Announcements made in the Fall 2011 Quarter

For complete coverage of economic development in the South, go to www.RandleReport.com or www.SB-D.com. For full coverage of the South's automotive industry, go to www.SouthernAutoCorridor.com. For complete coverage of economic development in the rural South, go to www.SmallTownSouth.com.

ALABAMA

Paul Allen's space company to be based in Huntsville, Ala.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen announced in December that his new commercial space venture will be based in Huntsville, Ala. Stratolaunch Systems is a partnership between Allen and commercial space pioneer Burt Rutan. They plan to build the world's largest airplane to launch rockets that can handle medium-sized payloads. Huntsville-based Dynetics will be responsible for the integration of technical systems in the aircraft.

Aero-mark to reopen Alabama aircraft plant

Aero-mark MRO will reopen a facility at the Fairhope, Ala. airport. The operation will build, assemble and repair military aircraft system parts. The company will invest $2.3 million in the operation and employ 60 within three years.

GE Aviation breaks ground in Auburn, Ala.

GE Aviation broke ground in the fall quarter on a 300,000-square-foot plant in Auburn, Ala. that will produce super-alloy parts used in GE jet engines for the commercial and military aircraft markets. The $50 million facility will eventually house 400 workers.

Sitel to hire 120 at rural Alabama call center

Sitel announced in the fall it is hiring 120 temporary workers at its Covington Co., Ala. call center. The Nashville-based company will provide customer support for a national retail chain.

ARKANSAS

American Railcar on hiring spree in Arkansas

American Railcar is on a hiring spree in Arkansas. The company hired more than 700 in 2011 and plans are to hire 700 more at its plants in Paragould, Kennett and Marmaduke, Ark.

Unilever expands in Jonesboro, Ark.

In the fall quarter, Unilever announced it is expanding a plant in Jonesboro that it acquired last year. The facility produces personal care brands such as TRESemme, Nexxus, Motions and St. Ives. The $40 million project will generate 125 new jobs.

Four companies in rural Helena-West Helena announce new, expanding facilities

In the fall quarter, four companies in Helena-West Helena announced they are opening or expanding, creating a total of 87 new jobs and investing several million dollars. Leaders from Enviro Tech Chemical Services, Delta American Fuel, Quapaw Products and Southern Hardware announced the projects. 

FLORIDA

Harris Corp. investing $100 million in Palm Bay, Fla.

Harris Corp., a communications and information technology company, announced in the fall it is building a $100 million engineering center at its long-time campus home in Palm Bay, Fla. Construction of the 450,000-square-foot high-tech engineering center will begin in the second quarter of 2012 with an opening set for 2014. The project will create at least 100 new jobs.

MAKO Surgical expands in Fort Lauderdale

In November, MAKO Surgical Corp. celebrated the medical device company's expansion in Fort Lauderdale. The company will build its Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic system in South Florida. The project is expected to generate 100 new jobs.  

Major cargo center breaks ground at Miami airport

Centurion Air Cargo, a carrier of perishable goods to and from Latin America, broke ground in the fall quarter on a new 800,000-square-foot cargo center at Miami International Airport. The $123 million center, which will open in 2012, will house about 200 workers.

Call center adding 700 jobs in Tampa

OneTouch Direct will keep its headquarters in Tampa and add 700 jobs over the next two years. The firm handles customer service contracts for several wireless providers.

Boeing to build commercial spacecraft at Florida's Kennedy Space Center

In the fall, NASA and Boeing signed off on an agreement to build the CST-100 capsule in shuttle Discovery's former hanger at Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Space Coast. Boeing is developing the seven-person CST-100 capsule under NASA's Commercial Crew Development program. The program will develop commercial space systems to taxi astronauts to and from the International Space Station by 2017. The deal could create as many as 550 new jobs.

Pensacola gains 201 jobs

Ascend Performance Materials announced in the fall it will add 102 workers at its nylon manufacturing facility in Pensacola, Fla. The company employs over 700 at the plant.

GEORGIA

Rockwood to build $115 million plant in Augusta, Ga.

New Jersey-based Rockwood Holdings announced in December it will build the first new iron oxide pigment production plant in the U.S. in 35 years in Augusta, Ga. The $115 million plant will house about 100 workers.

Renewable energy plant set for rural Georgia

WGS Energy Group has agreed to purchase 275 acres in the Interstate 16 South Industrial Park in Twiggs Co., Ga. to build a renewable electric generation plant. The plant will be the first of its kind in the world, according to the company that is owned by an investment group with offices in Alabama and Minnesota. The project will create about 150 new jobs.

Bed Bath & Beyond to open center in Georgia; 900 new jobs

Retailer Bed Bath & Beyond announced in November it will open an e-commerce fulfillment center in Jackson Co., Ga. The $50 million project will create 900 new jobs.

Vestar hiring 100 in Newton Co., Ga.

Vestar Technologies announced in November it will open a headquarters and manufacturing facility in Covington, Ga. The project will create 100 new jobs. Vestar will produce specialty metals that are used in LED lighting and semiconductors.

MBM Foodservice bringing 108 jobs to Newnan, Ga.

Food service distributor MDB is opening a food distribution facility in Newnan, Ga. The Rocky Mount, N.C.-based company already operates a similar facility in LaGrange, Ga. The $12.6 million project will create 108 new jobs.

Home Depot customer service facility will create 700 jobs in Cobb Co., Ga.

Atlanta-based Home Depot will open a new customer service facility in Kennesaw, Ga. next year. The project will create 700 new jobs.

KENTUCKY

Rural Kentucky hospital adding 150 new jobs

Appalachian Regional Healthcare is generating 150 new jobs at its hospital in Hazard, Ky. ARH is adding a new 24-bed emergency room, a 16-bed cardiac critical care unit along with 34 private rooms to its regional hospital in rural eastern Kentucky. 

MD2U adding 50 jobs in Louisville

Medical provider MD2U opened its expanded Louisville headquarters in mid-November. The project for the in-home medical provider will generate 50 new jobs.

Anacomp deal brings 200 jobs to Somerset, Ky.

Anacomp, a document and business process management solutions company is locating a new service facility in Somerset, Ky. The facility will bring 200 new jobs and an investment of $2.4 million to the community.

Carhartt to add 150 jobs in Small Town Kentucky

Carhartt, the maker of work wear and other items, is upgrading its plant in Madisonville, Ky. The company will invest $3 million and add 150 workers.

Tempur-Pedic breaks ground on new Lexington, Ky. global HQ

In the fall, Gov. Steve Beshear and Tempur-Pedic officials broke ground on the company's global headquarters in Lexington, Ky. The international company specializes in innovative sleep products. The headquarters is being built in the University of Kentucky's Coldstream Research Campus and it's expected to create 65 new jobs with up to 300 in five years.

Mobile marketer hiring 135 in Lexington, Ky.

CMS Text is expanding its mobile marketing company in Lexington, Ky. The company provides text message marketing services to a variety of industries, including customers in restaurant and hospitality, medical and dental, real estate and automotive sectors. CMS is growing from 19 to over 150 employees and is investing $4.4 million into that growth mode.

LOUISIANA

Sasol announces study for $4.5 billion ethylene plant in Louisiana

In December, South African energy and chemicals company Sasol announced its intentions to explore building a $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion ethylene production site in Louisiana. The company will move forward with a feasibility study for building a world-scale ethylene cracker and derivatives complex. The study will focus on building the complex near Sasol's existing Lake Charles Chemical Complex in Westlake, La.

Sundrop Fuels announces $450 million refinery in Alexandria, La.

Sundrop Fuels announced in November it will build a $450 million biofuels refinery that will bring 150 jobs to Central Louisiana. The project, which will salvage wood waste from renewable forests in Central Louisiana and combine it with hydrogen from the region's natural gas supply, will produce 50 million gallons of fuel a year.

Maritime International moving production from China to Louisiana

Maritime International President David LeBlanc announced in the fall that the company is moving production of mooring systems and protective fenders for harbors from China to Broussard, La. The $8 million manufacturing project will create 90 new jobs.

New casino to employ 1,262 in Northwest Louisiana

Margaritaville Resort and Casino will open in Bossier City, La. by 2013. The complex will include a casino and an 18-story hotel. The $100 million project will create 1,262 jobs across the river from Shreveport.

Offshore rig builder hiring 200 in Louisiana

Gulf Island Fabrication, a manufacturer of offshore oil rigs and drilling platforms, announced in the fall quarter it intends to hire 200 workers for new projects at its facilities in Houma, La. Earlier this year the company won a contract to build a large hull for natural gas giant Williams.

MISSISSIPPI

Recliner manufacturer has big plans in rural Mississippi

Southern Motion, an upholstered recliner manufacturer, announced in December it is moving into a vacant 192,500-square-foot building in Baldwyn, Miss., to produce a new line of recliners. Southern Motion also has operations in nearby Pontotoc where it employs 915 workers. The new $3 million project will generate 150 new jobs.

Mississippi celebrates grand opening of Lockheed Martin's Mission Support Center

In the fall quarter, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, officials from Lockheed Martin and state and local officials gathered in Clinton. Miss., to celebrate the grand opening of Lockheed Martin's Mission Support Center. The Maryland-based company will employ 350 in the project.

Winchester's new Oxford, Miss. plant opens

In the fall quarter, Olin Corp., parent company of Winchester, cut the ribbon on its new Centerfire ammunition manufacturing operation in Oxford, Miss. About 1,000 workers are expected to eventually be housed at the plant.

MISSOURI

DSI relocating headquarters to Kansas City

Data Systems International announced in the fall it will relocate its headquarters from Overland Park, Kan. to Kansas City, Mo. The company is a provider of enterprise mobility solutions. The deal will create 15 new jobs while relocating 145 from Kansas.

NORTH CAROLINA

Chiquita relocating HQ from Cincinnati to Charlotte

"Project Bananas," which was renamed "Project Wilbur," landed in Charlotte in early December. Chiquita announced then it would relocate its headquarters from Cincinnati to Charlotte after ruling out Atlanta, Boca Raton and staying in Ohio. The company plans to sign a 10-to-12-year lease for its corporate headquarters in uptown Charlotte and an accompanying research and development facility. As of this writing, Chiquita is negotiating a lease at the NASCAR Plaza office tower for about 150,000 square feet. The deal is expected to generate 417 new jobs.

Avaya to hire 135 at RTP campus

Avaya, which acquired much of Nortel's unit in the Research Triangle Park in 2009, announced in the fall it will add 135 jobs at its RTP campus. The telecommunications firm already employs over 300 workers in North Carolina.

Siemens celebrates Charlotte expansion

In the fall quarter, Siemens Energy's $350 million, 450,000-square-foot expansion of its gas turbine plant was celebrated by company and local and state officials in Charlotte. The addition adjoins a 700-employee steam turbine and generator plant. The gas turbine expansion will create 1,100 new jobs.

Baldor Electric adding 41 jobs in rural N.C.

Baldor Electric is adding 41 workers and is investing $17.7 million at its facility in rural McDowell Co., N.C. The Arkansas-based company makes industrial electric motors and other industrial products and employs about 750 workers at three N.C. plants.

Lash Group adding 450 jobs in Charlotte

Charlotte-based health care consultant Lash Group announced it is undergoing a major expansion. The company will add 450 jobs in 2012. Lash is a subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen.

Smithfield Foods creating 330 new jobs in Lenoir County, N.C.

Smithfield Packing Co., a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods -- the world's largest pork processor -- is expanding its Kinston, N.C. facility. The company plans to add 330 workers and invest $85.5 million in the project.

Publicly-traded life science firm to create 242 jobs at RTP

Sequenom plans to open a new facility in Research Triangle Park that will house 242 workers. The company is creating a lab to commercialize a noninvasive test for Down syndrome that it is preparing to launch. The investment in the deal will be $18.6 million.

HondaJet growing again in N.C.

Honda Aircraft is expanding again at its site at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C. The latest project is an $80 million investment that includes the building of a new MRO center. The deal creates 419 new jobs.

OKLAHOMA

Baker Hughes expanding in Oklahoma

Baker Hughes announced in December it will invest $36 million at its Claremore, Okla. Centrilift facility. The company, which provides oil well services, announced recently it will add more than 600 jobs at its facilities in Claremore, Broken Arrow, Sand Springs and Barnsdall. The Claremore Centrilift facility is Baker Hughes' primary research and development center.

Oklahoma wind farm powers Google's Oklahoma data center

The Minco II wind farm in Oklahoma's Grady and Caddo counties is now operational and powering Google's data center at the MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor, Okla. Google struck a 20-year power purchase agreement with NextEra, the owner of the wind farm to help power the Internet giant's 130,000-square-foot data center in Pryor.

Another energy company moves to downtown OKC

Flogistix LP, an oil and natural gas services provider, announced in November it has opened its corporate headquarters in downtown Oklahoma City. The company had been based in Pampa, Tex. The company moved 20 high-ranking executives to its new Oklahoma City headquarters operation.

Direct Energy invests in Tulsa, adds 115 workers

Direct Energy, an electric power and natural gas provider, is expanding its workforce in Tulsa. The company is adding 115 jobs.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Sonoco announces $100 million upgrade of rural S.C. plant

Sonoco, a producer of packaging products, announced in December it will invest $100 million to upgrade its Darlington Co., S.C. plant. The facility currently houses more than 1,600 employees.

Mars Petcare expanding in Columbia, S.C.

Mars Petcare announced in December it will invest $128.5 million, add 290,000 square feet and 277 jobs at its plant in Columbia, S.C. Workers at the plant produce several brands of pet food under the Pedigree brand.

Textile company creating 120 jobs in rural S.C.

A&K Textiles, a maker of safety clothing, announced plans in December to create 120 jobs in Barnwell County, S.C. by relocating operations from Alexandria, Egypt. The company will set up a new cut-and-sew operation in the former Hanesbrands building in the rural S.C. county.

GKN Aerospace building S.C. plant

GKN Aerospace, a supplier of aerospace and aviation components, will establish a new manufacturing facility in Orangeburg Co., S.C. The $38 million investment is expected to generate more than 250 jobs over six years.

Green energy company placing facility in S.C.

Global Energy Franchise announced in the fall quarter it will locate a new manufacturing facility in Cherokee Co., S.C. The company will provide solar system solutions to residents and businesses in South Carolina and will manufacture and assemble photovoltaic panels. The deal will create 200 new jobs.

TD Bank to hire 1,600 in S.C.

TD Bank announced in November it will expand its corporate operations at the bank's campus on Interstate 85 in Greenville, S.C. The company will hire 1,400 in Greenville and add 200 positions at its facility in Lexington, S.C.

European manufacturer setting up shop in Clarendon Co., S.C.

Alucoil America, a European manufacturer of metal composite materials, announced a new $5 million facility in Clarendon County, S.C. The project will generate 18 new jobs.

Distribution deal set for Orangeburg, S.C.

Universal Trade Solutions and its affiliate Fraley & Schilling recently announced a new manufacturing and distribution center in Orangeburg Co., S.C. The $10 million deal will create 100 new jobs.

TENNESSEE

Demand for solar panels good for Memphis-based Sharp

Sharp Manufacturing is adding 30 workers to its Memphis workforce of 500 as a result of strong demand for solar panels. Sharp, which began in Memphis is 1979 by manufacturing televisions, started making solar panels in 2003. The company turns 180,000 solar cells that arrive at the plant each morning into 3,000 solar panels that ship out at the end of every day.

Sam Dong opening second facility in rural Tennessee

Sam Dong, a South Korean company that manufactures magnet copper wiring products used in the production of transformers, motors and generators, announced in December it is locating a second manufacturing facility in Rogersville, Tenn. The $2.8 million project will create 85 new jobs.

Medical chain Solantic relocating HQ to Nashville

Solantic, the urgent care medical chain co-founded by current Fla. Gov. Rick Scott, announced in November it is relocating its headquarters from Jacksonville to Nashville. The company plans to expand outside of Florida, where it operates 32 walk-in urgent care clinics.

Electrolux expanding rural Tennessee factory

Electrolux, which is building a $190 million factory in Memphis, announced it will invest $5 million at its Springfield, Tenn. gas and electric range plant that it has operated since 1974. The deal will create 75 new jobs.

TEXAS

Thermo Fisher Scientific relocating some operations to Round Rock, Tex.

Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientific announced in December it will move its wooden laboratory equipment production from Two Rivers, Wis. to Round Rock, Tex. The project will create 150 new jobs.

Houston-based Kinder Morgan plans $130 million facility

Kinder Morgan announced in December it plans to build a petroleum condensate processing facility near an existing terminal in the Houston Ship Channel. The pipeline concern is investing $130 million to process 25,000 barrels-per-day from the Eagle Ford shale. The plant will be expandable to 100,000 barrels-per-day.

MV Transportation relocates execs from California to Dallas

MV Transportation, a transportation contracting company, has moved its top executives from California to Dallas. MV also plans to open a call center in Dallas that is expected to house 200 workers.

Large data center planned for Plano, Tex.

Atlanta-based T5 Data Centers and Dallas-based Lincoln Property Co. are building a large data center at the Legacy master-planned park in Plano, Tex. Called T5@Dallas, the $167 million data center is expected to be online in June.

Halliburton to hire 1,500 in San Antonio

Houston-based oil field giant Halliburton announced in the fall quarter it will place a $50 million base of operations in San Antonio for work in the Eagle Ford shale. The company will build a 400,000-square-foot facility in south San Antonio that will house about 1,500 workers. Halliburton officials plan to hire about 1,100 of those 1,500 workers from the San Antonio area.

Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies bringing 130 jobs to Baytown, Tex.

Flexsteel Pipeline is investing $94.8 million in capital in a new manufacturing facility in Baytown, Tex. The project calls for 130 new jobs.

Target building distribution center in Denton, Tex.

Retailer Target announced in the fall it is building a distribution center in Denton, Tex. to supply stores in Texas and seven other states. The 360,000-square-foot center will house 140 workers.

Pflugerville, Tex. lands green data center

The first 100 percent renewable energy-powered data center in the U.S. is being built in Pflugerville, Tex. The $210 million deal will create 130 new jobs.

Bell Helicopter investing $240 million in Fort Worth HQ

Bell Helicopter is investing $240 million at its east Fort Worth headquarters complex. The project will relocate about 700 workers from facilities at Alliance Airport and in Roanoke to the new Fort Worth facility.

Facebook to double space in Austin

It was a huge coup for Austin 20 months ago when it landed a satellite office of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Facebook, Inc. In the fall, the world's largest social network announced that it is doubling the size of its office on downtown Austin's famous West Sixth Street. Facebook currently employs about 150 workers at its Austin office and plans are to double that number soon as it takes another floor in a high-rise on Sixth Street. Facebook serves about 800 million people worldwide, with about 75 percent of those from outside the U.S.

Marine fabricator adding 500 jobs in Texas

Gulf Marine Fabricators is adding 500 jobs at its Aransas Pass shipyard where it builds crafts associated with offshore drilling. The positions include welders, pipe fitters, painters and crane operators. The company has about two years of work backlogged and is trying to overcome the effects of the oil drilling moratorium. Aransas Pass is on the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. 

Alcon Lab adding 750 jobs in Fort Worth

Alcon Lab Holdings announced in the fall it is investing $11 million to renovate and expand its Fort Worth campus. The company, a subsidiary of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, manufactures surgical equipment and devices. The deal will create 750 new jobs.

VIRGINIA

Stihl expanding in Virginia Beach

Stihl, the German power tool manufacturer, is investing $10.3 million in its U.S. headquarters in Virginia Beach, Va. The expansion will create 52 new jobs.

Enviva to build $75 million wood pellet plant in rural Va.

After opening a wood pellet plant in rural North Carolina in November, Maryland-based Enviva announced a similar project in rural Courtland, Va. in December. The $75 million plant will produce wood pellets for export to Europe through a port terminal in Chesapeake, Va. The pellets are used for burning to produce energy and heat. The project will generate 64 new jobs.

Gov. McDonnell announces jobs for Henry County

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced in November that Commonwealth Laminating & Coating, a manufacturer with an emphasis on solar-control window films and coatings, will invest $16.5 million to expand its operation in Henry County, Va. The company will create 40 new jobs. Virginia and Henry County successfully competed against China for the project.

Major expansion set at Virginia BioTechnology Research Park

Health Diagnostics Laboratory announced in November it will undergo a major expansion at Richmond's Virginia BioTechnology Research Park. The company, which offers a test menu of risk factors and biomarkers for cardiovascular and related disorders, will invest $68.5 million in the project and create 653 new jobs.

Bechtel relocating operations from Maryland to Virginia

Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell announced in November that Bechtel Corp., one of the largest construction and project management companies in the world, is relocating its global headquarters from Frederick, Md. to Fairfax County, Va. The $18 million deal will bring 625 jobs to Virginia.

Mississippi-based furniture manufacturer to set up shop in Virginia; create 335 jobs

Mississippi.-based Albany Industries will invest $2.5 million to establish its first Virginia operation in the City of Galax. The company makes upholstered furniture. The project will create 335 jobs in rural Virginia.

Virginia lands nation's first wind turbine test and certification facility

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced in October that Virginia has landed a collaborative project to establish a facility for the testing and certification of large offshore and land-based electricity-producing wind turbines. The project, called Poseidon Atlantic, will be the first such facility in the U.S. and will fill a growing need globally for facilities that test and certify wind turbines. The project will be developed on Virginia's Eastern Shore in Northampton County.

Northrop Grumman opens new HQ in Northern Virginia

One of the South's highest profile corporate headquarter relocation moves in years became official in the fall quarter when Northrop Grumman cut the ribbon on its new headquarters in Falls Church, Va. Northrop Grumman announced in 2010 it was taking its headquarters from California to the D.C. region. The facility now houses about 500 employees.

Microsoft investing $150M in its Virginia data center

Microsoft announced recently it plans to invest $150 million to expand its generation data center in Mecklenburg Co., Va. The company announced in 2010 its plans to build a data center with an investment of $499 million and that project is still under construction. The expansion will add more electric power capacity.

WEST VIRGINIA

$200 million investment announced for Marshall County, W. Va.

Gaster Exploration announced plans in December to invest $200 million in West Virginia's Marcellus Shale field in 2012, with virtually all of the cash directed to Marshall County. The Houston-based company will drill for natural gas in the county.

Amazon.com opens center in Huntington, W.Va.

Amazon.com officially opened its new customer service center in Huntington, W.Va. in November. The center will create almost 500 new jobs by 2014.

Thailand-based firm to open West Virginia plant

Precision Converting Solutions, a subsidiary of Siam Precision of Bangkok, is opening a $6 million plant in Kanawha Co., W.Va. The company will make laminated components for medical devices, solar panels and semiconductors. The deal will create 25 jobs.

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