Economic Development: November 2013
Carpet Expansion: Shaw Industries Group is building a 600,000-square-foot carpet tile plant in Adairsville. The $85-million facility will sit on 117 acres and initially employ 500 people. Construction will begin in 2014.
Jackson Automotive: Toyota Industries Corp. is expanding in Jackson County. TD Automotive Compressor Georgia, LLC (TACG) and Toyota Indus-tries Compressor Parts America Co. (TICA) will partner to open a $190-million facility in Pendergrass that will create 120 jobs.
Tires in Macon: Kumho Tire North America is rebooting a project in Macon that stalled in 2008. Construction is set to begin in 2015 for the $225-million facility, which will employ more than 300. The plant will initially manufacture 3 million tires annually, but there is room for expansion to make as many as 10 million a year.
Tourism IT: TravelSky Technology Limited is opening a development center in Gwinnett County. The Beijing-based company, which develops IT solutions for China’s airline and tourism industry, will invest $10 million and create 50 jobs.
Gwinnett Expansion: WIKA Instrument LP, a manufacturer of pressure gauges, thermometers and sensors for the oil and gas sector, is adding 250 jobs at its U.S. headquarters in Lawrenceville.
Midtown Mixed-Use: An $85-million mixed-use project is slated for Mid-town Atlanta. Developed by Wood Partners LLC, the four-acre site will include a 19-story residential tower and 20,000 square feet of retail space.
Chemical Co.: Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group, a Shanghai, China-based chemical company, is opening its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing plant in Effingham County. The facility will be located in an industrial park in Rincon and create 50 jobs.
Douglas E-commerce: McMaster-Carr Supply Co. is building a $75-million, 700,000-square-foot regional headquarters and e-commerce center in Douglas-ville. The industrial materials supplier will initially relocate its 600 employees and could add an additional 200 over the next few years.
Healthcare Boost: ColibriumDirect, LLC will be investing $3 million and hiring 400 new employees to help meet demand from its healthcare insurer clients following implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The health plan IT and ser-vices firm will be expanding into a 35,000-square-foot facility in Roswell.
Biotech in Hall: Atlanta Biologicals, Inc. a German company that makes cell culture reagents used in biotechnology, has opened its U.S. headquarters in a 36,000-square-foot facility in Oakwood.
