Alabama has been ranked the No. 2 state for strength in auto manufacturing by Business Facilities, a magazine that targets site selectors and industry decision makers.

The magazine has issued its 11th Annual Rankings Report, which ranks states in various industry and economic development categories.

In the key category, Texas was named the state with the best business climate. Alabama placed No. 10 on that list last year but did not appear in this year's top 10.

Alabama's No. 2 ranking for Automotive Manufacturing Strength was a slip from the top spot last year. Tennessee topped the list this year thanks to Volkswagen's $1 billion expansion in Chattanooga, General Motors' commitment to build Cadillacs in Spring Hill and a steady stream of new supplier announcements, Business Facilities said.

But the magazine also noted: "Alabama, this year's No. 2, is throwing down a marker for a heavyweight rematch: the Crimson Tide rolled out nearly a million vehicles in 2014 for Mercedes, Honda and Hyundai, with Mercedes expanding at Tuscaloosa to introduce a new model."

Elsewhere in the issue, Alabama climbed up a notch for its workforce training program, AIDT.

At No. 3 last year, Alabama rose to No. 2 in this year's ranking for Workforce Training Leaders.

Business Facilities called Louisiana's FastStart the gold standard in workforce training, "but second-place Alabama, which has established world-class on-site training for advanced manufacturing, is coming on strong."

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the state is proud of the efforts this year's rankings represent.

"But there is still much work to be done," he said in a prepared statement. "With a new workforce incentive structure and a streamlining of resources, we're poised for even greater things in Alabama."

In the same statement, Deputy Commerce Secretary for Workforce Development and AIDT Director Ed Castile, said the recognition is nice.

"But it really says more about the people of Alabama who go through training and get those advanced skill jobs and make the products that people want. They truly are the best assets we have," he said.

Full Article: http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2015/08/alabama_gets_high_marks_for_au.html#incart_email