Metal Fabrication and Steel Manufacturing

Why Locate Here

Metal and steel industry customers are nearby and transportation can be by 4-lane highway, port, or rail line. Skilled workforce is present.

Industry presence continues to grow. The TAP Alliance region is home to a growing cluster of steel and metal fabrication companies including Dennen Steel, Contract Fabricators, FerrouSouth, G&G Steel, Roll Form Group, Monotech/PSP Industries, Skyline Steel/Arcelor/Mittal, Truck Bodies & Equipment International/HEIL, Tiffin Motorhomes, International Converter, and others.

Workforce is skilled in manufacturing. The region has a trained workforce that possesses skills desirable to steel and metal fabrication companies. Manufacturing-specific workforce training is provided by the community college system and technical schools, all located within a few hours drive.

Transportation is quick and easy. Transportation of products is possible via 4-lane highways, ports, and rail lines. A major customer base is located within 200 miles of the TAP region – Nissan, General Motors, Volkswagen, Navistar, and Toyota automotive suppliers and several aerospace-related companies are located in nearby Huntsville, Alabama, Tennessee, and Columbus, Mississippi.

Low cost of business PLUS incentives. The state of Mississippi offers many tax incentives and has a low cost of living and low cost of doing business. Electricity and natural gas costs are cheaper than many other places in the nation.

Nearby Customer Base

Automotive Assembly Plants

The TAP Alliance region is within 500 miles of 28 automotive assembly plants. The closest plants are Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Navistar, and General Motors (Saturn). The Toyota plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi, is only 55 miles from the TAP region, accessible via four-lane US Highway 45. The Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tennessee (172 miles from TAP) and the General Motors Plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee (133 miles from TAP) are accessible via US 72, a divided four-lane highway and US Route 43, most of which is divided 4-lane.

Regional Auto Manufacturers in the Southeast

Distance to Automotive Plants

Auto ManufacturerLocationDistance from Center of TAP Alliance
NavistarBarton, AL27 miles
ToyotaBlue Springs, MS55 miles
Toyota MazdaHuntsville, AL90 miles
MercedesVance, AL164 miles
General Motors (Saturn)Spring Hills, TN126 miles
HondaLincoln, AL193 miles
NissanSmyrna, TN165 miles
VolkswagenChattanooga, TN206 miles
NissanCanton, MS227 miles
HyundaiMontgomery, AL240 miles
KiaWest Point, GA282 miles
FordHapeville, GA303 miles
General MotorsDoraville, GA310 miles
BMWGreer, SC453 miles
General MotorsShreveport, LA455 miles
General MotorsArlington, TX581 miles
General MotorsOklahoma City, OK575 miles
ToyotaSan Antonio, TX835 miles

Aerospace and Aviation Companies in TAP Region

Company NameLocationDescriptionNumber of Employees
DyneticsIukapropulsion testing services to for thrusters and engines3
ETD, Inc.Belmonttool & die for aerospace parts5
General AtomicsIukadefense research and development12
Orbital ATKIukaproduces large composite aerospace structures175
Precision Machine ToolsIukatool & die for aerospace parts2
Turner AviationCorinthprivate and commercial aircraft engine services and repair3

Transportation

US Highways and Interstates

US Highway 72 (east-west) and US Highway 45 (north-south) are four-lane highways running through the TAP Alliance region. Future Interstate 22 is accessible from Tupelo (50 miles) and connects I-240 and I-40 with I-65 and I-20. Interstates 55, 22, and 40 are accessible from Memphis, approximately 110 miles from the TAP region. Several state highways serve the TAP Alliance region.

View map of highways in North Mississippi (365 KB, PDF)

Ports

Water transportation is available via the Tennessee River and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (TTW). Yellow Creek Port on the TTW is near Iuka in Tishomingo County. This port is equipped with 200-ton capacity cranes, warehouse, as well as truck and rail facilities. It is a designated Foreign Trade Subzone and a federal HUBZone. Yellow Creek port has an onsite steel processing facility, which in 2012, will install the world’s largest stretcher-leveler. The port also has a cluster of steel processing facilities around it.

The Port of Itawamba also serves the TTW. Located 50 miles from the edge of the TAP Alliance, it has truck and rail facilities, warehouses, conveyor, 60-ton crane, and also provides cargo handling and logistical support.

View a map of ports along the Tenn-Tom Waterway in the TAP Alliance (1.2 MB, PDF)

Railroads

Rail lines serving the TAP Alliance region include Norfolk-Southern Railroad main line and 4 short lines: Kansas City Southern, Yellow Creek Port, Tishomingo Railroad, and Redmont.

View a map of rail lines serving the TAP Alliance region (1.8 MB, PDF).

Metal Fabrication and Steel Manufacturing Companies in TAP Region

Company NameLocationDescriptionNumber of Employees
Automatic Machine Products, Inc.CorinthCNC & screw machine products30
Baldwyn Tool & DieBaldwyntool and die, CNC machine shop15
BMSIBurnsvillemilitary and restaurant metal fabricated parts100
Booneville Machine & Metal Fabricating Co.Boonevillemetal fabricating, miscellaneous metal work, misc. machinery products12
Carolina CarportsIukaportable metal buildings15
Contract Fabricators Inc.Iukapressure vessels50
Developmental IndustriesCorinthdesign & tooling shop76
ETD Inc.Belmonttool and die, CNC machine shop, design services and prototypes
FerrouSouth Iukacoil and sheet steel processor103
G&G SteelIukametal fabrication30
HAGO AutomotiveIukaauto parts120
International ConverterIukaaluminum insulation products55
J&M ServicesBaldwyntool and die makers equipment, industrial supply4
King ManufacturingCorinthmetal stamping/screw machin48
Metal ProductsCorinthspecialized machine shop7
Monotech of Mississippi/PSP IndustriesIukasteel fabrication90
North MS Tools, Inc.Boonevilletool and die machine shop12
Plant Process SupportBurnsvillemetal parts cleaning30
Precision Machine ToolsIukahigh precision tooling2
Ray Hughes Inc.Corinthwire crimping tools, press dies and special industrial machines7
Ricky Marsh Ornamental IronCorinthfabricated structured metal, ornamental doors, rails, and gates2
Ripley IndustriesIukametal filters30
Robby's Custom ExhaustIukavehicular exhaust systems3
Roll Form Group (US) Inc.Iukasteel sheeting and piling, sheet piling, rail car parts60
S&G Gutter and Sheet Metal CompanyCorinthsheet metal fabrication5
Skyline Steel PipeIukaspiral welded foundation pipe50
Stevens Machine and ToolMariettatool and die machine shop7
Sun-Air Products Inc.Belmontmetal fabrication, laser cutting, powder coat painting34
Tiffin MotorhomesBelmontRV frames and painting185
Truck Bodies & Equipment International (formerly HEIL)Belmonttruck dump bodies80
Vanleigh RBBurnsvillefifth wheel RV units240
Young & DaughtersCorinthprecision machine work4

Specialized Workforce

ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering degree programs and master’s and PhD options in similar areas are available at nearby universities.

Degree ProgramsMississippi State University University of Alabama at HuntsvilleUniversity of MississippiUniversity of Memphis
Aerospace engineeringXX
Biological engineeringX
Biomedical engineeringX
Chemical engineeringXXX
Civil engineeringXXXX
Computer engineeringXXX
Electrical engineeringXXXX
Engineering technologyX
Geological engineeringX
Industrial engineeringXX
Mechanical engineeringXXXX
Optical engineeringX
Software engineeringX
Miles from TAP Region120 miles106 miles92 miles110 miles
OccupationCurrent JobsMedian Hourly Earning in TAP RegionMedian Hourly Earning in Mississippi
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers31$18$18
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic37$19$19
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic91$14$14
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic<10$16$16
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic39$15$15
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic<10$16$16
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic20$19$19
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic<10$21$21
Industrial engineers55$37$37
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic<10$17$17
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic32$23$23
Machinists89$19$19
Mechanical engineers28$37$37
Metal and plastic workers, all other<10$10$10
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders<10$14$14
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic<10$12$12
Model makers, metal and plastic<10$14$14
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic32$11$11
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic17$13$13
Numerical tool and process control programmers12$19$19
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic25$19$19
Sheet metal workers28$17$17
Structural iron and steel workers<10$18$18
Structural metal fabricators and fitters49$17$17
Tool & die makers17$22$22
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners<10$17$17
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers204$20$20
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders32$16$16
Data source: State Workforce Investment Board (Mississippi) https://swib.ms.gov/DataCenter/PublicReports/, Accessed 2/20/18

Workforce Training

Northeast Mississippi Community College

Division of Workforce Training and Economic Development
Offers customized job training to new and existing business and industry. Two training facilities are located within the TAP region, one in Corinth and the other in Booneville. Mobile training facilities may be available upon request for onsite training throughout the TAP region.

Programs through the Division of Business & Engineering Technology include

  • Electronics/electrical technology
  • Industrial maintenance and technology
  • Precision Manufacturing & Machining

East Mississippi Community College

Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence
Offers technical training relevant to Mississippi industries. 112 miles from the TAP region.

Workforce Services
Offers customized training to industry and core courses to individuals. The Manufacturing Academy course provides training in the essential skills defined by manufacturers in the area. These include quality tools, measuring instruments, problem-solving, applied math, critical thinking and more. Additional classes offered include

  • Welding Customized
  • Welding Structural
  • Safety
  • Machining
  • Maintenance Technician
  • Manufacturing Skills Basic

See full list of classes

Tennessee Technology Center at Memphis

Workforce training through traditional and distance learning systems. 110 miles from the TAP region. Courses include

  • Aircraft mechanics
  • Avionics maintenance technology
  • Drafting and CAD technology
  • Machine tool technology

University of Mississippi

Center for Manufacturing Excellence
Provides manufacturing education through the mechanical engineering program, professional development courses, and is involved with industry-led research. 92 miles form the TAP region.