HANCEVILLE, Ala. – DB Technologies recently held their grand opening at Wallace State Community College (WSCC) in the Bailey Center Friday, July 16. Among those present were Dr. David Branscomb of DB Technologies, Ted Clem of the Alabama Department of Commerce, Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail and President of Wallace State Community College Dr. Vicki Karolewics.
Director of Cullman Economic Development Agency Dale Greer began the morning by introducing honored guests and thanking them for their attendance. Amongst these guests were Wesley Rakestraw, Senator Garlan Gudger, Representative Randall Shedd, Representative Corey Harbison, Representative Scott Stadthagen, Chairman Jeff Clemons, Commissioner Kerry Watson, Commissioner Garry Marchman, the Hanceville City Council and the Industrial Development Board.
Dr. Branscomb began by thanking his wife and business partner, Dr. Patricia Branscomb, commending her for her dedication and bravery for starting this business during the pandemic stating, “It has not been easy. I am grateful to my parents and my family and friends who have been instrumental in helping us press forward and providing constant encouragement during difficult and uncertain times.”
Dr. Branscomb continued saying, “I want to thank the DB Technologies team who has shown commitment and passion over many long and hot days and nights. It really all began with Jason Nunnelley at Tech Village Cullman. He introduced us to Dale Greer and the Cullman Economic Development Agency, the Mayor of Cullman and then later, Dr. Vicki Karolewics with WSCC. Without the support of WSCC’s business incubator program, we could not have started a business and completed many of our projects.”
DB Technology expressed gratitude to WSCC for their business incubator and the way it provides space, infrastructure and important resources for the growth of the company. The college has provided student workers, facility support and met many needs required when starting a business. A special thank you was given to Gary McMann with the Machine Tool Technology Program for his dedication to instructors and students, along with appreciation for the support of industry and academic partners, Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation, Auburn University, University of Tennessee, Oakridge National Labs, NASA, material suppliers and loyal customers.
DB Technologies is an advanced engineering and manufacturing business that specializes in employing high strength fiber reenforced materials such as carbon, aramid and ceramics. They utilize materials in concert with additive manufacturing and textile technology to solve important problems where conventional materials are deemed inadequate. The unique product solutions are currently employed in nuclear, automotive, military, oil and gas markets. “If you need to make things lighter and stronger, we can help,” said Dr. Branscomb, “Our business is the result of community and investment in the future.”
Director Ted Clem shared, “Economic development in a state like Alabama has been very important in our history. We are an economic development state. We have pretty much transformed our economy in the last 30 years through the efforts of state government and legislature. We are here today to celebrate economic development in its truest form. That is helping a local company grow, when you incubate a company here in your community, it takes a lot of hard work and cooperation to do that. What you are doing here in Hanceville is leading the way for the state of Alabama.”
Clem then presented Dr. Branscomb with an Alabama Great Seal to commemorate the opening to his company and to thank him for all of the industry work that he and his team are bringing to Cullman County.
Next to take the podium was Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail who shared remarks on the grand opening saying, “I have been so excited about this. This is a big deal. This is the way government should work. I know the city moves slowly sometimes, the county moves a little slower, the state slower, and the federal government is at a snail’s pace and that is just kind of the way it is but this–this is correct work. Dr. Karolewics got this all started, and they were actually here a while before I knew they were here. I met David and took some of our council and board members and walked through and my head was spinning by the time we got out of there. I said, ‘This is a guy we have to keep in Hanceville.’”
DB Tech will be housed in a building on Alabama Highway 91 which is currently in the renovation process. Mayor Nail also expressed deep thanks to the City of Cullman for donating $25,000 to the project, which is the first time in recent history this has happened.
“This is the third company that Dr. Karolewics and her team have incubated on the WSCC campus. While the previous two have already graduated, one is now providing 50+ jobs,” Dale Greer shared, “WSCC is known as the crown jewel of (the) two-year community college system and there is a reason for that. Its leadership, physical facilities; it is the staff and the people here that work with them – it is just special.”
Dr. Karolewics then took the podium to say, “We are just delighted to host this announcement today. It has truly been a pleasure to work with you and support you. In 2020, I received a telephone call to discuss a new business project and to determine whether or not we could assist. And as we strive to do with every prospect, WSCC was eager to learn how we could play a strategic role in bringing new jobs to our area. My interest in DB Technologies grew after learning that this carbon fiber manufacturing business would be the first of its kind in our area and that the opportunities for growth in the future were pretty phenomenal.”
She continued, “We watched proudly as DB Technologies continued to expand into literally every space that we could find. We are so fortunate here in our community that we have created an ecosystem for economic development that is unparalleled anywhere in the state. When we experience these successful outcomes of strategic and meaningful involvement of education, government, business, industry and community at large, we are truly in the midst of a thriving ecosystem where the center view results in jobs and a better quality of life for all of our citizens.”
DB Technologies certainly has a bright future within Cullman County and the community is already excited to see what is to come.
Copyright 2021 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
