The Shaddix Company is currently located at 344 County Road 1177, just off Alabama Highway 157 near Interstate 65. (Nick Griffin for The Cullman Tribune)
VINEMONT – The family-owned Shaddix Company is expanding and planning to relocate from Cullman to Vinemont. The business is working to acquire a 23-acre piece of commercially-zoned property located off U.S. Highway 31 between Goodwin Road and the post office for its three-phase relocation and expansion project, and the Vinemont Town Council on Tuesday night voted to grant Shaddix a 10-year tax abatement. The new facility will be located between the ballfields and Perfection Chain Products.
The Shaddix Company makes precast concrete products such as tornado shelters, storm drainage boxes, sanitary sewer manholes, septic tanks and grease traps. Founded in Cullman in 1971 by Mitchelene Shaddix and her husband, the late Tommy Shaddix, the company is a true family affair. Son Dewayne Shaddix serves as CEO, while Mitchelene Shaddix remains active in the business as its president. Daughter-in-law Tracey Shaddix is vice president.
Right now, the company is located at 344 County Road 1177, just off Alabama Highway 157 near Interstate 65.
Dewayne Shaddix explained, “We have always been in Cullman County and we want to stay in Cullman County.”
Phase I of the long-term project is finalizing the acquisition of the right piece of property, preparation of the site and the construction of the new facility. Dewayne Shaddix estimates the first phase will take up to a year and be a $2.5 to $3 million investment with a five-year projection of $5 million. Once the facility and relocation are complete, phases II and III will focus on expansion of the company’s product line.
Shared Dewayne Shaddix, “(Last year) 2018 was a good year for us and our budget is based on the current economy. Hopefully it stays strong and everything will go as planned.”
That plan includes adding six to eight full-time positions during phase I and additional positions once the new facility is completed. The Shaddix Company currently has 12 full-time employees.
The company has been working with Vinemont leaders, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and Cullman County Economic Development for a grant to widen and resurface Park Drive, making the private road commercial-grade.
Dewayne Shaddix stressed, “There will not be commercial traffic on Goodwin Road. We do not want to put any burden on the community. Our hours of operation are from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, so we won’t co-mingle with the ballpark traffic. We have shipping and receiving trucks, but if/when we work on a Saturday, there are no shipments or deliveries on Saturdays.”
Dewayne Shaddix estimates the company is two to three months away from breaking ground.
The council approved hiring Community Consultants, Inc. to administer the grant and St. John & Associates, Inc. as the engineering firm for the road paving project.
In other business, T-ball, baseball and softball signups will continue until Friday of this week. Town hall will remain open until 8 p.m. on Friday to allow parents to register kids for the spring ball season. April 20 is the date scheduled for the annual Day in the Park.
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