Sen. Shelby tours O-Flex in Clanton
Published 4:48 pm Monday, March 30, 2015
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby stopped by Chilton County Monday afternoon to tour O-Flex, the latest in his statewide tour. O-Flex Production Manager Jeff Revland speaks to Shelby about some of the products the company makes.
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby stopped by Chilton County Monday afternoon to tour O-Flex, the latest in his statewide tour.
“I am here because I am interested to learn how you do things,” Shelby told those in attendance. “I have traveled the state and visited different counties and want to figure out how I can help you. I want to hear about this company and see how everything works.”
Since 1987, the beginning of Shelby’s first term in the U.S. Senate, he has held more than 1,800 county visits in Alabama.
His stop in Chilton County was his 64th visit to counties across Alabama this year.
O-Flex Plant Manager Troy Thompson explained that O-Flex is a Japanese-owned company that first opened in 1926 in Tokyo.
The business is located off of Pinedale Road in Clanton and near the Chilton County Airport.
O-Flex has offices in Murfreesboro, Tenn. and Chilton County as well as locations in Japan and China.
Thompson said O-Flex in Clanton offers metal finishing and post metal finishing value-added services for both aluminum and brass.
“The decorative rails for running boards on vehicles you see are made here,” Thompson said. “85 percent of our business is automotive.”
O-Flex has offices in Murfreesboro, Tenn. and Chilton County as well as locations in Japan and China.
The company also makes the shiny, silver roof rails for vehicles such as the Toyota Highlander.
Shelby asked Thompson how many people the facility in Clanton employs.
“Currently, we have 117 employees at this facility,” Thompson said.
O-Flex Production Manager Jeff Revland led the group of about 30 individuals through the Clanton facility explaining different portions of business.
The Clanton facility ships products to places such as Spain, Thailand, Europe, and Mississippi, Tennessee and locally to Pell City.
An example Revland showed during the tour is a bed rail Nissan uses, made at the Clanton facility.
“It is amazing,” Shelby said.
Some of the automotive companies O-Flex works with include Ford, Mercedes, Nissan, General Motors, Honda and Subaru.
O-Flex Senior Human Resources Manager Kathy Farris said the recent work to expand services at the Chilton County Airport will also help the Clanton facility of O-Flex.
“We will be able to benefit from the work being done at the airport because it will also help in increasing opportunities for this location,” Farris said.
Some of the automotive companies O-Flex works with include Ford, Mercedes, Nissan, General Motors, Honda and Subaru.
Revland said he was encouraged by Shelby’s visit because of his work in helping other businesses across Alabama expand.
“He has been very instrumental in the past with different areas he has visited,” Revland said.
For more information about O-Flex, visit www.oflex.com.
