CULLMAN, AL - State and local leaders gathered with members of the Alabama transportation, engineering and development communities at Sherman-Dixie Concrete Industries' Cullman manufacturing facility on April 11 for an introduction to the newly-expanded plant and an opportunity to learn about the value of time-tested products in an era when many states are grappling with public safety concerns posed by deteriorating infrastructure.

The concrete structures manufacturer, an American-owned company headquartered in Nashville, invited statewide officials and industry professionals to a meet-and-greet barbeque that featured tours of the plant, which produces precast box culverts, aqua arches and precast drainage structures such as manholes, catch basins, inlets, headwalls and structural BMPs. Precast concrete pipe is also distributed from the Cullman facility.

Among the nearly 200 guests attending the event was state Representative James Fields, Cullman Mayor Don Green and representatives from the cities of Huntsville and Tuscaloosa. After a barbeque lunch, Sherman-Dixie employees guided guests through the plant, whose expansion includes a 6,200 square foot office building and a total of 45,000 square feet of manufacturing space. New 15- and 35-ton cranes were in operation during the tours, moving recently-constructed precast concrete structures as guests explored the expanded space.

Sherman-Dixie officials said guests invited to the event are among the most critical decision-makers in the state when it comes to infrastructure. Outmoded infrastructure manufacturing techniques and the use of products inferior to concrete often lead to infrastructure problems and even failure well before the structure's anticipated lifespan. Investing in tested, precast concrete structures plays an important role in the longevity of Alabama's infrastructure, which is particularly significant during unstable economic conditions when budgets do not allow for the regular repair of failing infrastructure, company officials said.

Nashville-based Sherman-Dixie services most of the state of Alabama from its Cullman facility. All Sherman-Dixie products are custom made for its customers, based on specific needs and applications. The company originally opened its Cullman, Alabama facility in 2003. The new expansion doubles the size of the existing facility, allowing the company to grow its product line for the Alabama market and to better serve its customers. The company has served the Southeast for more than five decades, originating from its home base in Tennessee.