By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) has been in Birmingham since 1905 and is celebrating its 121st year. On Thursday, the Jefferson County Commission made sure the company won’t be leaving anytime soon.
The Commission voted unanimously to approve ACIPCO’s anticipated investment of $793.1 million in its North Birmingham facility that would switch over the company’s operations to electric-fired furnaces, reducing emissions by more than 90 percent.
Commissioners said they were pleased to provide an incentive deal which means about 80 jobs with $114,000 in annual wages.
The county approved incentives up to $320,000 that will take the form of a jobs grant payable in three installments and contingent on new employee wages.
“The employment opportunities associated with this project are vital for our residents,” said Commissioner Mike Bolin, the Commission liaison to Economic Development.” … I believe that ACIPCO is inclined to hire locally, which not only fosters community pride but also reduces absenteeism. Supporting our local workforce is a priority that benefits everyone.”
The development is a long-term project, one that will take four, five or six years to complete, according to officials.
John Hagelskamp, senior vice president of sales at ACIPCO, said that the company has embarked on four projects that are just under $800 million in value.
“Who knows where that number will end up, but we’ve made a commitment to start those projects as soon as possible,” said Hagelskamp. “We will reduce emissions by changing our coke-fired cupola to electric furnaces. We will reduce — eliminate — the use of coke, which is a main source of greenhouse gasses.”
He added, “We make ductile iron pipe, diameters 4-inch through 64-inch, and we make oil and gas steel pipe 12-inch through 24-inch here in Birmingham. We do all sorts of other things around the country but … we want to stay in Birmingham and reinvest in Birmingham.”
ACIPCO’s anticipated investment of $793.1 million is second only to the $1.1 billion investment of J.M. Smucker Co. to build a manufacturing facility in McCalla at the Jefferson Metropolitan Industrial Park, Jeff Traywick, the county’s economic development specialist, told the commission.
Retaining businesses like ACIPCO is just as important as bringing in new ones, Bolin said.
“ACIPCO provides substantial employment and maintains relationships with numerous local suppliers, which supports many small businesses in our area,” the commissioner said. “Additionally, their presence strengthens our metal-making and processing sector, making Jefferson County an appealing location for manufacturers looking to establish close ties with our iron and steel industries.”
Bolin said the county is actively committed to attracting new, high-wage jobs. ” … We’re working to engage more working-age individuals in the workforce, improve our local small business ecosystem, and collaborate with community partners to enhance their ability to recruit new businesses to our area,” he said.
This ACIPCO announcement comes on the heels of a $60 million investment by KultureCity in Jefferson County last month and sets a positive tone heading into the new year, Bolin said. “These projects are just the beginning of several significant developments we anticipate announcing soon, including investments in financial services and manufacturing,” he said. “I have no doubt that the momentum will carry us into 2026 and beyond.”
