Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced that Trade and Industry Development, a publication focused on business site selection, named Alabama projects among the winners of its 2026 Corporate Investment/Community Impact, or CiCi, Awards. Alabama landed three spots on this year’s national list.
The publication selected the Alabama projects from 30 honorees recognized nationwide for significant economic and community contributions.
“Alabama continues to attract world-class companies that are transforming our communities and creating real opportunities for working families,” Ivey said. “These honors reflect the hard work of our economic development team and the confidence that leading companies have in our state. We are building a diverse economy that works for every corner of Alabama, and I am proud of the partnerships and leadership that make wins like these possible.”
Trade and Industry Development honored two Alabama projects.
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company’s $6 billion advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Huntsville received the publication’s Corporate Investment Award. The facility, on a 260-acre site in Huntsville’s Greenbrier South area, will serve as an active pharmaceutical ingredient plant producing small molecule synthetic and peptide medicines, including orforglipron, Lilly’s first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist.
The project is expected to create 450 permanent jobs, including engineers, scientists and lab technicians, along with an estimated 3,000 construction jobs. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 and finish in 2032. The more than 1 million-square-foot, multi-building campus represents the largest initial investment in Alabama history.
Lilly selected the Huntsville site from more than 300 applications nationwide. Officials said the site’s proximity to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, a bioscience campus that supports workforce training and research, helped drive the decision. The project is expected to generate an estimated $25 billion in long-term economic impact across the region.
Bad Boy Tractors
Bad Boy Tractors’ $10.5 million tractor assembly plant in Monroeville received the Community Impact Award for its effect on the surrounding community and its commitment to rural Alabama.
The project is expected to create 50 jobs and will be housed in the former Vanity Fair distribution center. Bad Boy plans to produce about 9,000 tractors a year at the Monroeville facility. The company, launched in 2002, says it was the first brand to introduce zero-turn mowers to rural landowners and homeowners at an attainable price. Tractor Supply Co. named it its top vendor of 2025.
Alabama Department of Commerce recognized
In addition to the project honors, the Alabama Department of Commerce was recognized for its role in landing the Eli Lilly project.
“This recognition of the Alabama Department of Commerce underscores what I have long said—Alabama is competing and winning at the highest level,” Ivey said. “Our team is second to none, and their leadership continues to deliver game-changing projects that strengthen our economy and create opportunity across our state. The future of American industry is being made right here in Alabama, and we are proud to put our name on it.”
Ivey appointed Ellen McNair to lead the Department of Commerce with the mission to “compete and win,” according to the governor’s office. State officials pointed to projects such as Eli Lilly as evidence of that strategy.
“Earning three spots on this year’s CiCi list is a testament to the strength of Alabama’s business environment and the dedication of our economic development partners at every level,” Secretary Ellen McNair said. “We are especially proud of the work that made the Eli Lilly project possible, and we remain focused on pursuing opportunities that will continue to raise the bar for our state.”
McNair said Lilly’s announcement reinforces Alabama’s reputation as a global leader in biotechnology.
“The competition for a manufacturing facility of this magnitude is extremely challenging, and this result shows Alabama’s pro-business climate, outstanding workforce and strong community support is a winning combination,” McNair said.
McNair said Bad Boy’s expansion is also a strong vote of confidence in Alabama’s rural communities.
“This is a growth-minded company that sees a bright future in Monroeville, Monroe County and the surrounding area,” McNair said. “Bad Boy builds innovative products, and Alabama’s workforce is the right choice to help the company achieve its goals.”
Trade and Industry Development said the CiCi Awards honor projects that, through major capital investment or significant community impact, help shape the communities where they are located.
Now in its 20th year, the awards recognize 30 winning projects: 15 in the Corporate Investment category and 15 in the Community Impact category. The publication said all winning projects were announced during the 2025 calendar year.
Corporate Investment winners pledge large economic development investments, while Community Impact winners show a transformational effect on their host communities. Trade and Industry Development will feature the winning projects in its second-quarter issue, available in print and online at TradeAndIndustryDev.com in March 2026.
“For regions across the U.S. and Canada, the CiCi Awards are an opportunity to highlight projects that are expected to make a difference for communities,” publisher Scott Swoger said. “It’s also a great way to highlight the expertise and assistance offered by economic development agencies to prospective investors. We invite you to put your project on a marquee so it can serve as an inspirational case study for other economic development agencies or for investors looking for new sites in which to invest.”
Alabama’s three projects on this year’s list place the state among the top-performing states nationally in the annual rankings.
