As Athens and Limestone County continue to grow, so do the industries that call them home. Just days after Buc-ee’s Athens and an industrial park in Mooresville hosted groundbreakings, now another multi-million investment is coming to the city and county.

Gregory Industries, an Ohio-based company, has chosen Athens for its new manufacturing campus.

According to a release from the Limestone County Economic Development Association, Gregory Industries will invest $30 million and build a 325,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility on 83 acres in the Elm Industrial Park. The development will create 100 manufacturing, maintenance and supervision jobs.

Gregory Industries manufactures items related to highway safety such as guard rails along with metal framing channels, tubing and other steel products.

According to Gregory Industries, when the new campus goes online, it will expand the company’s regional manufacturing capability and allow the company to grow and serve its customers in the southeastern United States and surrounding regions faster and more cost-effectively.

“We’re very excited at the prospect of creating more jobs and more business in Northern Alabama,” Gregory Industries CEO Matt Gregory said. “We are grateful to the City of Athens and Limestone County for welcoming us, and we are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.”

The Athens City Council voted unanimously to welcome the new manufacturing campus during its meeting Monday, Nov. 22, while the Limestone County Commission will also have to vote its approval at a future meeting.

“This investment in Athens will provide a variety of jobs from manufacturing to maintenance work to supervisor positions,” Mayor Ronnie Marks said. “With all the growth our area is experiencing, this investment by Gregory Industries will also help provide products needed for highway safety projects. Working together as a team from the city, utilities, the county and LCEDA allows us to successfully win projects.”

Commission Chairman Collin Daly was present during the city’s discussion of the new business opportunity before the council voted its approval.

“We are excited for this new $30 million investment in our county that will create 100 manufacturing, maintenance and supervisor jobs,” Daly said. “Our county continues to be blessed with growth, and we would like to thank Gregory Industries for believing in us and selecting us for their new location. This project has been a strong partnership, from day one, between Gregory Industries, Limestone County and the city of Athens. We welcome Gregory Industries to our Limestone County family and look forward to being a part of their future success.”

The company hopes to start construction in March 2022 and begin operations in the fall of 2022.

“This is yet another example of our growing and diverse industry base,” said LCEDA President and CEO Bethany Shockney. “Gregory Industries has been great to work with, and we welcome them to our Limestone County family.”