Projects Announced in the Winter 2010 Quarter
ALABAMA
Navy Contract to Create 500 Jobs in Mobile, Ala.
In the winter quarter, the U.S. Navy awarded Mobile's Austal USA shipyard $204.2 million, the second installment on what the shipyard hopes will be a 10-vessel, $1.6 billion contract. The new work on two Joint High Speed Vessels will create about 500 jobs by the summer quarter. The Joint High Speed Vessel is an Army-Navy program that includes shallow-draft ferries for carrying troops and equipment at speeds up to 43 knots in areas of combat. Austal is a subsidiary of Australia's Austal Ltd.
SurModics Opens Birmingham Drug Development Center
SurModics Pharmaceuticals, formerly Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, opened its new drug development and manufacturing facility in Birmingham in the winter quarter. The company has won several drug delivery formulas for Roche and Genentech, among others. The company invested millions to convert the former Parisian and Saks corporate headquarters in the Oxmoor Valley into the new 90,000-square-foot headquarters and plant.
Walter Energy to Hire 79 in Birmingham HQ Move
Walter Energy will hire 79 employees when it relocates its corporate headquarters from Tampa, Fla. to the top two floors of Hoover's Galleria Tower later this year. A spokesperson for the company said in February that 21 of its 50 headquarters employees in Tampa have agreed to make the move to Birmingham and that it hopes to have a total of 100 employees when the office opens in the early summer.
Seventy New Aerospace Jobs Created in Huntsville
The Boeing Co. has selected Science Engineering Services to perform disassembly, inspection and repair on AH-64D Apache helicopters in preparation for the upgrade to the AH-64D Apache Block III. The program will create approximately 70 new positions for SES in Huntsville. Southern Business & Development is publishing a special issue on the South’s aerospace industry. Go to www.sb-d.com/aerospace to view the information e-card.
Globe Specialty Metals Restarts Alabama Plant
In February, New York-based Globe Specialty Metals reopened its silicon metal and ferrosilicon alloys plant in Selma, Ala. The plant was idled during the recession. The plant can produce 27,000 tons of silicon metal and alloys annually. The reopening means 90 workers have been rehired by the company.
ARKANSAS
New Headquarters Set for Little Rock
Allied Wireless Communications, a subsidiary of Massachusetts-based Atlantic TeleNetwork (ATN), announced in the winter quarter it will place its headquarters in Little Rock, Ark. ATN is investing more than $200 million in the project, which will occupy a former Acxiom building in West Little Rock. The new headquarter operation will result in 200 to 250 high-wage jobs.
FLORIDA
Gordon Food Service Creating 350 New Jobs in Plant City, Fla.
In the winter quarter, Gordon Food Service confirmed it bought the Albertson's distribution center in Plant City, Fla. to service its expansion throughout central Florida. The company expects to hire more than 350 people to work in the million-square-foot warehouse.
Star2Star Communications Creates 80 Jobs in Manatee, Fla.
Star2Star Communications, a provider of business grade communications solutions via the Internet, plans to add up to 60 new employees in Manatee County, Fla. A garage-based startup in 2004, the company developed its own software and technology to provide high quality telephone solutions to businesses using voice over Internet protocol.
Another Deal for Manatee
Oliphant Financial, a debt buyer and software provider to the financial services industry, plans to add 100 to 150 jobs in 2010 at the company's new headquarters location in Manatee Co.
Osprey Biotechnics Plans 35-Employee Expansion in Sarasota, Fla.
A Sarasota-based biotech company that creates bacterial products that promote animal health, plant health and environmental restoration, is expanding to a larger facility in Sarasota and plans to add 35 employees. Osprey's fungal products are meant to replace chemicals for a safer environment.
Davidoff Relocates Headquarters to Pinellas County, Fla.
The Oettinger Davidoff Group ("Davidoff") announced in the winter quarter that it is relocating its U.S. headquarters to an existing 100,000-square-foot facility in the city of Pinellas Park, Fla. The company manufactures fine cigars at plants in the Dominican Republic and Honduras. The $10 million project will create 90 new jobs.
JPMorgan Chase Adding 600 Jobs in Florida
JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to add 600 employees in Florida this year, with 250 of them in South Florida. Since acquiring the failed Washington Mutual in 2008, JPMorgan Chase has rebranded the branches as Chase Bank and has invested $90 million in Florida since the acquisition.
Internet Company Expands in Florida
IntegraClick, a rapidly growing Sarasota, Fla. Internet firm, has chosen two Class A office buildings in Sarasota's University Professional Park for its new headquarters campus. The new space will accommodate the company's Clickbooth.com business in addition to sister divisions Calculated Creativity and Authorise.com and lead to the addition of more than 100 jobs in the short term. When completed, the new campus could house as many as 500 new employees. IntegraClick was recently ranked No. 5 in Inc. magazine's 2009 list of the 50 fastest-growing private U.S. companies.
GEORGIA
Chinese Video Game Production Deal Creating 50 New Jobs in Atlanta
In February, Atlanta-based Entertainment Arts Research signed a deal to develop a virtual world and console video games for China's Shaolin Temple. The joint venture will create 50 jobs in Atlanta and represents a $22 million investment. The Shaolin Temple, founded in the 5th century and located in Henan Province, has a longtime association with the Chinese martial arts, particularly with Kung Fu. Entertainment Arts Research will produce no fewer than four new products for the Shaolin Temple over the next 12 years.
Another Headquarter Relocation for Atlanta
Novelis, a world leader in the production of flat-rolled aluminum products, announced in February it is moving its North American headquarters from Cleveland to Atlanta. The move will add 80 corporate jobs, with Novelis' Atlanta staff to include 220 people by the end of 2010 when combined with other expected staff additions. Novelis manufactures 19 percent of the world's flat-rolled aluminum products.
Bioenergy Plant to Open in Georgia
German utility RWE Innogy announced in the winter quarter that it is building a $150 million, 75-employee bioenergy plant in Waycross, Ga. The new plant will produce 750,000 tons of wood pellets from forest industry by products. The wood pellets would then be shipped to the Netherlands for burning in a Dutch power plant. To land the plant, Georgia will provide a $4,000-per-employee incentive over five years.
LG Hausys Investing $50M in Rural Georgia
Atlanta-based LG Hausys America is expanding its manufacturing facility in Adairsville, Ga. The company, which will invest $50 million, create 80 jobs and add 95,000 square feet of production space, manufactures surface countertops.
UK-Based Company Picks Rural Georgia
Firth Rixson Limited, a United Kingdom-based provider of forged metal products, announced in the winter it has chosen Midway, Ga. in Liberty County for a 200,000-square-foot, closed die forging operation that will house 200 workers. The facility will provide components for the aerospace industry.
P&G Adds 150 Jobs in Augusta, Ga.
The Procter & Gamble manufacturing facility in Augusta added 150 new jobs in December, two new product lines and an investment of more than $1 million. The plant now houses about 600 workers.
KANSAS
Kansas City Metro Market Hits the Jackpot
In the early winter quarter, J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services announced an 800-employee, 175,000-square-foot headquarters location on the Sprint Nextel Corp. world headquarters campus in Overland Park, Kan. the same week that U.S. Bank announced it was bringing a 1,100 job service center to Overland Park. The U.S. Bank project will move into the former Capital One Home Loans headquarters in Overland Park.
KENTUCKY
Chegg.com Locating New Logistics Operation in Kentucky
Chegg.com's newest warehousing and distribution operation is going to an existing 611,000-square-foot facility at the Cedar Grove Business Park in Shepherdsville, Ky. The textbook rental company is creating more than 100 new full-time jobs and 1,200 part-time seasonal jobs in the $27.3 million deal.
GE to Bring Second Production Line to Louisville's Appliance Park
General Electric recently announced the company's plans to establish a high-end, energy-efficient front load washer and dryer manufacturing line at the Louisville Appliance Park. The project represents an investment of $80 million and 430 new jobs. GE's newest deal follows the company's decision in June 2009 to manufacture its new line of energy-efficient, hybrid water heaters in Louisville. That deal created 420 new jobs.
New Call Center for Northern Kentucky
DEFENDER Direct, an Indianapolis-based dealer for ADT Security Services and Dish Network, is opening a new call center in Newport, Ky. The center will house 100 workers.
LOUISIANA
Major Expansion Announced in Louisiana by Aeroframe
In February, Aeroframe Services announced it will dramatically expand its presence at Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, La. Headquartered in Lake Charles, Aeroframe, which specializes in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft, will add at least 300 new, direct jobs this year with an average annual salary of $55,000, plus benefits. The expansion will bring Aeroframe's total Chennault employment to 550. The company's expansion is the result of a recent surge in aircraft maintenance work from both existing and new customers.
Company Relocates Operations to Baton Rouge
TraceSecurity announced in January it is relocating two of the company's key divisions from Dallas and San Diego to Baton Rouge, La. The company is a provider of security compliance and risk management software and will relocate its software development and national sales departments to Louisiana's capital city. The move will result in 45 new jobs.
Zagis USA Commissions New Textile Mill in Southwest Louisiana
In the winter quarter, Zagis USA commissioned the company's new 128,000-square-foot cotton spinning mill in Lacassine, La. The ceremony marked the end of a construction project that began with a groundbreaking in July 2008. The new facility will utilize up to 15 to 20 percent of Louisiana's cotton crop to spin yarn. The $37.5 million plant is the first cotton spinning facility built in the U.S. in decades. Forty-nine people are currently employed at the Zagis facility.
MARYLAND
Lockheed Opens Maryland Cyber Center
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin opened its multi-million dollar NexGen Cyber Innovation and Technology Center in Gaithersburg, Md. in December. With 25,000 square feet and space for 400 workers, the center will focus on cyber security and information intelligence. Lockheed is part of a new cyber security technology alliance that includes Cisco, Dell, EMC, Microsoft, McAfee and Symantec. The alliance will collaborate on systems to help provide early detection, protection and multi-layer automatic self-healing capabilities to solve existing and meet future cyber security challenges.
MISSISSIPPI
Tunica, Miss. Lands $300 Million Pipe Plant
Wilh. Schulz GMBH announced in the winter quarter that it will locate a new $300 million seamless pipe plant in Tunica, Miss. The Krefeld, Germany-based company's Mississippi division will be known as Schulz Xtruded Products (SXP) and will produce stainless steel and alloy steel seamless and welded pipe products and components. The deal is expected to create 500 new jobs. For more information on rural economic development in the South, go to www.SmallTownSouth.com.
General Atomics Expands in Mississippi
General Atomics' Electromagnetic Systems Division (GA-EMS), a manufacturer of advanced linear motors for Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching Systems, broke ground in the winter quarter on its Phase IV, 50,000-square-foot expansion at its facility in Shannon, Miss. The expansion, a $4.5 million capital investment, will accommodate the plant's role as the logistics supplier and depot-level support partner for the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers. The project will create at least 20 new jobs.
GE Aviation Expanding Operations in Batesville, Miss.
Batesville, Miss. continued a good run in the winter quarter with GE Aviation announcing it is expanding its operation there. The company's Batesville plant produces composite components for the GEnx jet engine, which will power Boeing's new 787 and 747-8 aircraft. The GEnx engine is the world's only jet engine with composite components. GE Aviation will add 350 new jobs at its facility in Batesville.
Manufacturer Expanding in Rural Mississippi
Abby Manufacturing, a fabricated structural metal manufacturer, announced the expansion of its operations into a county-owned building in Benton County, Miss. The deal will create 35 new jobs. Abby operates two other facilities in Mississippi and is a supplier to freight airline companies including FedEx. For more information on rural development in the South, go to www.SmallTownSouth.com.
MISSOURI
Consulting Firm Adding Jobs in KC
New York-based Genesis 10, a management consulting firm, has leased 15,000 square feet of space in Kansas City and plans to add 153 jobs there. The company, which chose Kansas City over several other locations in Oklahoma, Minnesota and North Carolina, will invest $2.3 million in the project.
NORTH CAROLINA
Defense Consultant Expanding in Fayetteville, N.C.
Booz Allen Hamilton, the large Virginia-based contractor to the Department of Defense, has elected to expand its presence in Fayetteville, N.C., home to Fort Bragg. The deal is expected to create 300 new jobs. "Our firm had the option of locating anywhere to support our work with FORSCOM and USARC," said William Butler, the Booz Allen executive who is heading up the relocation effort from Fort McPherson to Fayetteville. But in the end, Booz Allen decided to set up shop in the backyard of the U.S. Army Forces Command and Reserve Command at Fort Bragg.
Electrolux, Husqvarna Moving N.A. Headquarters to Charlotte
Sweden-based appliance manufacturer Electrolux announced in the winter quarter it is moving its North American headquarters to Charlotte, creating 738 new jobs. The deal, according to Charlotte officials, is the largest headquarter announcement made in the Queen City in 25 years. Electrolux is consolidating operations in several different states to Charlotte, including those in Augusta, Ga., Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Springfield, Tenn. The company is moving its headquarters into the former First Charter Corp. facility in the University area of Charlotte. Electrolux is investing $8.3 million in the deal. In a related move, Husqvarna, the outdoor power equipment manufacturer, is bringing 160 new jobs to Charlotte. The company, which has ties to Electrolux, announced plans to move its headquarters to Charlotte from Augusta, Ga.
Financial Services Company Creating Over 1,000 Jobs in Charlotte
Zenta Mortgage Services is expanding its Charlotte presence significantly, creating 1,002 jobs over the next few years and investing $2.19 million. The New York-based company currently employs 263 workers in Charlotte.
British Electronics Manufacturer Opening New Facility in Durham, N.C.
ACW Technology, headquartered in England, announced in the winter quarter it will create 155 new jobs and invest $4.9 million in a plant in Durham, N.C. The company manufactures digital, analog and radio frequency devices as well as circuit boards for electronic systems for the commercial, aerospace and defense industries.
LabCorp Picks Greensboro, N.C. for New Billing Operation
Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings Inc., a provider of medical laboratory testing services, announced in the winter it will open a new billing operations office in Greensboro, N.C. The company will create 373 jobs and invest $4 million in the deal that includes a building lease of 72,000 square feet.
North Carolina Company Adding 100 Jobs
Kewaunee Scientific is investing $13 million and adding 100 jobs in Statesville, N.C. to expand its operations and renovate its corporate headquarters. The company will begin immediately to more than double production space at one of its three Statesville manufacturing plants, which makes laboratory furniture.
Risk Management Consultant Creating 430 Jobs in RTP
Risk management consultant IEM is moving its headquarters from Baton Rouge, La. to Durham County, N.C., creating 430 jobs over the next few years. IEM is a privately held company that provides risk-based solutions for measuring and managing threats to people, infrastructure and information.
OKLAHOMA
North Carolina Company Locating in Oklahoma
Flanders Corporation of Washington, N.C., has purchased the former Best Buy building located in the New Horizons Industrial Park in Ardmore, Okla. Flanders designs, manufactures and markets air filters that contain airborne contaminants. The deal is expected to create 250 new jobs.
TCIM Services Hiring 250 in Tulsa
TCIM Services is hiring 250 new customer service reps at its call center in Tulsa, Okla. The company operates three call centers in Oklahoma and provides services for banking, insurance and telecommunications companies.
Hitachi Expanding Oklahoma Distribution Center
Hitachi Computer Products America is expanding its Norman, Okla. facility with the construction of a 200,000-square-foot addition. The expansion will create 75 new jobs.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Defense Venture Group Investing $50M in South Carolina
In February, Defense Venture Group announced it will locate its manufacturing, R&D and headquarters functions in Lancaster County, S.C. The $50 million deal is expected to create 220 new jobs. The defense contractor owns Indigen Armor, a manufacturer of armored vehicles, Armorline, which produces specialized transparent ceramic products for the aerospace, defense and commercial sectors, and Tactical Runflat Systems, a manufacturer of run-flat tire solutions for the military and other sectors.
Big Distribution Center Going Up in Berkeley County, S.C.
In February, Gildan Activewear announced it will build a new 850,000-square-foot retail distribution center in Berkeley County, S.C. The project is expected to create 250 new jobs.
West Star Aviation Leases Hangar in Columbia, S.C.
In the winter, West Star Aviation announced it had leased a hangar at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport as a temporary facility until its new hangar is built at the airport in 2011. The Illinois-based company provides airframe, engine and avionics services for general aviation and business aircraft. Once completed, the new facility will house about 100 workers.
Fifty New Jobs Announced in Beaufort, S.C.
Plumm Design, a manufacturer specializing in customized metal designs such as countertops, facades, range hoods and other products, announced in the winter it will locate its new operations in Beaufort County, S.C. The $3.2 million investment is expected to generate 50 new jobs.
TENNESSEE
Confluence Solar Developing $200 Million Plant in Clinton, Tenn.
In late January, Missouri-based Confluence Solar announced that it will build a 200,000-square-foot plant at the I-75 Industrial Park in Clinton, Tenn. The $200 million facility will produce mono-crystal silicon ingots for photovoltaic solar power generation. The ingots are used in solar panels to generate electricity. John DeLuca, a co-founder of Confluence Solar and a former employee at the U.S. Energy Department's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said that Clinton's proximity to the lab and to the new stimulus-funded Solar Institute at the University of Tennessee was a factor in choosing the site in northeast Tennessee. The deal is expected to create 250 new jobs.
Newell Rubbermaid Opens Plant in Tennessee
Atlanta-based Newell Rubbermaid opened its newest U.S. plant in Coffee County, Tenn. in the winter quarter. The 67,500-square-foot, $12.5 million facility houses 50 workers and produces the ink that's contained inside pens and highlighters of Sharpies and other products.
World's First Medical Trade Center Proposed for Nashville
In the early winter quarter, Tennessee government officials and Market Center Management Company (MCMC) of Dallas announced plans to locate the world's first medical trade center on the site of the current Nashville Convention Center. Called the Nashville Medical Trade Center, the $250 million development will bring a healthcare marketplace to Nashville so that health care providers from around the world can learn about the latest in medical technology and services. MCMC has begun work on pre-leasing the proposed trade center's permanent exhibition space.
TEXAS
LegalZoom Relocating Regional HQ to Austin
Currently headquartered in Los Angeles, LegalZoom, the online legal document perparation service, announced in the late winter quarter that it will relocate its regional headquarters to Austin, Tex. The deal will result in the creation of 600 jobs for Central Texas residents. The project is the first for LegalZoom outside of L.A. The company provides online access to affordable legal documents and has served over 700,000 customers since its inception in 2000.
Allstate Selects San Antonio for 600-Job Call Center
Allstate Insurance Co. announced in the winter it will set up an $11.6 million customer information center in San Antonio. The deal is expected to result in 600 new jobs.
Experian Expanding Presence in Texas
Credit bureau Experian is adding 300 jobs at its 300,000-square-foot campus in Allen, Tex. The company is expected to invest as much as $30 million in the expansion.
Company Expands in South Texas
Tyco Flow Corp. announced in the winter that it will expand its facility in Harlingen, Tex. by adding 33,000 square feet to its 80,000-square-foot facility there. The deal is expected to create 50 new jobs. Tyco is a global manufacturer of valves and controls and water and environmental systems.
Hanger Orthopedic Relocating HQ to Austin
Hanger Orthopedic Group is relocating its corporate headquarters to Austin, Tex., investing $4.7 million and creating up to 250 new jobs. The company is a provider of orthotic and prosthetic patient care services with 670 patient care centers in 45 states.
VIRGINIA
Wood Pellet Manufacturer Investing $18.7 Million in Rural Virginia
Wood Fuel Developers, a startup company, is investing $18.7 million to begin wood pellet manufacturing operations in Greensville County, Va. The company is a renewable fuels firm that specializes in developing and operating wood fuel and pellet production plants to serve residential, industrial and power generation markets. The deal will create 39 new jobs. For more information on the rural South’s opportunities for your company, go to www.SmallTownSouth.com.
IT Company Adding Jobs in Richmond
Richmond-based CapTech, an information technology consulting firm, is planning to hire 50 people this year in Richmond and at a new office in Washington, D.C. The company, which employs 210 in Richmond, does work primarily with state and federal governments.
New Company Opens near Richmond
Hanover Foils, a newly formed venture developed by former Reynolds Packaging employees, has located its new production facility in Ashland, Va. The company was conceived and started by former Reynolds employees who will provide the services and products needed by the customers of their former company, which closed last year. The new 80,000-square-foot facility will house 60 workers.
WEST VIRGINIA
$328 Million Biometrics Center Being Built in Clarksburg, W. Va.
A new $328 million Biometrics Technology Center is scheduled to be built in Clarksburg, W. Va. The project is a joint facility of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Defense. The 360,000-square-foot structure will nearly double the space capacity of the existing 2,500-employee FBI CJIS Division campus. Once completed, the expansion will enable the FBI to consolidate all of its biometrics operations.
TRG Hiring 240 in West Virginia
TRG Customer Solutions is adding 240 new workers at its inbound business service center in Charleston, W.Va. The company announced the expansion in December.
Lockheed Martin Adds 20 Workers in West Virginia
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics announced in December it is adding 20 workers at its facility in Clarksburg, W.Va. The facility in Clarksburg produces subassemblies for C-130 aircraft.
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