place is and knows where it wants to be, not just today, but where it wants to be 25 or 50 years from now,” he said. “So I celebrate with you.”
State Sen. Paul Bussman said Royal Technologies is also an example of a company that knows how to treat its employees to make sure they are happy and want to stay in the community.
Many times, you hear of new companies coming into a community and providing jobs, but not doing much for the rest of the community, but Royal Technologies is nothing like that, Bussman said.
“As you look around Cullman and you talk to people in Cullman and Cullman County, that’s not the case with Royal Technologies,” he said. “Royal Technologies is probably the employer of choice in this industry.”
People are wanting to work for Royal because they treat their employees the right way, Bussman said.
“I wish I could take that package and move it around to many other companies because I think that is the key to success,” he said.
Bussman said the company has also shown their care for the community by their support for organizations like the Good Samaritan Health Clinic.
“We could not ask for more of a partner in the community, and we thank you for that,” he said.
The plant already employs 127 people and has seen almost $27 million in investment since it opened.
Tyler Hanes can be reached at 256-734-2131 ext. 138.