NESA

Florence Morning News    

Fixing up a big truck with lots of shiny parts and gizmos may sound like “shade tree mechanic” work to some, but it’s been a good business for Jebaily Enterprises’ American Luxury Coach.
And, it’s getting bigger.

ALC, which is the largest approved upfitter of General Motors trucks, vans and sport-utility vehicles, announced this week that it’s signed a deal with Dodge that should create about 40 jobs within the next year at the company’s Florence facility at 1702 S. Irby St.

Joseph Jebaily, president and CEO of Jebaily Enterprises, started a subsidiary company, American Luxury Coach, widely known in the industry as ALC, back in 1972. It is owned and operated by Jebaily, his wife, Theresa, and his two daughters, Alexandria and Kristen. They customize trucks, vans, and SUVs for a wide variety of applications for Chevrolet, GMC and now Dodge. Different outfitter uses include vehicles built for NFL football players, heads of state, military and veterans.
ALC performed 2,000 conversion packages last year and backs each vehicle with a three-year/36,000 mile warranty. It was recently rated No. 1 in customer satisfaction by GM.

All vehicles that ALC works on come to the Florence facility from Detroit and are then distributed to dealers nationwide and local dealers in the Pee Dee such as King Cadillac GMC.

“If it wasn’t for each and every customer, we wouldn’t have a business today,” Jebaily said. “We greatly appreciate the support in the marketplace and from our community. We pride ourselves on our customer service and quality of our products.”

The new contract with Dodge should grow ALC to about 100 employees. ALC plans to offer on-site training for the new hires that will consist of custom welders, custom painters and electronic engineers.

“We hope that through this we will improve the economy in Florence with more jobs to offer,” Jebaily said.

“Companies like ALC constantly add to Florence’s growing economy,” Florence-Darlington Technical College President Dr. Charles Gould, chairman of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership, said in a press release. “These new jobs come at an opportune time as Florence’s work force is always ready for quality jobs with quality companies. We anticipate another 40 great years with ALC in Florence County.”

Florence County Council Chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith Jr. said the announcement adds to what appears to be growing momentum in the area.

“(The year) 2011 is off to a remarkable beginning with the ground breaking of the Johnson Controls Battery Recycling Facility and now ALC’s announcement with Dodge,” Smith said in the release. “This year is looking up for Florence and our economic development team is preparing for continual progress.”

State Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman of Florence said in the release, “Our pro-business climate and the terrific productivity of our people, has once again, helped a successful company to expand in Florence County. Florence’s economic engine is revving up for future success this year, and these valuable new jobs are a great start. Joe and Theresa Jebaily and ALC are wonderful corporate citizens and I look forward to their continued growth.”