LaFayette · Valley · Lanett · Cusseta
Chambers County: Crane Certification for Auto, Wood and Food Plants
Chambers County used to run on textile mills. Today its plants stamp metal for cars, press oriented strand board and cook food products, and the Kia assembly plant in West Point, Georgia, sits only about five miles from the county line. Industrial parks off I-85 brought those jobs, and each new plant or production line brought crane work with it. If you operate, rig or signal on those projects, this is where to start preparing for certification.
From textile towns to Tier 1 suppliers
Business Alabama describes the county as sitting inside a triangle formed by Kia in West Point, Hyundai in Montgomery and Honda in Talladega County. Most of its auto suppliers are in the Chambers County Industrial Park in Cusseta, where AJIN USA, a metal stamping company, is the largest. Wooshin USA, Daedong Hi-Lex of America, Saehaesung Alabama, Leehan America and KMIN USA also operate there. One industrial park just off Exit 70 on I-85 has brought more than 1,200 jobs.
Stamping plants are crane-intensive: large transfer presses go in by mobile crane, and dies weighing many tons travel by overhead crane every changeover. When a supplier adds a press line for a new model year, rigging crews and operators are on site for weeks.
Lanett and Valley, once mill towns along the Chattahoochee, now send many of their workers to these supplier plants, and contract crews from the area regularly work jobs on both sides of the river.
Wood, paper and food processing
The region’s timber supply has drawn West Fraser’s oriented strand board mill and a Smurfit WestRock packaging plant. Haywood Forest Products has announced a new plant in LaFayette to make industrial wood for rail and crosstie manufacturing. Mills like these need cranes for maintenance outages and for setting new presses, dryers and conveyors.
In Valley, John Soules Foods converted a former WestPoint Stevens distribution center into a food plant that opened in 2021 and has become the county’s second-largest employer. Food plants add refrigeration and rooftop equipment as they grow, which brings in hydraulic cranes and qualified riggers.
Crosstie and rail timber production involves heavy, long loads, and handling them safely comes down to the basics the rigging exams test: knowing the weight, choosing the right hitch and keeping people out from under the load.
Certification requirements for this side of the state line
Chambers County workers often cross into Georgia for jobs, and the good news is that neither state issues a general crane operator license. Both rely on federal OSHA. In Alabama, construction lifts follow 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC: the operator holds a certification from an accredited body and passes the employer’s evaluation, a qualified signal person directs blind lifts, and qualified riggers handle the load. Federal OSHA area offices in Birmingham and Mobile cover the state.
An NCCCO card is valid for five years in either state and anywhere else in the country. More on Alabama’s side is in our requirements guide.
Courses to consider
- Rigger Level 2 for press line installs with detailed lift plans
- Mobile crane operator for plant construction and mill outages
- Signal person for tight plant interiors and through-roof lifts
- Rigger Level 1 for new hands joining a rigging crew
Questions people ask
Does a Georgia job need a different certification than an Alabama job?
No. Georgia and Alabama are both federal OSHA states without a general crane operator license, so the same national certification works on both sides of the Chattahoochee.
What is the weather like for lifting here?
East Alabama summers are hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and the area sees tornado watches in spring. Land near West Point Lake and the Chattahoochee can stay soft after heavy rain, so ground checks before setup matter.
How far is it to a larger city for testing?
LaFayette is a little over an hour from both Montgomery and the south Atlanta metro, and Columbus, Georgia, is closer still. Written exams can be taken through online proctoring, so travel is usually only needed for the practical.
Can a supplier enroll its whole maintenance team?
Yes. Crew and company enrollment is available. Send your team size and goals through the form.
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Rigger I
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