Tuesday’s announcement by the city of Opelika that vitamin manufacturer Pharmavite would be bringing a new manufacturing facility and ultimately up to 400 jobs to the city was just what the doctor ordered — literally, as medical doctor Governor Robert Bentley was on hand to help celebrate the economic development achievement.
Mayor Gary Fuller, state House Speaker Mike Hubbard, the Opelika City Council and numerous other local luminaries were on hand for the event held in City Council chambers Tuesday afternoon.
It was a proud day to be in Opelika; it was a prouder day to live in Opelika.
This announcement further goes to prove what each member of this editorial board has long believed throughout their entire lives: Opelika is a great place to do business.
The Pharmavite investment here marks a new direction for Opelika’s economic infrastructure, one that we hope will help lead us into a better manufacturing future for our town.
For a town built on the economies of the textile mills and the auto industries, we’ve suffered some economic downturn when those industries either began to uproot and look elsewhere for labor or took a hit from a depressed economy.
We’ve still been hurting economically since the Goodrich-Michelin tire plant closing, and this news is just the booster we need.
New industries like this one and Gambro help us achieve much needed employment diversity, providing a variety of jobs to as many workers as we possibly can.
The vitamin and nutritional supplement industry is new to us, but it does not seem to be an industry that is dependent on “normal” economic activity; that is to say that even in these challenging times, this industry is still posting profits and growing.
Opelika should be and is poised to grow with it.
In a society where we are all becoming increasingly health-conscious and getting better about taking care of ourselves, an industry that manufactures the vitamins and supplements we need to live that better life sounds like a good investment on multiple levels.
Kudos go to the hardworking folks in our city’s Economic Development office, current director Lori Huguley and former director Al Cook chiefly among them. These business ambassadors worked dilligently on our behalf and brought home an industry that we hope will continue to be an economic blessing for decades to come.
We also thank the people at Pharmavite for their faith in our town.
You don’t know Opelika yet, but as you grow with us, you’ll learn about us.
The people of Opelika are proud, hard-working individuals and we will rise to the challenge of any industry that wishes to do business within our city.
We hope the Pharmavite announcement is the first of many more coming to our wonderful town.
Things are getting a little bit better out there for us, Opelika.
Let’s turn this corner together and all share in the progress ahead of us.
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