Good News: Job Creation Continues Across Georgia
While COVID-19 has presented challenges in Georgia, just as it has all over the world – our team at the Georgia Department of Economic Development has continued our mission of creating job and investment opportunities across the state.
Georgia’s diverse economy and the strong framework we’ve established – thanks to our global supply chain, availability of skilled labor, and low cost of doing business – keep our state well-positioned to recover from current challenges.
Our entire team has been a source of connections, and our Deputy Commissioners have been joining regular update calls with businesses and communities, participating in and leading webinars, and remaining as an important link between business and industry, community, and government efforts.
Since the state’s COVID-19 response efforts began, we have announced more than 4,700 new jobs and $607 million in investment in nine communities across the state. These new jobs were either through newly located projects or existing industry expansions.
These announcements include a first U.S. headquarters, manufacturing operation expansions, a Fortune 500 company, new manufacturing facilities, a fulfillment center and more:
- Amazon – 800 jobs – Columbia County
- Batter Up Foods – 162 jobs – Fulton County
- RWDC Industries – 200 jobs – Athens-Clarke County
- A-1 Roof Trusses – 130 Jobs – Decatur County
- Microsoft Corp. – 1,500 jobs – Fulton County
- Try-Con Tufters – 104 jobs – Chattooga County
- Mytex Polymers US Corp – $7 million investment - Newton County
- Huali Floors – 315 jobs – Murray County
- Perspecta – 178 jobs – Richmond County
As evidenced by these announcements, our hardworking Global Commerce team in Atlanta and across the state continues to work active projects and support existing industry expansions. While the way we interact with company leaders, site consultants and communities may have changed – the way we do business has not. Our state’s economic development resources and partners are continuing to collaborate effectively to create opportunities for Georgians.
Good news continues with local announcements across the state, too.
In May, UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for people living with severe immunological and neurological conditions, announced a $47.5 million investment in its Smyrna headquarters. The investment will also deliver 100 new employees with average annual salaries of more than $100,000.
Fox Factory, which manufactures and designs ride dynamics products for bicycles and powered vehicles, announced Hall County would be home to their new global headquarters. Engineering and manufacturing will also be on-site, bringing 800 jobs to the area.
In Valdosta, Bates Precast Concrete will invest up to $5 million and create new jobs as it expands its footprint in the community. A new office, production facility, and storage area to support production capacity and new product lines were recently approved.
International candy company, Ferrero USA Inc. will soon open a 728,000 square-foot distribution facility in the recently built McDonough Logistics Center, too. The investment will deliver 250 jobs and unique investment opportunities to the Henry County area.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Kemp tasked GDEcD with critical missions including helping our Georgia businesses and community find Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies for safe operations. To this end, along with partners, our Global Commerce team and Centers of Innovation not only located manufacturers who could immediately assist with these supplies, we also found manufacturers who could transition to PPE production and helped guide those transitions. We were proud to connect them first with hospitals, essential workers, first responders and local governments in need, but also with businesses in the state who needed supplies to remain up and running or to get back to business. Our Existing Industry team living in each region of the state played a crucial role utilizing their connections to businesses and communities across Georgia to support these efforts. We now have a published database of nearly 270 Georgia companies that provide or manufacture PPE.
Our goals have not changed. We will continue to pull together and look toward the future, creating jobs and investment opportunities across the state. By staying connected to our network of economic development partners, companies and communities – we can keep the momentum going and will continue to announce new job opportunities for Georgians.
To read more about these announcements, visit www.Georgia.org/Newsroom.
Posted June 19, 2020