A large contingent of employees, executives, city officials, military members, and special guests gathered Monday at Amfuel in Magnolia for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the plant’s future chemical spray room area. The total investment into the facility in October was stated to be around $2.375 million. The city of Magnolia’s Economic Development fund helped the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)-Amfuel deal cross the finish line with a $150,000 grant. The federal government and the local fuel cell manufacturer covered the remaining $2-plus million sum.
The company — which has been through a multitude of ownership groups over its decades-long history, including Firestone, Zodiac Elastomer, and American Fuel Cell and Coated Fabrics Company — is now in the hands of LB Capital Advisors.The private investment firm in 2018 purchased the Magnolia plant and its assets out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The economic funds will go toward infrastructure needs at three mobile spray rooms for a new “preferred fuel cell” project as the company expands its product lines. Within the new booths, chemical compounds will be sprayed onto the cells as a final step before they head out to the U.S. military.
The new cells, according to Ellie Baker, director of Magnolia Economic Development, in October are set to be a frontline product at Amfuel.
Once completed next year and ready for manufacturing, Magnolia will house one of only two plants in the country to produce the new cell line.
Amfuel’s new ownership has brought in and reached out to numerous former employees with knowledge of the product lines to help spur on the resurgence of Amfuel. The plant employs 334 workers, Baker said earlier this year. The company has also advertised “now hiring” notifications for months as it further expands.
“Amfuel’s been around for as long as I’ve been alive in this location,” said Magnolia Mayor Parnell Vann during his remarks Monday. “And over the last nine years of being mayor, we’ve seen a lot with Amfuel. But I will say, these owners — this management team, the city had faith to put money in Amfuel.”
The mayor also thanked the plant’s workers for pumping funds back into the community and was “excited” when he was told former, experience-laden employees — some up to four generations worth — would be brought back into the fold.
“I thought, ‘now that’s thinking,’” he added. “Go back to where it all began. That put more faith in me that this time going to make it work.”
U.S. Army Col. Wyenn Anderson, defense contract management (DCMA) agency Dallas Commander; U.S. Marine Corps Col. Vic Argobright, the DCMA Bell commanding officer; Rodney Mayo, deputy commander at DCMA Lockheed Martin Fort Worth; and Michael Accordino, owner, board member, and president of Amfuel were also in attendance Monday and issued remarks.
Last week, a Bell AH-1 “Cobra” landed at the Magnolia Airport for Amfuel employees to see their fuel cell products in action. Argobright, who has flown the attack helicopter for 20 years, made it known just how valuable the workers at the plant are to the military.
“What you do here on a daily basis is really important,” the Marine said. “Right now, we’ve got aircraft on training missions all around the country, we’ve got aircraft that are flying off the ships in the middle of the ocean, we’ve got aircraft on deployment in the Middle East — both in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they’re flying your products. That’s pretty awesome if you think about it.”
The AH-1 contains bladders made by Amfuel. The number of products on backorder over the past six to eight months has been cut in half, according to Argobright.
The plant is also growing. A new permanent DCMA Dallas employee was just recently placed at the Magnolia plant from and a company office exists in Camden.
“I believe you are at the beginning of some very good times,” said Mayo.
The day concluded with a short speech by Accordino. He praised the workforce at the Magnolia plant and said the company has been “stabilized” and is now “pro-active instead of reactive.”
“You put it all together, you create and Amfuel that is strong, profitable, and in Magnolia for years to come,” he said. “We call this the new Amfuel.”