Alabama has been awarded a Silver Shovel Award from national business publication Area Development, honoring another billion-dollar year of economic development project announcements in 2023.

Alabama qualified for a Silver Shovel award in the category of states with populations between 5 million and 8 million, taking into account the number of jobs, the amount of investment, and other factors. Tennessee and Indiana also received Silver Shovels.

Gov. Kay Ivey said the award is a “strong testament to Alabama’s pro-business environment and to the capabilities of our workers, who can rise to meet any challenge.”

The annual awards recognize states that see project announcements with significant job creation, infrastructure improvements and strategies that attract new employers and investments.

Alabama also was recognized for one of the magazine’s “Projects of the Year,” for German appliance maker Miele’s decision to locate its first U.S. plant in Opelika.

Area Development also recognized other projects.

“The state lists a wide range of impressive projects, including an investment at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing to retool for the next generation of the Santa Fe as well as a big investment at Nemak, a maker of auto components,” the publication stated. “Nucor is building a state-of-the-art transmission tower production plant in Decatur, next to the company’s sheet steel mill, and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. picked Gadsden for a highly automated facility to make non-radiological modules for its microreactors.”

Cable maker Southwire’s expansion in Florence was also mentioned.

“At its core, economic development is about creating job opportunities for citizens and injecting vitality into communities so they can prosper over the long term,” Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said.

“That’s why we do the job — and why we’ll keep doing it.”

Companies last year announced projects for Alabama involving $6.4 billion in capital investment, with nearly 9,000 direct jobs to be created.

Area Development has honored Alabama with Gold Shovel Awards in 2006, 2013, 2019 and 2021, and Silver Shovel Awards for 2007–2012, 2014–2018, and 2022.