The 20-year-old Boatright Enterprises, led by President R. Shane Boatright, started in railway ties, or crossties, in 2008 when the company purchased Seaman Timber in Montevallo. In April of this year, the company announced it would invest $25 million to build a second crosstie plant in Carbon Hill in Walker County, creating nearly 40 jobs. The company did not disclose the financial investment for the Chilton County project.

"Chilton County did an excellent job in getting us to visit their industrial site," said Boatright in a statement. "The deal has not been finalized, but we are guardedly optimistic we will be producing railroad ties within a year in Chilton County."