Valtir, a premier manufacturer of highway safety products with a facility in the Pell City Industrial Park, has made a donation of 40 plastic ACZ barriers to the City of Pell City. The equipment, worth “tens of thousands of dollars,” according to Pell City Street Superintendent Greg Gossett, is a significant upgrade from the City’s current equipment.
Pell City Street Department staff Stephen Dill, Jonathan Campbell, Wesley Angel, Greg Gossett, BJ Rawson, Fred Buse, Terry Pate, John McCutcheon, and Pete Tray. Photo by Joshua Clemons.
The barriers, originally manufactured for use as crash cushions, will serve a new purpose by helping the city manage traffic and pedestrian flow at a variety of public events. They can be placed end-to-end to create a continuous barrier, making them ideal for occasions such as the annual parades and the Downtown Block Party.
Valtir representative John Higgins said the barriers were obsolete from their inventory and were no longer being sold. Instead of recycling or scrapping the materials, Valtir chose to donate them to the city, which has previously utilized similar donated items.
“This donation from Valtir is an excellent example of a local company investing directly back into our community,” Mayor Bill Pruitt said. “These barriers will be a tremendous asset, helping us manage our public events more safely and efficiently. We are grateful for this partnership and for Valtir’s continued commitment to Pell City.”
This donation underscores a partnership between local industry and the community, allowing the city to improve public safety and event logistics without a major financial outlay.
About Valtir’s Local History
Valtir’s connection to Pell City dates back to the late 1980s. The facility, originally founded as Energy Absorption Systems (EAS) in California in 1969, moved the majority of its manufacturing operations to Pell City after the local factory was purchased. Since then, the plant has doubled in size twice and currently employs approximately 250 local residents.
In 2010, EAS was acquired by Trinity Highway, which added guardrail manufacturing to the product mix. In 2022, a new company, Valtir, was established with a renewed focus on highway safety products. While the manufacturing is a key part of the Pell City operation, the company’s R&D engineering division remains in California, designing new products to meet evolving roadway safety standards.