Hanceville nails deal with casket company as newest industrial tenant

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HANCEVILLE — The small industrial area that Hanceville leaders have been slowly growing on the city's east side has just landed another tenant — and this one might just stick around for eternity.

At the Hanceville City Council's regular meeting this week, mayor Kenneth Nail announced the city will serve as the north Alabama warehouse center for Andalusia-based Covington Casket Company, a family-owned manufacturer of coffins that recently selected Hanceville as the site of its first distribution foothold for points north of Birmingham.

Nail and a small handful of local leaders traveled last week to meet business owner Alan Williamson at the company's manufacturing facility in Andalusia, and were gravely amazed by the small company's efficiency, work ethic, and potential for growth, said Nail.

"I was very impressed with their operation. It was very clean, the people were nice, and it seemed like every employee we met on our tour of the place spoke to us," he said. "It's a third-generation family business, and we’re very excited about them choosing Hanceville. Being a south Alabama company, they currently serve areas as far north as Birmingham and Jasper. But having a distribution warehouse here can position them to grow that footprint and extend their reach."

Covington Casket will occupy a new 40’ x 120’ building that the Hanceville Industrial Development Board has agreed to make available on the small industrial strip located south of Alabama Highway 91 at the city's eastern edge. "It will start out with just a few employees, but we’re happy to have those," said Nail. "And we really think this company could grow and build on the success they’ve already established down in south Alabama."

With machine fabricator Met-South already a happy tenant and a new cabinet shop also soon to locate at the micro-sized park, local leaders are eyeing ways to make the area more accommodating for the needs of its growing number of occupants. Nail said the council will likely approach potential funding sources in search of grant money, in the near future, to help improve the access road into the park.

Williamson, the company's owner, said in a press release that the recent visit from Hanceville's enthusiastic delegation of leaders helped close the lid for good on Covington Casket's final decision to locate in Cullman County.

"The main thing that sealed the deal was when mayor Kenneth Nail, city council members, and the Industrial Development Board visited the factory," Williamson said. "That showed me just how much we would mean to the Hanceville area … Hanceville reminds me a lot of my small town, Andalusia — good people and great community leaders putting ideas together to positively impact their community. I can't wait to open and start serving funeral homes in north Alabama."

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.

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