Governor Bentley Celebrates 300 New Jobs for Eufaula

MONTGOMERY—Governor Robert Bentley on Saturday met with Steve Harvey, Alabama businessman Greg Calhoun and other community leaders to celebrate the news that 300 new jobs are coming to Eufaula with the opening of Ameritex.

“Alabama’s strong pro business climate and dedicated workforce is a testament to the decision to open the Ameritex plant in Eufaula and create 300 new jobs,” Governor Bentley said. “I appreciate Steve Harvey and Greg Calhoun’s partnership on economic development. Our efforts to create jobs are stronger now than ever, and companies are looking at Alabama as a place to be successful.”

Ameritex is now the only latex glove facility in the United States. The plant will produce nonsterile and sterile examination gloves, as well as surgical gloves. Specifically engineered gloves for industrial and retail markets will also be produced at the facility in Eufaula. The factory has already begun the production testing phase and will re-open by the beginning of June after being closed for 7 years. The plant has the capacity to produce 720 million gloves per year utilizing its existing equipment and has the capacity to expand to an additional 360 million gloves annually in the current facility. While the facility is currently configured to produce natural rubber latex gloves, using both imported and domestic latexes, research and development are underway to produce gloves utilizing a family of materials including low protein latexes, synthetic latexes and nitrile.

“I’m out here working hard and building a legacy for my family and I think it’s important that everybody, no matter their circumstance, has an opportunity to do the same,” Steve Harvey said. “It’s the American way, but we must to have jobs right here in America to make that happen.”

“I believe the best thing you can do for an underserved community is to provide the people in that community an opportunity to take care of their families,” Greg Calhoun said. “That is something I have focused on throughout my career and re-opening this plant was the perfect opportunity to make that happen. I’m thrilled that we will be able to add over 300 jobs right here in Alabama.”