The epicenter of iron and steel manufacturing in the U.S. in the late 1800s was Birmingham, Alabama. With its access to raw materials – iron ore, limestone and coal – and a growing rail transportation network, the city’s population and industry grew quickly, and Birmingham truly was “The Magic City.”

More than 130 years later, Birmingham and Alabama’s iron and steel industry remain a driving force in economic development and job creation, as evidenced in a recent Economic Impact Study from Manufacture Alabama and Auburn University’s Center for Supply Chain Innovation. AMERICAN Ductile Iron Pipe/AMERICAN SpiralWeld Pipe Marketing Services Manager Maury D. Gaston is chair of the Alabama Iron and Steel Council, an affiliate of Manufacture Alabama, and helped commission this study on the economic benefits of the state’s iron and steel industry.

The study found Alabama’s iron and steel industry directly employs almost 15,000 people and indirectly more than 75,000 people across the state. The industry supports Alabama families by paying $1.48 billion in direct wages and $4.68 billion in indirect wages. In addition, the iron and steel industry contributes $717 million in state and local taxes, which help fund Alabama’s infrastructure and programs.

On Friday, October 1, 2021, AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company celebrates and recognizes the work of manufacturing employees in Alabama and across the U.S. as part of Manufacturing Day. On this day and throughout the month of October, we also want to inspire and encourage young people to consider careers in manufacturing. It is estimated that over the next decade, four million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled in the U.S.

Manufacturing Day is an initiative of The Manufacturing Institute meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers by raising awareness about career opportunities and showcasing the benefits of the industry. To learn more, visit www.creatorswanted.org.