Update: New Details on Takkion Lease and Operations at Former Goodyear Plant in Gadsden
GADSDEN, AL – Earlier this morning, WEIS Radio reported that renewable energy logistics company Takkion is moving into the former Goodyear plant in Gadsden. Officials have confirmed details of the development, which represents a major new tenant for the 2.9 million-square-foot facility.
Director David Hooks of the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority, who played a key role in securing the lease, explained that the Authority had been working with Phoenix Investors, the building’s owner, to attract a tenant. In its current condition, the building was not conducive to modern manufacturing, Hooks said, and Phoenix Investors had already been performing significant improvements to make the property suitable for new operations. He noted that attracting Takkion could serve as a draw for other similar companies, benefiting the area economically.
The City of Gadsden and Mayor Craig Ford released a joint press statement confirming the lease:
“Gadsden, AL – Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford has announced that Phoenix Gadsden Industrial Investors LLC, an affiliate of Milwaukee-based Phoenix Investors, LLC, has reached a major deal to lease the 2.9 million-square-foot former Goodyear industrial site in Gadsden to Takkion, a global renewable energy logistics company.
Takkion, headquartered in Wyoming, is an industry leader in clean energy services. The company has more than two dozen sites across the country, and the Gadsden facility will be used as a storage and handling hub for renewable energy materials—primarily solar panels—destined for clean energy projects across the country.
“We’re excited to have this new company coming to Gadsden,” said Mayor Craig Ford. “I want to thank Phoenix Investors for working to make this deal happen. This deal takes an unoccupied building and fills it with a tenant from one of the fastest-growing industrial sectors in the world. Having a logistics company like Takkion in Gadsden will put us in the center of distribution for the entire renewable energy industry throughout the southeast.”
“We understand that changes to a familiar property bring questions. Our goal is to be a responsible neighbor while putting the property back to productive use,” said Takkion President Pete Bierden. “As our drivers and crews work here, they’ll also be stopping for fuel, meals, and supplies in Gadsden—bringing added business to local shops and services.”
https://www.cityofgadsden.com/
Following the announcement, questions arose from residents regarding job opportunities. Officials familiar with the arrangement confirmed that approximately 50 jobs are expected to be created at the facility. Interested applicants can apply through the temporary staffing agency First Choice Personnel in Gadsden. Wages are expected to align with other entry-level manufacturing positions in the area, providing competitive pay to attract quality employees.
Things moved quickly, as the lease was signed just last week, and Takkion has quickly begun moving in and setting up operations at the former Goodyear site. The development is being seen as a significant step toward putting the long-vacant industrial property back into productive use while strengthening Gadsden’s position in the renewable energy logistics sector.
