Small businesses will feel the greatest impact if sequestration stretches into 2014, the Pentagon's top acquisition official told a Navy industry forum on Monday. Speaking the 2013 Navy Opportuni...
About 75 small business owners met Thursday with city, county and state officials to learn how to use tax incentives and other local resources to grow their business. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strang...
The U.S. Small Business Administration has joined forces with Experian, the leading global information services provider, to launch BusinessIQ ExpressSM, an online cash flow management tool, for ...
While it may be nothing more than a bad dream, small business owners should seriously consider whether they are prepared for an audit in case the day ever arrives. Here are a few practical steps ...
Small businesses hurt by natural disasters should get federal aid faster so they can help jump-start recovery efforts, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said Thursday. "Our small businesses are the econ...
The South Region Minority Supplier Development Council (SRMSDC) is joining with the U.S. Small Business Administration Alabama District Office to offer a comprehensive orientation experience to n...
FLORENCE — North American Lighting is planning a $36 million expansion that will bring 275 more jobs and take the total employment at the Muscle Shoals plant to more than 1,000.
Small business owners were more optimistic about their prospects in February, but their overall confidence in the economy remained low, according to a leading private barometer. The Small Busines...
The top tax law writer in the House of Representatives will pitch a plan to revamp the taxation of many small businesses, and some large ones, on Tuesday in his latest bid to rewrite the tax code...
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield congratulated Airbus today for a national recognition the company has received. Trade & Industry Development has declared the Airbus announc...
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield congratulated Airbus today for a recent national recognition the company has received. Trade & Industry Development has declared the Airbus ...
Small business employment edged up in February, adding to signs of an improvement in labor market conditions. The National Federation of Independent Business said on Thursday the net change in em...
The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce will present its eighth annual Minority Business Development Forum on Thursday, March 21 at the Chamber’s Small Business Resource Center.
Today, nearly 96 percent of consumers and over two-thirds of the world's purchasing power reside outside the United States. Here at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), we know that thes...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday presented the Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards to eight Alabama companies that are excelling in international trade.
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday presented the Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards to eight Alabama companies that are excelling in international trade.
Winter snows are sometimes followed by floods. Severe storms—sometimes in the form of deadly tornadoes or massive rainfall—can wreak havoc across the U.S. during spring. There are many low-co...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday will present the Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards to eight Alabama companies that have shown innovation and leadership in the global market...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday will present the Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards to eight Alabama companies that have shown innovation and leadership in the global market...
Film activity has become a hot topic in Alabama as projects lensed throughout the state increased in 2012
A Notasulga-area site already has drawn interest from at least five major industry projects representing tens of millions of dollars in investment and hundreds of new jobs, a Macon County officia...
A panel of judges today heard pitches from a dozen potential start-ups competing in the Alabama Launchpad competition and narrowed the field of contenders to seven. The competition continues thro...
Film activity has become a hot topic in Alabama as projects lensed throughout the state increased in 2012.
Small businesses across the country can expect to feel some pain from the $85 billion in federal budget cuts that went into effect Friday. Many companies are already being affected by the cuts, p...
The so-called "skills gap" has turned hiring into an increasingly tough challenge. But according to a PayScale survey, businesses aren't interested in one of the biggest solutions on the table. A...
MONTGOMERY -- Citing opportunities for meaningful economic and cultural exchanges, Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield and his staff met with a delegation of Turkish dignitaries Wednesday...
MONTGOMERY -- Citing opportunities for meaningful economic and cultural exchanges, Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield and his staff met with a delegation of Turkish dignitaries Wednesday...
Although the across-the-board federal spending cuts known as the "sequester" don't take effect until Friday, they are already hurting small businesses around the nation. Karen Mills, outgoing hea...
MONTGOMERY, Alabama --- The Alabama Senate’s education budget committee Wednesday approved a bill that would call for a $50 million bond issue for public school boards to buy career and technic...
Borrowers and lenders of loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration will have greater access to capital and less paperwork as a result of a proposed regulation aimed at streamlining t...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Tuesday called for legislative support of a bill that could help attract thousands of additional jobs to Alabama.
Do you sell bowling balls to Bangladesh? Or dish towels to Delhi? Maybe you send laser technology to Lisbon? If you export your goods or services around the world and have used a federal governme...
FAIRHOPE -- By the time Airbus starts producing airplanes in Mobile in coming years, Baldwin County students and adults will have an opportunity to be well prepared for a future in aviation thank...
Challenges abound for the next leader of the U.S. Small Business Administration: imminent federal spending cuts, diminished bank lending to small businesses, and frustration from employers that w...
Agreements Signed at A.G. Gaston Conference to Strengthen Entrepreneurship among Alabama Youth and Minorities
MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Economic Development Alliance today presented its first formal report of the state’s strategic plan to Governor Robert Bentley.
MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Economic Development Alliance today presented its first formal report of the state’s strategic plan to Governor Robert Bentley.
Of the 1.9 million African-American owned businesses in the country, about 1.8 million have no employees but the owner. In all likelihood that's not a real business, Julianne Malveaux told attend...
In spite of the slow economy and associated high unemployment rate, 53% of U.S. small-business owners in January reported finding it very (23%) or somewhat difficult (30%) to find the qualified e...
The U.S. Small Business Administration next week will sign a Strategic Alliance Memorandum with Miles College and Lawson State Community College. The memorandum, to be signed at the A.G. Gaston C...
The number of small employers in Alabama -- that is, businesses with between 1 and 499 employees -- fell 5.7 percent between 2000 and 2010. The total fell from 77,597 entities to 73,163, a loss o...
Small businesses significantly impact Alabama’s economy, employing 768,302 workers in 2010 with most of the employment coming from firms with 20 – 499 employees, according to a new state-by-s...
In a formal partnership with state government, Regions Bank (NYSE: RF) has earmarked $1 billion in loans for the specific purpose of lending to companies and businesses that are adding jobs in Al...
Small-business owner confidence continues to drag, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index. The Index gained 0.9 points, rising to 88.9, ...
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Home Depot is hiring 150 people to staff its McCalla distribution center, and has 450 openings in total at its Birmingham-area facilities, the company said today.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration today announced a $400,000 grant to help Birmingham area businesses hurt in the April 2011 tornadoes. The grant will go to Op...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Monday announced that Alabama exports closed out calendar year 2012 at a record-breaking total of $19.5 billion in the value of goods exported, an increa...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley on Monday announced that Alabama exports closed out calendar year 2012 at a record-breaking total of $19.5 billion in the value of goods exported, an increa...
The federal Small Business Administration says March 11 is the deadline for disaster loan applications from people and businesses in 10 Alabama counties and three Mississippi counties affected by...
Businesswomen from Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama Power and more spoke to the crowd of professionals and students at the annual Women 2 Women conference insi...
AlabamaGermany Partnership’s (AGP) Board of Directors will recognize 12 German companies with recent investments and expansions in Alabama at their Annual Dinner to be held in Huntsville on Mar...
A major revision in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) Program more than triples the eligible contract amount, from $2 million to $6.5 million, the Agency will...
Borrowing by small U.S. businesses rose marginally in December, eking out a tiny gain for the year and suggesting headwinds for economic growth for the first few months of 2013, a report on Monda...
Two Mobile-based teams are among 13 selected statewide to vie for their potential share of $100,000 in seed funding as part of the 2013 Alabama Launchpad Start-Up Competition. Team leader Christi...
Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield will begin an educational tour on Thursday to help Alabama companies learn how to do business overseas.
A team of business administration majors that fast-tracked the launching of a retail discount card business were the winners of a Birmingham-Southern College entrepreneurship contest.
A trucking software consultancy and a firm that makes custom software will be representing Huntsville in the 2013 Alabama Launchpad Startup Competition. The competition, sponsored by the Economic...
Alabama is among the states with a strong leading index score for December 2012, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The latest leading index numbers still have Alabama as a to...
Mobile’s Michael Chambers, president and chief executive officer of Swift Biotechnology, was one of five new board members elected recently by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Fo...
(Reuters) - Private-sector employers added 192,000 jobs in January, more than economists were expecting, in a sign of growth in the labor market, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednes...
OZARK – The Alabama Aviation Center, a unit of Enterprise State Community College will create the state’s first unmanned aircraft systems maintenance program to serve a growing aviation busin...
In a win for small business, the Internal Revenue Service has announced a simplified option for small businesses to calculate the home office deduction. The new option allows a deduction of up to...
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today launched a new web page and blog dedicated to educating small business owners about the Affordable Care Act. The new tools will serve as a gatew...
President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law has spawned its own jargon. With the law finally about to take full effect, consumers might want to get familiar with some of the terms:
Small businesses, agriculture co-ops and nonprofits in Shelby County and 21 other Alabama counties may be eligible for U.S. Small Business Administration loans as a result of the drought, the SBA...
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Construction work is moving forward on a Chinese copper tubing manufacturer's new plant in southwest Alabama, a project that is expected to bring at least 300 jobs to a rur...
U.S. Small Business Administration officials will be in Troy through Saturday to assist those affected by the Christmas tornadoes. The representatives are in the city to assist residents in obtai...
The Small Business Administration started an online marketplace for government projects, attempting to streamline the search and bidding process for small federal contracts. The site — called �...
Peer-to-peer lending most immediately brings to mind the largely feel-good act of extending small-time money to small businesses and individuals with quirky projects—a curiosity at best and no ...
Women-owned small businesses will have greater access to federal contracting opportunities as a result of changes included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (NDAA) to the U.S. Sma...
Will Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) soon be selling health insurance to small businesses? A report published Friday in the Orlando Business Journal quoted a Wal-Mart vice president saying the world’s la...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
COLUMBIANA – Governor Robert Bentley on Tuesday announced a statewide effort that will help students better prepare for successful careers. The Governor’s College & Career Ready Task Force wi...
The nation’s largest microlending organization, Accion Texas Inc., has promoted Alabama Market Manager Lisa Riley to Delta Manager. Riley will remain based in Birmingham (at One 55th Place Sout...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has created a new loan program to help operators of small farms, including those who want to take advantage of growing consumer interest in locally produced foo...
CULLMAN, Alabama -- The addition of a new model at Alabama's Mercedes-Benz plant has helped spark growth at Cullman auto supplier REHAU.
A Huntsville organization created to help small businesses get regional and national technology contracts has won a federal grant totaling nearly $2 million to continue and expand its work as one...
Ten counties in Alabama are eligible for low-interest rate loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to a news release issued by Gov. Robert Bentley's office. The counties were...
A new award has been added by the U.S. Small Business Administration in celebration of National Small Business Week 2013. The Small Business Exporter of the Year award will recognize a small busi...
A new report by the U.S. Treasury Department shows Alabama banks have now lent $566 million to small businesses through the Treasury's Small Business Lending Fund. The national program is open to...
Small business sentiment clawed back from a 2-1/2 year-low in December, but owners' assessment of the labor market remained downbeat, a survey showed on Tuesday. The National Federation of Indepe...
Alabama's three automakers combined to produce more than 880,000 vehicles last year, a 17 percent increase from 2011 and a record high level for the industry that kicked off nearly 20 years ago.
Small-business job growth showed signs of strain in December, while overall job growth was roughly inline with prior months, according to two reports released this week. The ADP report on small b...
Individuals and developments that have done the most to improve Alabama’s image over the past 25 years
Later this month, Huntsville will host some of the beginning talks for a $1 billion manufacturing network that President Barack Obama hopes will connect new technologies, manufacturers and start-...
Many Small Entities or Firms May Face Higher Taxes This Year After the Deal.
Borrowing by small U.S. businesses rose marginally in November, indicating they were essentially on hold in terms of growing their enterprises in the face of economic and government fiscal uncert...
For much of this year, business managers have blamed uncertainties over the looming “fiscal cliff” for their reluctance to pick up the pace of new hiring. As the budget deadline nears with no...
Paychex, Inc. released its list of the top 13 potential regulatory changes that could possibly affect small businesses in the upcoming year.
The Gulf Coast Angel Network, in partnership with the statewide Angel Investor Management Group, is actively seeking funding applications from promising early-stage companies hindered only by the...
Of his 59 years, Jim Corman spent the first 53 in Atmore, happily starting telecommunications companies, selling them and starting over. “I started my first company as a senior at Auburn (Unive...
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield announced today the promotions of three staff members to help lead the state’s economic development efforts, effective January 01, 2013. �...
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield announced today the promotions of three staff members to help lead the state’s economic development efforts, effective January 01, 2013. �...
New regulations and muted economic growth are keeping banks from growing their loan portfolios in Alabama. That trend was made evident by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s latest State Profil...
Five Essentials for Small Business in 2013. The Small Business Authority, on a daily basis will report on the five essential things independent business owners will need to consider to position t...
President Barack Obama signed legislation today that aims to approve appliance energy efficiency standards. The bill -- sponsored by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville -- amends the Energy I...
A new group of food-based startups are applying tricks learned from the technology industry to grow a new wave of businesses to cash in on the growing "foodie" movement across the U.S. Like tech ...
VANCE, Alabama -- Mercedes-Benz auto workers in Tuscaloosa County have built more vehicles in 2012 than any other year in the plant's history.
The U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Small Business Administration today jointly announced a new website to support state workforce and unemployment agencies in implementing or enhancing Sel...
JASPER, Alabama -- Vistech Manufacturing Solutions, a minority-owned auto supplier with a plant in Jasper, is expanding its business through a match-making program run by Toyota.
Alabama is the nation's seventh-best state for entrepreneurship, a nonprofit that advocates for small business found in a ranking released today. The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council ran...
Scott Schroeder needs financing for his small electronics assembly business to hire more workers amid a recent surge in demand for its services. His bank recently refused to increase the Oregon c...
On July 2, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world announced it would be building an aircraft assembly line on Brookley AeroPlex in Mobile, Ala. The Airbus announcement event was a...
The U.S. trade deficit widened in October as exports suffered the biggest drop in nearly four years, indicating slowing global demand was spilling over into the already struggling U.S. economy. T...
Registration opens this week for the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama's annual Alabama Launchpad Start-Up Competition. Teams interested in the proof-of-concept competition can register...
In an era of budget slashing and belt tightening, the U.S. Small Business Administration has efficiently harnessed a public-private partnership through its Small Business Investment Company (SBIC...
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will sign a Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM) with the South Region Minority Supplier Development Council (SRMSDC) on Monday, December 10, 2012 as a part...
MOBILE, ALABAMA – The first Airbus supplier to locate in Alabama announced plans here today to hire up to 50 people in the Mobile area. Safran Engineering Services, the wiring systems subsidiar...
MOBILE, ALABAMA – The first Airbus supplier to locate in Alabama announced plans here today to hire up to 50 people in the Mobile area. Safran Engineering Services, the wiring systems subsidiar...
Americans are so big on small business that large companies are launching pro-small-business marketing campaigns in hopes of squeezing their way into the spotlight. The latest small-business cham...
Conventional wisdom holds that 85 to 90 percent of new businesses fail. Don't believe it, said Dale Callahan, director of the Information Engineering and Management program at UAB. Callahan, auth...
Borrowing by small businesses rose in October, a report on Monday showed, as the central bank launched its latest round of monetary stimulus to encourage borrowing and spending.
Hyundai said today that it sold 53,487 vehicles in the U.S. last month, an 8 percent improvement from a year ago and its highest total ever for November.
As National American Indian Heritage Month draws to a close, attention is being focused on the increasing role American Indians and Alaska Natives play in the country's economy. Businesses owned ...
The slow improvement in the economy gave a huge boost to entrepreneurship in the U.S. last year, according to a study released Thursday. More than 29 million people were starting or running new b...
President Obama has launched a series of campaign-style events intended to gather input from small businesses and middle-class Americans regarding looming tax increases and budget cuts. And while...
The Alabama Department of Commerce and the Export Alabama Alliance are presenting an international market briefing on Norway and Sweden with Marianne Ruud, Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Embas...
The Alabama Department of Commerce and the Export Alabama Alliance are presenting an international market briefing on Norway and Sweden with Marianne Ruud, Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Embas...
HAMBURG, GERMANY – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday addressed aerospace industry leaders at the Aviation Forum 2012 in Hamburg, Germany.
HAMBURG, GERMANY – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday addressed aerospace industry leaders at the Aviation Forum 2012 in Hamburg, Germany.
What could be more exciting for a small business than knowing your product is in the hands of delighted customers around the globe? At the same time, if you have no idea how to crack the exportin...
Consumers preferred big-box stores on Black Friday. But, according to retailers--and social media--Small Business Saturday is actually gaining traction.
Expansions of existing businesses, along with a new plant, are creating more than 200 new jobs in Walker and Bibb counties.
The streets of downtown Athens weren't as packed Saturday as malls and big-box stores, but a steady stream of shoppers was out supporting Small Business Saturday, a day designated to help mom-and...
This week, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, the Delta Regional Authority reflects on how thankful we are for our Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs, especially during National Entrepreneurship Month...
A new online portal has been launched by the U.S. Small Business Administration to accept nominations for its 2013 National Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person ...
The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce recognized five companies and several individuals Friday during a joint meeting of the organization's governing board of directors and board of advisors.
Saturday, November 24, 2012 is Small Business Saturday® – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities. Please join the SBA and organizations across th...
Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) today announced the launch of a new Business Credit Center, offering small business owners a free online resource to learn about credit, from developing a strong appli...
Small banks are approving more small-business loans than they reject, according to a monthly analysis of 1,000 loan applications on Biz2credit.com. Small-bank lending approvals jumped from 47.6 p...
Mobile-based Watermark Design Group has been tapped to design the first structure associated with Airbus’ planned $600 million final assembly plant at Brookley Aeroplex.
Lockheed Martin and Huntsville-based IERUS Technologies Inc. have signed a 3-year agreement under the Department of Defense's Mentor-Protégé Program. The program is designed to allow larger con...
Small-business lending continued to inch downward in the second quarter of 2012, but there are some indications that the longstanding credit crunch could be easing. "We're still stuck in a little...
As the nation marks Veterans Day 2012, the U.S. Small Business Administration continues to build on its successful programs for America’s military veterans, helping tens of thousands of veteran...
MONTGOMERY – Alabama companies that have successfully undertaken exporting initiatives are invited to enter the 2013 Governor's Trade Excellence Awards competition.
MONTGOMERY – Alabama companies that have successfully undertaken exporting initiatives are invited to enter the 2013 Governor's Trade Excellence Awards competition.
President Barack Obama’s successful re-election to a second term is sinking in. No matter who small business owners voted for, the election takes away some of the uncertainty that small busines...
A search for an office with an energetic vibe led Livefyre, a company that provides software for posting comments on websites, to undergo a rite of passage for new Silicon Valley businesses. It j...
Small business owners are feeling some holiday cheer, as expectations ahead of the gift-giving season are brighter this year. The National Retail Federation is predicting a slight increase of 4.1...
More than a dozen women investors huddled around a table recently, listening raptly to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, a seminal figure in the tech world. The brief, impromptu speech was off the re...
Small businesses continued to add jobs in October, but the question remains whether this will be a sustainable trend given growing uncertainty about the economy and looming fiscal issues. Employm...
More than half of America's small businesses (53 percent) say it is important for new hires to possess a strong proficiency in basic computer skills as it relates to the online safety and securit...
The city of Tuscaloosa is considering extending the application window for the first round of its $2.5 million commercial revolving loan program after receiving four applications by deadline Tues...
Alabama’s economy is continuing a slow recovery and its performance for the year will be an improvement over 2011, according to a fourth quarter forecast from the Center for Business and Econom...
BESSEMER – Governor Robert Bentley joined company, state and local representatives here today in a ribbon cutting for Dayjon Inc’s expansion hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance. The $2...
BESSEMER – Governor Robert Bentley joined company, state and local representatives here today in a ribbon cutting for Dayjon Inc’s expansion hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance. The $2...
Intuitive Research and Technology Corp. was named to Fortune Magazine's list of the country's top 25 small companies to work for. The Huntsville company -- beat only by Ruby Receptionists in Port...
Aspiring entrepreneurs often hope to convince wealthy individuals to buy stakes in their nascent ventures. With angel investors putting $9.2 billion in U.S. companies during the first half of 201...
SCORE – www.score.org – mentors to America's small businesses, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Paychex, a recognized leader in the payroll, human resource, and benefits outsourc...
An Economic Development Representative Associate is being announced for application. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in economic deve...
The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, is conducting its 13th annual Small Business Forum, 9 a.m.-noon, Nov. 9, at the University of Alabama, Huntsville’s University Center. ...
Tallassee, AL – E & I, Inc. announced at a press conference and groundbreaking today that they will be adding 20 new jobs and investing approximately $2,000,000 in an expansion of their existin...
Tallassee, AL – E & I, Inc. announced at a press conference and groundbreaking today that they will be adding 20 new jobs and investing approximately $2,000,000 in an expansion of their existin...
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) debenture program provided a record $2.95 billion to small businesses in fiscal year 2012, a 14 percent increas...
TOULOUSE, FRANCE -- Success comes when opportunity meets preparation, Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield told 350 aerospace suppliers here today representing 250 prominent com...
TOULOUSE, FRANCE -- Success comes when opportunity meets preparation, Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield told 350 aerospace suppliers here today representing 250 prominent com...
HARTSELLE -- BUSCHE finalized negotiations with CR Compressors LLC, a company in Emerson Electric’s Emerson Climate Technologies business segment today for a large manufacturing complex which i...
SBA-backed loans to exporters continued to grow in FY2012, reaching more than $923 million, which supported $1.7 billion in small business exports.
HARTSELLE -- BUSCHE finalized negotiations with CR Compressors LLC, a company in Emerson Electric’s Emerson Climate Technologies business segment today for a large manufacturing complex which i...
SecondMarket investors can now create a portfolio of early-stage companies with individual stakes as small as $5,000.
MOBILE, Alabama - From increased automation to a focus on linear work flow, improved efficiencies are a direct result of technological innovations adopted by Austal USA since setting up shop in M...
MONTGOMERY – For the third consecutive year, Alabama is among the top five states in the nation for doing business, according to the fall 2012 edition of Area Development Magazine.
MONTGOMERY – For the third consecutive year, Alabama is among the top five states in the nation for doing business, according to the fall 2012 edition of Area Development Magazine.
Failures Among Green Products Manufacturers Spur a Business-Plan Migration to Businesses With More Reliable Revenue
MCCALLA – Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley joined federal, state, and local officials and business leaders today for the opening of the Birmingham Regional Inte...
Govenor Robert Bentley joined federal, state, and local officials in McCalla today to announce the opening of a $97.5 million intermodal facility that will serve as a gateway for truck-competitiv...
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s loan volume in the 2012 fiscal year was its second highest ever, second only to that of the 2011 fiscal year. The SBA supported $30.25 billion in loans ...
The new “green” business incubator at Wallace State in Hanceville is still in its infancy, but officials hope a new $200,000 state grant can help the economic engine reach the next gear. The ...
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The last time the Huntsville community set afire a forest of candles atop a cake was to commemorate the 100th birthday of Dr. Wernher von Braun. Grab the lighter. Another b...
The Alabama Small Business Development Center Network announced the appointment of a new advisory board for the purpose of developing strategies to assist the Network with creating and growing sm...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) in Alabama that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligib...
New small business owners will soon have access to better advice and education on operating their businesses through Gadsden State Community College’s new entrepreneurship program. The college ...
Small business owners may be pessimistic about the economy and their own companies right now, but they're getting optimistic about the future. A survey released Tuesday by the National Federation...
With loan volume steadily increasing for the past six quarters, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s loan programs posted the second largest dollar volume ever in FY 2012, supporting $30.25...
Aspiration, courage, dedication - all are essential qualities of a successful entrepreneur. Add to that the fearless, enduring nature of a woman's spirit and the combination is unstoppable. The f...
Friday's monthly jobs report changed the picture of the U.S. economy in more ways than one, showing the unemployment rate fell to the lowest level in more than three years and hiring was stronger...
When it comes to emergency planning, the mindset of many business owners often falls between being proactive or reactive. Taking the first step – determining your risks – is a good start towa...
The Retirement Systems of Alabama will unveil its new $13 million data center today inside the glass walls of the 12-story, $190 million RSA Dexter Avenue building that opened last October.
HOOVER – A series of grants announced by Governor Robert Bentley Wednesday will pave the way for research, innovation, and job creation across Alabama.
Peter Goodman, the executive business editor for The Huffington Post, is scheduled to kick off day two of a business innovation conference at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover this morning. Goodman, au...
Hiring among small businesses headquartered in the Southern U.S. is up 1.3 percent over the year -- the only region tracked by SurePayroll to see an increase, according to the group's August Smal...
CULLMAN — Topre America just keeps getting bigger. Local and state officials gathered in Cullman Friday afternoon to celebrate its fourth and largest expansion yet — totaling more than $190 m...
As Administrator of the SBA, I have the opportunity to travel around the country meeting with small business owners and entrepreneurs. Our goal at the SBA, and across the Administration, is makin...
A $2.5 million commercial revolving loan program aimed at spurring economic development in Tuscaloosa's tornado recovery zone will begin accepting applications next week, officials said. The prog...
The U.S. economy grew at a sluggish 1.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, held back by the severe drought that reduced farm production in the Midwest. The growth rate was lowered fro...
Gov. Robert Bentley today urged Alabama retailers to lobby the state's congressional delegation for their support of federal legislation that would allow states to compel online retailers to coll...
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield welcomed the news today that ThyssenKrupp Materials North America, Inc. will be investing $13 million in...
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield welcomed the news today that ThyssenKrupp Materials North America, Inc. will be investing $13 million in...
Forty-seven states, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia will receive $30 million total from the U.S. Small Business Administration in a second ...
The Small Business Administration has formalized a program that allows contracting officers to set aside procurements for woman-owned small businesses, but the move to award more contracts is lik...
Fernando Valentin, president of Bessemer's Trinity Design Group, was named Small Business Executive of the Year by the Birmingham Business Alliance during its 2012 Small Business Awards celebrati...
Numerous large and small business prime contractors, subcontractors and civil-service teams were honored Sept. 20 during the 2012 Industry & Advocates Awards ceremony hosted by NASA's Marshall Sp...
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Toyota plans to break ground Tuesday on a 300,000-square-foot V6 engine expansion project at its Huntsville plant.
With so much talk about the need to revive U.S. manufacturing and create jobs, more companies are touting their American-made roots in order to lure customers. But before a company can use the ic...
A government program that allowed small businesses to refinance their commercial real estate mortgages is coming to an end. The two-year program allowed businesses that owned their own real estat...
The redesigned, 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV, which is produced at the German automaker's Alabama factory, is featured on the cover of the September issue of Automotive Design and Production m...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking comment on two proposed rules published this week in the Federal Register that would revise the small business size definitions for businesses in...
Penney and his wife, Dayna, purchased a Menchie's franchise, offering self-serve frozen yogurt, in Bellingham, Washington, in July 2011. They expect the business, open since April, to be profitab...
TUSCALOOSA - The Tuscaloosa City School System and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International are teaming up to offer a weekend Workforce Development Academy for high school students interested in working ...
Small business owners are losing confidence as they see the economy weaken, according to a survey released Wednesday that is at odds with another just-released look at owners' sentiments. The sur...
FLORENCE — Japanese auto parts supplier TASUS Corp. announced plans Tuesday to build a plant at the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park in a $19.1 million investment that will provide 135 jobs.
Small business owners and start-ups across the country can now take advantage of a new business tool to help them compete and grow. The free tool, called SizeUp, helps businesses identify new cus...
TASUS Corporation celebrated the construction launch of a $19 million,104,000-square-foot injection molding manufacturing facility in Florence today which will create more than 135 new jobs in th...
Featuring one of the nation's top business owners, a presentation by Microsoft and more than 50 exhibitors expected, the 17th annual Business and Economic Opportunity Expo is a must-attend for ar...
Microlending, well-established in developing countries like Bangladesh and Mexico, is growing in the U.S.
Officials unveiled a new business incubator in downtown Tuscaloosa Thursday afternoon that will serve as a working space for entrepreneurs and University of Alabama students. The Edge Center for ...
BROOKWOOD -- Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG, a German auto supplier, plans to build a $34.2 million plant in Tuscaloosa County that will employ about 100 people and supply exhaust systems for the...
Lending to small U.S. businesses edged up in July, but the size of the increase was too modest to signal that there was much momentum to the economy, a report showed on Tuesday. The Thomson Reute...
U.S. sales of vehicles built in Alabama rose 14 percent in August, led by strong growth for the Honda Odyssey minivan and the Hyundai Elantra compact.
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
BIRMINGHAM -- The Hyundai plant in Montgomery is scheduled to kick off a third shift today, a first for the Korean automaker's Alabama operations that is aimed at meeting growing demand for its s...
Shannon Drake, the Small Business Administration's program director at the Women's Business Center of North Alabama, has a passion for owning a variety of businesses. She currently owns and opera...
Steven Hill, the president and CEO of AEgis Technologies, received the Russell Brown Executive Leadership Award tonight at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County's Small Business Aw...
MOBILE -- Gov. Robert Bentley recently announced a $5 million project agreement between the state and Austal USA that will help the shipbuilder add up to 1,000 full-time jobs in Mobile. The Phase...
The tough economy has made franchises attractive to the unemployed, workers who don’t want to wait to get knocked off the corporate ladder, and others. But first-time franchise buyers are findi...
The U.S. economy grew at a tepid 1.7 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, suggesting growth will stay weak in the second half of the year. Slightly stronger consumer spending and greate...
TUSCUMBIA, AL -Firestone Building Products Monday announced plans to more than double the size of its Shoals, Alabama TPO manufacturing plant located in· Tuscumbia, adding 150,000 square feet to...
A new survey by Wells Fargo on small business optimism across the United States indicates that less than half of owners expect revenue gains over the next 12 months, and only six in 10 expect to ...
HUNTSVILLE -- Mars Curiosity is NASA's superstar lander, but a little robot flyer in Huntsville is pointing the way to something Curiosity can't do: land almost anywhere.
Everyone has a story, and now the U.S. Small Business Administration is giving entrepreneurs a new online platform to share their stories and showcase their successful and thriving businesses. SB...
Merchandise exports from Alabama grew at more than twice the national average through the first six months of 2012, according to a new report from the International Trade Administration.
Jasper, Alabama - Fontaine Trailer Company, the world’s largest flatbed trailer manufacturer headquartered in Jasper, has announced it will invest over $5 million in new business opportunities ...
Jasper, Alabama - Fontaine Trailer Company, the world’s largest flatbed trailer manufacturer headquartered in Jasper, has announced it will invest over $5 million in new business opportunities ...
PlaidJack, a new venture between a Birmingham web development company and an advertising agency, aims to give small businesses a website within their price range. PlaidJack, a new startup based i...
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville's HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology has launched a biotech company to serve the booming market in genetic research. Transomic Technologies is the 22nd comp...
What regulatory changes are needed to encourage U.S. business investment and what does this mean for Alabama businesses? Those questions and more will be answered at the Mobile Area Chamber of Co...
Money Magazine named Auburn among the top 100 places to live in its list of the best small cities in the U.S.
Last year, Connected Logistics was ranked 10th in the Inc. 500 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies. This year, the Huntsville-based small business fell to No. 74, a move that surprised CEO ...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
This summer millions of business across the country were forced to close their doors in the aftermath of power outages, approaching wildfires, and flooding caused by tropical storms. Business int...
For decades, mainstream perception held small businesses opposed raising the federal minimum wage. That's changing, as advocates back proposed legislation.
Alabama is celebrating a series of great announcements this year that continue to prove the state is on the right path to economic prosperity. From the news that Airbus will assemble its A320 fam...
The SRMSDC annual conference began Tuesday with a golf tournament at Oxmoor Valley in Birmingham, featuring minority firms, big firms and government agencies that partner with the organization. T...
The nation’s smallest businesses—those with no employees other than their owners—failed to regain the ground they lost during the Great Recession in the first full year of recovery, Census ...
MUSCLE SHOALS- Walgreen Co., the State of Alabama, and The Shoals today announced expansion plans for the company’s customer care center located in Muscle Shoals. The scope of the expansion wil...
Walgreens will expand its customer care center in Muscle Shoals and hire an additional 350 people, company, state and local officials announced Wednesday.
Small business owners' optimism sank again in July as they expected sales to weaken in the coming months, according to a survey released Tuesday. The National Federation of Independent Business s...
MOBILE – Governor Robert Bentley on Tuesday announced a new project agreement with Austal USA that will see the shipbuilder add up to 1,000 new full-time jobs in Mobile.
MOBILE – Governor Robert Bentley on Tuesday announced a new project agreement with Austal USA that will see the shipbuilder add up to 1,000 new full-time jobs in Mobile.
Johnny Witherspoon knew his trade well when he opened a barbershop 20 years ago. But he admits he didn't know much about running a business and said he never anticipated the challenges and stumbl...
According to Google, about 97 percent of all Americans look online for local products and services, but fewer than half of Alabama’s small businesses have any online presence. A lack of resourc...
“Van sales offer an insight into corporate economic sentiment, given their high penetration into small businesses and commercial fleets,” writes analyst Kevin Tynan. He estimates that well ov...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
DRS Technologies, a Finmeccanica Company, announced today that it officially opened a state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance/overhaul facility in South Alabama. The facility, collocated with the S...
DRS Technologies, a Finmeccanica Company, announced today that it officially opened a state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance/overhaul facility in South Alabama. The facility, collocated with the S...
The Federal Reserve said on Monday banks continued to ease lending standards for larger firms in the last three months but small businesses are still having a hard time accessing credit. The resu...
WICHITA, Kansas -- European aerospace giant Airbus said Monday it plans to double the $12 billion it now spends with U.S. suppliers amid strong airplane sales, explaining that the company has a b...
Alabama's economy is finally beginning to create jobs again, but there is a big problem, according to labor experts from Georgetown University and across the state. It's simply creating the wrong...
The 29th Annual Business Connections Conference & Expo, sponsored by Motion Industries, will bring hundreds of minority entrepreneurs, corporate purchasing professionals and corporate executives ...
MONTGOMERY—Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield welcomed news today that Cadence Bank will move its headquarters to Birmingham.
MONTGOMERY—Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield welcomed news today that Cadence Bank will move its headquarters to Birmingham.
Study: Small business lending slid in June as owners remained uncertain about the economy.
More than 2,300 Alabama businesses are using special electric rates that a state regulatory board approved last year to encourage an economic recovery. Participation started slowly when the speci...
HUNTSVILLE -- The First Annual Global Supply Chain and Logistics Conference, “Cheaper – Faster – Better’, will feature expert speakers and panelists to help Alabama professionals anticipa...
The National Business Incubator Association has added Innovation Depot to a small list of incubators from around the world verified for helping international entrepreneurs and companies navigate ...
A one-day conference is planned to provide Alabama small and medium-sized companies (SME's) with the tools and strategies to improve their global supply chain and logistics processes.
A one-day conference is planned to provide Alabama small and medium-sized companies (SME's) with the tools and strategies to improve their global supply chain and logistics processes.
Auburn University's Small Business Development Center, or SBDC, is co-sponsoring an all-day awareness fair and business-to-business opportunity Thursday, Aug. 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grea...
For Zero RPM president Lance Self, the formal announcement for his new tech company ended up a lot bigger than expected — much like the company itself in recent months. What started as a cool i...
Rich reserves of iron and coal once made Birmingham a major producer of iron and steel. In fact, the city’s nickname was “The Pittsburgh of the South.” Like Pittsburgh, the steel industry a...
The Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne NASA Mentor-Protégé agreement with Alabama A&M has been called historic by officials with the aerospace company and the university. As part of the two-year agreem...
After decades roaming the world in search of lower costs, U.S. manufacturers are finding that factories at home can compete with China, India, Mexico and other low-cost countries. As manufacturer...
BIRMINGHAM -- Honda plans to invest an additional $115 million and fill 50 new positions in its Alabama operations, the automaker is telling employees today during meetings at the Lincoln plant.
Just as the government expands its disaster loan program for businesses hurt by the drought, a new report shows the agency that distributes the loans is letting millions of dollars go unpaid. As ...
Midwest Acoust-A-Fiber (MWAAF) announced plans today to locate a plant in Chambers Conty to expand its operations in the Southeastern United States.
Midwest Acoust-A-Fiber (MWAAF) announced plans today to locate a plant in Chambers Conty to expand its operations in the Southeastern United States.
The Office of Advocacy’s latest small business lending report is a valuable small business tool because it tells you who is making small business loans in all 50 states, the District of Columbi...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Auto production across Alabama continues to climb this year, with a 19 percent improvement during the first half.
A $40,000 grant, announced by Gov. Robert Bentley, will help the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center keep cooking up recipes for success. Funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission will enable th...
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in ...
The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking comment on three proposed rules published today in The Federal Register that would revise the size definitions for small businesses in the Utilit...
Huntsville's HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is joining top researchers across America and Canada to fight one of the world's most devastating diseases. HudsonAlpha will work with Duke Un...
The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all siz...
SCOTTSBORO - David Holder has seen Sanoh America grow, literally, from the ground up. And, 12 years later, the company's growth has caused it to go across the street for its new Sanoh Welding and...
Small businesses in central and north Alabama will receive assistance in selling their products abroad thanks to a $129,755 grant, Gov. Robert Bentley announced.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has joined with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) to launch a training program for transitioning service mem...
SBA Alabama District Director, Tom Todt presented the award for Prime Contractor of the Year to Sigmatech, Inc. at a ceremony at the Redstone Summit Club at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville yesterd...
SBA Alabama District Director, Tom Todt presented the award for Prime Contractor of the Year to Sigmatech, Inc. at a ceremony at the Redstone Summit Club at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville yesterd...
According to a new survey from the National Small Business Association (NSBA), cash flow issues continue to plague a significant number of small businesses in the U.S., with 43% saying that at ti...
Airbus announced plans last week to build a $600 million aircraft assembly plant in Mobile, giving the European company its American factory and south Alabama the promise of 1,000 jobs.
TALLASSEE — Hanil USA will expand its facility, a move that will add 60 new jobs to the existing Tallassee location.
Survey: Small business owners grow more pessimistic in June as they expect slower sales growth.
Small manufacturers are partnering with high schools to train future employees. A recent survey of 1,600 manufacturing companies in the U.S. shows that nearly half have openings for line workers,...
LONDON -- This is what momentum looks like: An ornate dining hall packed with industrial titans, heads of state and a global cast of movers-and-shakers, all drawn like moths to the flame that is ...
STUTTGART, GERMANY – Governor Robert Bentley and other state officials met in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday to thank leaders of Daimler AG for the company’s continued expansion of the Mercedes-B...
STUTTGART, GERMANY – Governor Robert Bentley and other state officials met in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday to thank leaders of Daimler AG for the company’s continued expansion of the Mercedes-B...
Small businesses in June reported cuts to their staff for the first time this year, the National Federation of Independent Business said on Thursday in the latest sign the economy has lost a step...
For the sixth year in a row, the government has missed its goal to award 23% of all federal contract dollars to small businesses. On Tuesday, the Small Business Administration reported that feder...
Just in time for summer, lenders are warming up to small businesses again. The overall volume of loans to small companies rose 12 percentage points in May, marking the largest month-to-month incr...
MOBILE – Governor Robert Bentley on Monday joined with Airbus executives, economic development leaders, and other officials in formally announcing that Airbus has chosen Alabama as the site of ...
MOBILE, Alabama -- What began as "Project Hope" became a reality on Monday as Airbus announced plans to construct a $600 million aircraft assembly plant in Mobile, giving the European company its...
Lending to small businesses is recovering after a four-month decline. A study released Monday by PayNet, a research firm that tracks loans to small business, shows that lending rose 12 percent in...
MONTGOMERY – Medical manufacturing company STERIS Corp. is expanding its Montgomery operations with an approximately $11 million investment and will hire about 80 people during a two-year perio...
MONTGOMERY – Medical manufacturing company STERIS Corp. is expanding its Montgomery operations with an approximately $11 million investment and will hire about 80 people during a two-year perio...
The Supreme Court decision Thursday upholds the Affordable Care Act. But as a small-business owner, you may wonder what that means for you. Most of the law's key provisions are set to take effect...
Nearly 30 years before Hyundai came to Montgomery, one of the state’s first major manufacturing relocations landed in Tallassee.
For small businesses who want to get into the "export game," there is an organization out there. The Southern United States Trade Association is a partially government-funded nonprofit organizati...
The number of U.S. businesses with paid employees fell for a third straight year in 2010, but the rate of decrease slowed, the Census Bureau said on Tuesday.