Governor Bentley Celebrates Grand Opening of GD Copper USA in Wilcox County

PINE HILL – Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday welcomed leaders of Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group Inc. at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Chinese company’s first U.S. factory, a $100 million plant in west Wilcox County.

The grand opening of the factory, run by Golden Dragon subsidiary GD Copper USA, came more than three years after Governor Bentley on his second day in office talked with company leaders about investing in Alabama.

“The first company I recruited as Governor to Alabama was GD Copper USA,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “Today is an exciting day as the company celebrates production in Pine Hill. GD Copper USA provides a significant opportunity for the people of Wilcox County. I am excited about what lies ahead for GD Copper, and I am committed to do everything I can to help the company, and the entire Wilcox County area succeed.”

GD Copper USA now employs about 150 people at the factory and plans to employ 300 people within about 18 months.

Company executives expect employees at the 500,000-square-foot facility, built a few miles west of Pine Hill, to make each year about 100 million pounds of copper tubing used mainly for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).

Golden Dragon is based in Xinxiang, China. It reported global sales of about $5 billion last year, and company executives said it was the world’s largest supplier of precision copper products.

“Our new facility in Pine Hill, Alabama, will allow GD Copper USA to become the leading quality supplier of copper tubing products to the HVAC, appliance, plumbing and refrigeration markets in North America,’’ Li Changjie, chairman of Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group Inc. said.

Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield said, “This investment by Golden Dragon in Wilcox County will make a real difference in this rural region of Alabama. These jobs bring real opportunity for the people of Wilcox County and the surrounding counties.”

GD Copper USA is the third Chinese company operating in Alabama. The others are Continental Motors in Mobile, which makes piston engines for aircraft, and Shandong Swan USA Inc. in Montgomery, which makes saws for cotton gins.

Photos from the grand opening ceremony can be found here.