Spring 2006

ALABAMA

Heil Expanding in Fort Payne

Heil, a manufacturer of refuse and recycling vehicles, is expanding in Fort Payne and adding 95 workers in the northeast Alabama market. The new jobs will be in welding and assembly line work and will pay on average $13 an hour.

EADS Continues to Expand in Mobile

EADS CASA North America announced in the spring quarter it has chosen Mobile as the site for final delivery of its CN235 and C-295 transport aircraft. The plant will house about 150 workers. Currently both aircraft are being assembled in Spain.

3M Adding Workers in Decatur

3M began another expansion at its Decatur, Ala. film production facility. The plant, which underwent an upgrade in 2003, will grow by 100,000 square feet. This latest expansion represents an $120 million investment and will create 50 new jobs.

Plant Announced in Baldwin County

Swift Supply began constructing a new 40,000-square-foot roof truss manufacturing plant in Baldwin County in the spring. The company has been in the sawmill and timber business in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle since 1835. Swift will employ about 45 workers at the new plant.

ARKANSAS

Nestle Expanding in Jonesboro

Nestle Prepared Foods plans to expand its 400-employee food processing plant in Jonesboro. Nestle is investing about $20 million in the expansion that will include the production of the Hot Pockets line. The expansion will include about 65 new jobs.

Patriot BioFuel Opens Stuttgart Facility

Biodiesel production is underway at Patriot BioFuel's new Stuttgart, Ark., plant. The fuel is being produced at a 31,000-square-foot facility. The company plans future expansions as demand for the new fuel increases.

New Electronics Facility Opening in Springdale

Ozark Electronics is opening a new product refurbishment center in Springdale, Ark. The new plant will remanufacture electronic products from companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Philips, Magnavox and Polaroid. The company is moving into an existing 104,000-square-foot building and about 120 workers will be hired.

FLORIDA

Compressor Manufacturer Relocates to Tallahassee

In the spring Danfoss Turbocor Compressors announced it is relocating its headquarters and its primary manufacturing facility to Tallahassee. The company, which produces commercial refrigerant compressors, is investing almost $5 million in the move. Approximately 90 jobs will be created.

Financial Services Company Hiring 300 in Jacksonville

CIT Technology Financing Services, a division of CIT Group, is investing $6 million in a new shared services technology office in Jacksonville. The new project will create about 300 jobs.

GEORGIA

Logistics Company Expanding in Atlanta

Service First Logistics is expanding its cold storage and dry product warehousing operations in the metro Atlanta area. The company is hiring about 60 workers at three locations in Atlanta. The expansion will add about 1,000,000 square feet to the Memphis-based company's facilities in the Atlanta area.

Huber Expanding in Georgia

Huber Engineered Woods is investing about $200 million in an oriented strand board facility near Swainsboro, Ga. The Charlotte-based company is a subsidiary of J.M. Huber Corp. The deal is expected to create about 150 new jobs.

Company Hiring 65 in Toccoa

GEM Industries, a division of New York-based ITR Industries, announced in May it is expanding its facilities in Toccoa, Ga. The company will invest about $5 million to open a manufacturing line that will produce steel toilet partitions. The company, which produces plastic toilet partitions at a plant in Toccoa, expects to invest about $5 million in the expansion.

Distribution Deal in Griffin

Schilli Distribution Services has purchased a spec building in Griffin, Ga. SDS specializes in logistics and warehousing services and provides similar work for Caterpillar's assembly plant in Griffin. The deal is expected to create 25 jobs.

CARBO Expanding in Georgia

CARBO Ceramics is adding a new ceramics product line at its Toomsboro, Ga. facility. The second line will double the capacity at the plant, which opened in January. The Texas-based company's products are used in hydraulics used in the oil and gas well business. CARBO is investing about $54 million in the expansion.

Latexco Opening Latex Plant in Lavonia

Latexco, the world's largest producer of latex foam bedding components, is opening a latex production facility in Lavonia, Ga. The $10 million deal will create about 40 new jobs.

Smucker Announces Distribution Center

J.M. Smucker Co., a producer of food spreads and toppings, has leased 240,000 square feet of space in Henry County, located south of Atlanta. The new distribution center will house about 100 workers.

Japanese Company Moves Operations to Gwinnett County

Mycoal Products, a maker of chemically-heated products that are used for warmth such as gloves and joint braces, announced in the spring quarter it is moving its headquarters and manufacturing operations to the Atlanta metro area. The Japanese company has contracted the building of an 88,000-square-foot facility that it will use as its North American headquarters as well as for manufacturing and distribution. The deal is expected to result in about 100 new jobs.

KANSAS

Packerware Investing $118M in Lawrence

Packerware Corp., a division of Berry Plastics, is investing $118 million to upgrade and expand its manufacturing facilities in Lawrence, Kan. When completed, the expansion will create about 150 new jobs.

Kansas Oil Refinery Undergoing $140M Expansion

Frontier Oil is increasing its refining capacity in El Dorado, Kan. The expansion will allow the refinery to produce an additional 15,000 barrels of oil a day. Investment in the expansion will top $140 million.

KENTUCKY

UPS Investing $1B in Louisville Hub

Atlanta-based United Parcel Service is once again expanding its package sorting hub in Louisville, Ky. UPS is adding 1.1 million square feet to its 5.1-million-square-foot facility, which is located at the Louisville airport. The expansion is expected to result in 5,000 new full-time and part-time workers that will bring employment at the hub in about four years to over 12,500. UPS currently employs more than 22,000 workers in Kentucky. Much of the growth at the UPS hub is being attributed to strong growth in international shipments. The company has purchased 20 Airbus A380s to accommodate the rise in international shipments.

Alabama-Based Food Processor Relocating Plant from Illinois to Kentucky

Birmingham-based Gourmet Express announced in May it is relocating its food processing plant from Gridley, Ill., to an existing 312,000-square-foot facility in Greenville, Ky. The company is investing about $7 million in the deal, which will create 200 new jobs.

Call Center Growing

SHPS, a provider of outsourced services, will add 400 jobs at its call center in Louisville this year. The new jobs will bring SHPS' employment to over 1,700 in Louisville. The company recently earned a new contract to conduct business for MemberHealth's prescription drug plans.

LOUISIANA

Dow Chemical Building New Facility

The Dow Chemical Co.'s biocides division announced in the spring quarter that it plans to build a new integrated vinyl methyl ether plant in Hahnville, La. The new facility will replace an existing plant in West Virginia. About 25 jobs are expected to be created when the plant begins operations in 2008.

MARYLAND

Mortgage Company Hiring 250 Employees in Howard County

Castle Point Mortgage announced in May it is expanding in Howard County, Md. The company is leasing about 50,000 square feet and adding 250 new employees. The mortgage provider started in Maryland four years ago.

MISSISSIPPI

Viking Range Moving Plant from Sweden to Rural Mississippi

In late May, high-end appliance manufacturer Viking Range broke ground on an 87,000-square-foot dishwasher manufacturing plant. The company, which operates its headquarters in rural Greenwood, Miss., had been producing its dishwashers in Sweden. The new plant will create about 200 jobs, bringing Viking's employment in Greenwood to about 1,400 workers.

French Roofing Manufacturer Announces Plant on Mississippi Gulf Coast

SOPREMA, a Strasbourg, France-based producer of roofing and waterproofing material, is building a new plant in Harrison County, Miss. Harrison County is one of the three counties on the Mississippi Gulf Coast hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. The company plans to invest about $15 million in the plant and hire about 50 workers. The facility is the second for SOPREMA in the U.S.

MISSOURI

Company Expands in Poplar Bluff

Libla Industries is investing about $1.5 million and creating more than 50 new jobs as it expands its nail manufacturing plant in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The company is a privately-held manufacturer based in the city.

Simulator Company Adding Jobs in Pacific

Bugeye Technologies is investing approximately $1 million and creating more than 20 jobs at its manufacturing plant in Pacific, Mo. The company makes displays and simulators for flight and driver training.

NORTH CAROLINA

Maersk Investing, Adding Jobs in Charlotte

The U.S. division of Danish company and shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, announced in May it is investing $60 million and adding 250 jobs at its Charlotte offices. The company has about 650 employees in Charlotte, where it oversees its container shipping business at ports on the East Coast.

Bridgestone Aircraft Tire Announces New Plant

Bridgestone Aircraft Tire is relocating its Miami, Fla. aircraft tire manufacturing operations to rural Rockingham County, N.C. The company is investing about $14 million in a new 160,000-square-foot facility that will house 95 workers initially.

Big Dog Relocating to North Carolina

California-based Big Dog Holdings, a clothing manufacturer, is moving its primary distribution operations to Lincoln County, N.C., located in the Charlotte area. The company is investing $10 million in a 229,000-square-foot distribution center. The deal will create 100 new jobs.

Medical Research Company Expanding in Raleigh

INC Research is adding space and jobs at its headquarters in Raleigh. The clinical research company, which contracts with biotechnology and pharmaceutical concerns, is creating 120 new jobs. INC operates 20 research facilities in 12 countries worldwide.

Pharma Expanding in N.C.

Sandoz, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, is expanding its Wilson County, N.C. research and development facility. The deal is expected to result in 65 new jobs and $10 million in investments.

Paper Manufacturer Moving into Building in Stanly County

Canada-based Converpro is spending $9 million as it moves into a 60,000-square-foot building in Oakboro, N.C. The paper recycling project will create 87 new jobs. The company will recycle paper to produce other products such as paper towels.

Credit Suisse Expands

New York City-based and Swiss firm Credit Suisse, a financial services company, is adding 400 jobs at its facility in the Research Triangle Park. It is the company's first expansion at RTP, where it first set up operations in early 2005. The deal represents a $40 million investment.

200 Jobs Created in Lexington

Linwood Furniture is moving into the former Lexington Furniture plant in Davidson County, N.C. The deal will create 200 new jobs and represents an investment of about $4 million.

OKLAHOMA

Food Processor Building Plant in Seminole, Okla.

Sigma, a division of Sigma Alimentos, S.A. de C.V., one of Mexico's largest producers of refrigerated foods, announced in late May it is building a cold cuts plant in Seminole, Okla. The new facility will require an investment by the Mexican company of at least $50 million and about 300 jobs are expected to be created.

Dell Continues to Add Jobs in OKC

Texas-based Dell Inc., is expanding its operations again in Oklahoma City. The computer maker is hiring 400 new workers at a new 120,000-square-foot call center that will provide technical and sales support. Dell already employs about 1,000 in OKC.

Brick Plant Opens in Union City

In the spring quarter, Boral Bricks, a manufacturer of bricks and pavers, opened its new 165,000-square-foot facility in Union City, Okla. The new plant cost $34 million and houses about 50 workers.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Financial Services Firm Announces New Campus in Greenville, S.C.

The South Financial Group, a multi-bank holding company with assets totaling $14.3 billion, announced it is building a new corporate headquarters campus in Greenville, S.C. The company's new investment will be more than $100 million and will create 600 jobs paying about twice the South Carolina per capita income average.

Senderra Chooses Lancaster County

Senderra Funding LLC announced in late May it is locating its corporate headquarters in Lancaster County. The new mortgage company is building a new 60,000-square-foot office at 521 Corporate Center that is expected to house about 250 workers.

International Paper Expanding Georgetown Operation

International Paper is investing about $200 million in its manufacturing operation in Georgetown, S.C. The company began operations in the South Carolina coastal town in 1937. The expansion will increase production of uncoated paper and packaging.

Kimberly-Clark Adding 150 Jobs in Aiken

Kimberly-Clark broke ground in the spring on an expansion of its 40-year-old tissue plant in Aiken, S.C. The deal is expected to create about 150 new jobs.

Chinese Company Adding 1,000 New Jobs in South Carolina

China-based Haier is expanding its Kershaw County, S.C. facilities, a deal that is expected to result in a $150 million investment and about 1,000 new jobs. Currently about 200 employees work at the plant in Camden, which in 1999 represented the first and largest Chinese manufacturing facility in the U.S. The company will build appliances used to freeze and cool food and beverage products.

Mergent Crossing the Line

Mergent, Inc., a financial services data concern, announced in the spring it is relocating its headquarters from Charlotte to nearby Fort Mill, S.C. The move will cost Mergent about $13 million to cross the line to S.C.. South Carolina officials approved a 20-year property tax abatement for Mergent, which will hire 200 workers when the relocation is completed.

Plant Locating in Fairfield County

In the spring quarter Guardian Building Products announced a new $39 million plant in Winnsboro, S.C. that will house about 135 workers. The company makes fiberglass insulation for the commercial and residential construction industries.

TENNESSEE

Gateway Announces Assembly Plant in Nashville

California-based Gateway Inc., announced in mid-May it will build a new manufacturing center in La Vergne, Tenn., which is located just east of Nashville. The company will manufacturer custom computer systems at the 100,000-square-foot facility, which will house approximately 300 workers. The $8 million deal follows other computer assembly operations announced in the Nashville area made by Dell, Quanta and Hewlett-Packard. Gateway has built its computers overseas for years and the plant represents the first for the company in the U.S.

Embraer to Create 165 Jobs in Nashville

In the spring quarter Brazil-based Embraer celebrated the grand opening of its new 78,000-square-foot hanger at the Nashville International Airport. The expansion adds to the company's 125,000-square-foot facility at the airport. The deal will involve vehicle maintenance and overhaul on turboprop and small jet aircraft. The announcement represents 165 new jobs.

Goodman Expands Plant in Fayetteville

Houston, Tex.-based Goodman Company, one of the largest manufacturers of heating and air conditioning units, is creating 800 new jobs in Fayetteville/Lincoln County, Tenn. The expansion will add three lines to the company's facility and represents a $6 million investment.

Railroad Investing in Memphis

Canadian National Rail is investing $100 million at its Johnston Rail Yard in Memphis. The location is the second-largest rail interchange that CN operates in the U.S. and is a gateway to shipping to the South. The Johnston Rail Yard is almost 100-years-old and features about 50 different tracks located on 350 acres near downtown Memphis.

Call Center Set for Cleveland, Tenn.

Sky Angel, a provider of direct-to-home satellite television services, announced in the spring it is opening a new call center in Cleveland. The center is expected to create about 200 jobs.

TEXAS

HP Investing $300M in Austin

Fort Knox-type-secured data centers are some of the hottest deals going in the South and Austin landed one in the spring. California-based Hewlett-Packard announced it is spending $300 million on a data center in Austin that will employ about 140 workers. As of this writing, HP is considering a second center in Texas' capital city.

ACS Hiring 600 in San Antonio

Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services announced in May it will hire about 600 workers at a new call center it plans to open in San Antonio. The center will provide services for Spanish-speaking customers of an unnamed wireless carrier.

Torchmark Relocating to McKinney

Torchmark Corp., a financial services firm, is relocating its headquarters from Birmingham to a site north of Dallas in McKinney, Tex. The move consolidates subsidiaries of Torchmark, one of which already operates in McKinney. The company is building a 150,000-square-foot office in McKinney that will house about 500 workers. Torchmark is investing about $27 million in the project. Liberty National Life Insurance Co., a division of Torchmark, will keep its headquarters in Birmingham.

Security Firm Relocating HQ to Dallas from Houston

Safeguard Security Holdings has moved it headquarters from Houston to Dallas. Safecard, which provides corporate and industrial security systems, currently employs about 350 workers.

VIRGINIA

Arista Tubes Hiring 145

U.K.-based Arista Tubes, a manufacturer of plastic tubes used in the consumer and personal care products industry, is investing $24 million in the old Dan River facility at River Point in Danville. The deal is expected to result in 145 new jobs.

New Steel Fabricator Set for Rural Virginia

Banker Steel Co., which is headquartered in nearby Lynchburg, Va., is investing $1 million in a new fabrication facility in Campbell County. The project represents the second for the company in Campbell County. About 110 new jobs will be created.

German Company Investing $85M on First U.S. Plant

McAirlaid's Vliesstoffe GmbH & Co., a German manufacturer of non-woven composite materials for absorbency end uses, is investing $85 million to open its first U.S. plant and headquarters in Franklin County, Va. The company will hire about 160 workers.

220 Jobs for Lebanon

Clinch Mountain Finishing & Logistics announced in May it is investing about $6 million in an existing building in rural Russell County, Va., for a hardwood flooring manufacturing plant. About 220 workers will be housed at the facility.

RR Donnelley Expanding Three Plants in Virginia

Commercial printer RR Donnelley is investing about $85 million in three plants in Virginia. The facilities are located in Roanoke and Rockingham counties and in the city of Lynchburg. The Chicago-based company reported it will add about 140 new jobs at the three facilities.

Cabinet Manufacturer Investing $16M

Merillat, a division of Michigan-based Masco Corp., is investing $16 million to expand the company's Mount Jackson facility in Shenandoah County, Va. The expansion, which will create 150 new jobs, is Merillat's third in Virginia in two years. The company makes kitchen and bath cabinets.

WEST VIRGINIA

Trucker Hiring 75

GNH Trucking, a Pennsylvania-based trucker, announced in the spring quarter it will hire 75 workers in Preston County, W.V. The company hauls for Kingsford Charcoal, Clorox, Dick's Sporting Goods and Chemtura Corp., among other well known companies.

Italian Company Opening Plant in W.V.

In the spring quarter, New Finishing Line, a division of Italian company Catalfer SRL, announced a new facility in Charleston. The company will manufacture sanding equipment and chemicals used in the marine and automotive industries. The deal will result in 40 new jobs.

CDI Expands W.V. Operations

CDI-IT Solutions Group is locating a help desk operation in the Charleston metro. The company, which provides engineering and information technology outsourcing solutions will hire about 50 new workers.