Top News Links: Wednesday, November 15
Nemak USA planning $34M, three-year expansion
The Daily Home in Talladega is reporting that Nemak USA is planning a three-year internal expansion. The paper reported that the Talladega County Commission has approved a 10-year tax abatement for the Mexican company, which makes aluminum auto parts. Nemak is planning to invest about $34 million in the plant, and hire an additional 67 workers over three years. – AL.com
Bloomberg says auto plant heading here or N.C.
Alabama and North Carolina are the final states in the running to win a prized Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. joint car factory worth $1.6 billion, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The automakers have been narrowing the list for weeks, knocking out almost a dozen other contenders that until recently included Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina, the people said. – Bloomberg
State’s aerospace industry had a robust 2017
Alabama’s aerospace and aviation industry is recording a landmark year, with a major haul of project announcements that bring the promise of international prominence to communities and workers across the state. So far this year, aerospace companies have unveiled plans to invest at least $500 million and bring more than 2,200 jobs to Alabama in new facilities or expansions of existing operations. – Made In Alabama
New Airbus partner sees uptick in plane orders
Bombardier has picked up some new orders for its C Series jets, which some analysts see as a favorable response to a plan to build them in Alabama. In early October, Airbus and Canadian company Bombardier announced a partnership in which Airbus will take a majority stake in the C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP) and a new assembly line will be built in Mobile, leveraging Airbus' experience establishing a Final Assembly Line. – AL.com
Hardgrave to step into provost role in January
Bill Hardgrave, dean of Auburn’s Harbert College of Business, will move into a new office in January. The Auburn University board of trustees unanimously approved Hardgrave’s appointment as provost at its Friday meeting. Hardgrave will officially replace provost and vice president for academic affairs Tim Boosinger on Jan. 1. Boosinger announced his retirement in September. – OANow
GOP tax plan could be downer for grad students
The new tax plan introduced by House Republicans could have negative implications for universities, graduate students and those with student loans. Many grad students — especially in Ph.D. programs — receive tuition waivers in exchange for teaching classes or doing research. Under current law, that money isn't taxed as income. But the new bill calls for those tuition waivers to be counted as income and subjected to income taxes. – APR