The largest employer for many years was been the textile industry (Fort Payne has been called the “Sock Capital of the World”), and the sock industry still plays a significant role, but numerous other industries are active in our area including Heil (garbage truck bodies), PlayCore (playground equipment), Seimens (hydroelectric generators), Vulcraft (steel building materials), The Children's Place distribution center, Ferguson Enterprises distribution center, and many others - including a very healthy tourist trade. A very active leadership is constantly working to preserve and improve our industrial base in order to assure continued prosperity.