From left, Tony McCormack, vice chairman, Civic and Governmental Council of the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer Williamson, president of the Chamber; and Prasad Puttagunta, vice president of operations of Asahi Kasei North America, stand Wednesday on the stage of the Limestone County Event Center during the Chamber’s 50th anniversary luncheon.

Prasad Puttagunta spent time in local bars while trying to decide if Asahi Kasei Plastics North America should build a $30 million plant in Athens.

It’s not because he’s a drinker, however. It’s because Puttagunta, Asahi’s vice president of operations, was trying to get a feel for the community while making the decision.

Puttagunta was the featured speaker at a Wednesday luncheon celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. The event was held at the Limestone County Event Center.

Puttagunta’s presentation focused on why Asahi Kasei Plastics North America chose Athens, and what parameters were considered prior to making the decision. The company, which will build its facility on about 51 acres in the Elm Industrial Park, plans to hire at least 100 workers over a 10-year period.

Asahi, which held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 29, manufactures plastic pellets from resins, which are then used by injection molding companies to manufacture everything from automotive parts to office chairs and pressure vessels for swimming pools and spa bathtubs.

The Japanese-owned company operates a facility in Fowlerville, Michigan, but wanted to open another plant to be closer to not only their raw material suppliers in Houston and the Florida Panhandle, but also automotive companies across the southeast, including Toyota, Volkswagen and Nissan.

As part of his presentation, Puttagunta shared a checklist formulated by the company that featured categories split into “must-haves,” “like-to-haves” and what he referred to as “soft items,” or features specific to Athens, its leadership and the citizenry.

Based on scoring, the company narrowed down a list of more than 100 sites to about 40 sites across the Southeast. After a closer look, those sites were whittled down to six to 10 sites, and then just a few. Puttagunta said he visited each town on the shortlist personally, often without telling developers who were trying to woo Asahi.

“Most of the time I would just show up,” he said, adding he’s “not a fan of real estate agents.”

Athens had the “must-have” items on the company’s list, including rail access, a site size of at least 30 acres and close proximity to Interstate 65.

Puttagunta said he was told by local officials that the railroad line was active, but said he never once saw the train on any of his visits.

“I actually sat and waited for an hour and a half one day before I saw the train,” he said. “Now, every day I get stopped by the train.”

Trains roared past the event center twice during Wednesday’s luncheon.

Puttagunta said the company also conducted reference checks, which included calling other industries in town and asking about their relationships with elected leaders and the business community. He would also drive through the neighborhoods and talk to local residents in a variety of settings.

“The community was very helpful,” he said. “There were also young firebrands from Montgomery who met with us and let us know what we were getting into.”

Puttagunta said he was particularly impressed by the efforts of local leadership and the consideration given to where the industry should go that would be beneficial to both the community and the business.

He said another town interested in having the business showed the company a field surrounded by neighborhoods.

“The Elm (Industrial Park) and other industrial areas are very nice,” he said, referring to the amount of infrastructure available to prospective businesses. “We are very excited to be here.”