Yazaki Corporation Locates North American Headquarters in Gainesville

ATLANTA, February 3, 2010 —The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced today that the Yazaki Corporation, based in Iwata, Japan, will locate its North American headquarters in Gainesville, Georgia in Hall County.  The company manufactures high quality fuel tanks for original equipment manufacturers.  With this expansion in Gainesville, the Yazaki Corporation will initially employ 20, with plans to grow to 30-40 direct jobs. "The manufacturing sector in Georgia continues to thrive when the state's pro-business climate is able to successfully attract companies like the Yazaki Corporation to do business here,' said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.  'We are proud to welcome the company to Hall County, and look forward to the positive economic impact this expansion will have for the Gainesville community and for Georgia.' The company's Hall County operation will be known as the American Yazaki Corporation, and will also serve as a production center for high quality fuel tanks for original equipment manufacturers.  The facility will occupy a 45,000-square-foot manufacturing building located near the Gainesville Industrial Park West.  Production is scheduled to begin in late 2010. The Yazaki Corporation selected Georgia for this expansion due in part to the proximity the location provides to one of the company's main customers, Yamaha Motors Company, which has a sub-assembly facility in Newnan, Georgia. "We are very excited about the future for our new U.S.-based manufacturing center and the level of service we will be able to deliver to our customers,' said Nao Yazaki, Executive Vice President of Yazaki Corporation.  'Initially, we considered Georgia because of the proximity to our customers and the outstanding infrastructure for moving our product and people throughout North America.  The quality of the workforce and the long-term commitment of training support from the Quick Start Program and Lanier Technical College have really been differentiating factors for us.' In addition to Georgia's Quick Start Program, American Yazaki Corporation and other companies in the manufacturing industry can leverage competitive assets offered by the Georgia Center of Innovation (COI) for Manufacturing, located at Lanier Technical College near American Yazaki's new Hall County facility.  The COI for Manufacturing serves as an industry liaison for companies, and provides the tools advanced manufacturers in the state of Georgia need to compete in today's global market. "This is a great fit for Yazaki and this community,' said Russell Vandiver, Vice President of Economic Development at Lanier Technical College and Chairman of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Council. 'American Yazaki Corporation joins a world-class business community that operates on a global stage. The Quick Start training program will provide a customized initiative for the initial start-up, and Lanier Technical College will be a long-term training partner for a skilled and eager workforce.' "We are very pleased American Yazaki Corporation will be a part the business community in Gainesville-Hall County and Georgia,' said Kit Dunlap, President and CEO of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce.  'The jobs and investment are already having an impact on citizens and local businesses.  We are grateful for the support our economic development efforts have had from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Quick Start, Lanier Technical College and Georgia EMC.' Job postings will be placed with the Georgia Department of Labor, and interested applicants are encouraged to consult the Gainesville Career Center for more information online at www.dol.state.ga.us. Scott McMurray, a senior project manager with GDEcD, assisted the company with its location. About GDEcD The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, visit www.georgia.org.