Summer 2007

Relocations & Expansions

QUIZ

This is the first edition of four that will celebrate Southern Business & Development's 15th Anniversary. This issue will look at economic development in the South in years' 1993-1997. A lot has changed since then. For example -- and this is the Quiz -- which two industries led all other industry sectors in the first annual SB&D 100, which was published in the Spring of 1994. The ranking came from deals announced in the South in calendar year 1993. So pick two from the list shown below.

(a) Automotive (b) Poultry (c) Casinos (d) Distribution (e) Furniture (f) Apparel (g) Textiles (h) Financial Services

(Scroll down for answer)

ALABAMA

Boeing Adding More Jobs in North Alabama

The Boeing Co., will create several hundred new jobs in Huntsville as a result of a new contract it signed with NASA to design and construct the upper stage of a rocket that may be used in space travel to the moon. The new rocket, Ares I, will replace the space shuttle fleet that is being retired in 2010. The new contract is worth $1.1 billion to Boeing.

AT&T Adding 367 New Jobs in Birmingham

Downtown Birmingham will benefit from a decision by AT&T, which recently purchased BellSouth, to create 367 new jobs. AT&T will invest almost $4 million in the deal, which will include management positions for an Internet support operation. The new jobs will be housed in AT&T’s City Center in downtown Birmingham and will result in an annual payroll of about $9 million.

AlphaPet Investing $160 Million in Decatur

AlphaPet, a new subsidiary of Thailand-based Indorama Polymers, announced in the summer quarter it will manufacture Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) resin at a new $160 million facility in Decatur, Ala. The plant will house about 100 workers. The resin is used in the making of plastic containers.

Rail Car Maker Picks Alabama for $350 Million Plant; Will Create Estimate 1,800 Jobs in Muscle Shoals Area

National Alabama Corp., a new subsidiary of Canada’s National Industries, Inc., began work on a rail-car factory in the Shoals region of northwest Alabama. The mile-long facility is expected to employ 1,800 people, and represents a planned investment estimated at $350 million. The plant will be able to turn out 8,000 to 10,000 rail cars a year. Company officials said work at the site was to begin within weeks after the project was announced in mid-July. The company is aiming to start production by early 2009, with full output within a year. National Industries is the parent of long-time rail car manufacturer National Steel Car Ltd. National was awarded state and local incentives that could total as much as $140 million.

CG Railway Begins Operating in New Alabama Port Terminal

International Shipholding Corp.’s CG Railway Inc. subsidiary began operations at its $27 million Mobile, Ala., port terminal. Built jointly by the state of Alabama and the Port Authority, the terminal was a major inducement for CG Railway’s railroad-car ferry service to return to Mobile after leaving for New Orleans in 2005. International Shipholding has also relocated its headquarters to Mobile, creating about 150 jobs.

ARKANSAS

Lockheed Martin Expanding in Camden, Ark.

Lockheed Martin is adding 35 new jobs at its Camden complex. The project will support production involved with the Terminal Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system. Currently, Lockheed Martin's Camden-based facility employs about 450 workers.

Big Deal in Little Rock

In July, Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren Ltd., of Mumbai, India, announced it is building a $100 million manufacturing facility on 740 acres adjacent to the Little Rock, Ark., Port Authority. The deal represents the second-largest single industrial development in Little Rock history. Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren is the pipe division of the $1 billion Welspun Group, the fastest growing company in India. Once completed, the plant will be capable of producing 300,000 net tons of tubular steel pipes each year for use in the oil and gas industry. The company will hire about 300 workers and plans to begin production in the spring of next year. Welspun Gujarat officials cited the waterway and rail access and enthusiasm, friendliness and cooperation among local officials in deciding on Little Rock over Memphis, St. Louis and New Orleans.

Nestle Adding More Jobs in Jonesboro

Nestle Prepared Foods, which makes Stouffer’s and Lean Cuisine frozen meal products at its plant in Jonesboro, Ark., announced in the summer quarter it is adding 120 jobs at its food-grade plant there. Nestle Prepared Foods is a subsidiary of the world’s largest food provider, Nestle S.A., based in Vevey, Switzerland.

Work Begins on American Railcar’s New Arkansas Factory

American Railcar Industries, Inc. said construction started in July on a new plant at its Marmaduke, Ark., site. The company is also in the midst of another expansion project in Marmaduke, and one in Paragould, Ark. Altogether the three projects represent a $51 million investment and will create 300 jobs. The company is a major producer of covered hopper and tank rail cars.

Danish Turbine-Blade Maker to Create 1,000 Jobs in Arkansas

LM Glasfiber plans to invest $150 million in a plant in Little Rock, Ark., to make fiberglass blades for power-generating wind turbines. The facility will also house a worker training center and the Denmark-based company’s North American headquarters, and will employ more than 1,000 people within five years. LM Glasfiber has blade-making plants in Grand Forks, N.D., and Gaspé, Quebec.

Aircraft Insulation Maker Will Expand Arkansas Plant

HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc. will spend $1.8 million to increase its aircraft insulation manufacturing operations in Arkadelphia, Ark., and expects to add 60 employees in the next five years. HITCO is a unit of the SGL Group.

Dassault to Double Size of its Little Rock Service Center

Dassault Aircraft Services, in mid-August, announced a $10 million expansion of its Little Rock Service Center, doubling the square footage by the end of next year and adding 100 employees over the next three years.

AT&T to Invest $28 Million in Arkansas

AT&T said it will invest more than $28 million in its Arkansas wireless network this year, including the addition of 21 cell sites. In the past three years, AT&T said it has spent more than $163 million to expand and improve its Arkansas wireless network.

Chemical Firm Employs 44 at $14 Million Arkansas Plant

Norphlet Chemical said, in early August, it was ready to begin producing R134A auto air-conditioning refrigerant at its new $14 million facility in Norphet, Ark., with a work force of 44.

Daisy Shutters Neosho, Mo., Plant, Operations Go to Arkansas

Daisy Outdoor Products Inc. plant in Neosho, Mo., with some 40 employees, will be closed by mid-August, and its operations moved to the BB-gun maker’s plant in Rogers, Ark., where it will add 60 to 70 more employees. The air-gun maker’s headquarters are also in Rogers.

Experian Increases Work Force at Arkansas Call Center

Experian, a Calif.-based firm providing credit reports and analysis online, said in August it would add 100 employees, increasing the workforce to 550 at its Van Buren, Ark., phone center. Opened in December 2006, the 52,000-square-foot center has 600 phone stations; it consolidated operations at two call centers in the Philippines that Experian closed.

FLORIDA

Insurance Company Hiring in Tampa

Citizens Property Insurance Corp., moved into its Tampa office in August and plans to hire at least 100 more employees. The company moved into Sabal Park and reported that up to 300 jobs could be created by the end of the year.

Pershing LLC Opens New Office in Orlando

Pershing LLC, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York, opened a new 67,000-square-foot office in Orlando during the summer. About 300 employees are expected to be hired by year-end. Pershing provides financial services to more than 1,100 institutional and retail financial organizations nationwide.

Wells Fargo Adding 150 Workers in Orlando

The Wells Fargo Auto Finance Center, which already employs about 550 in central Florida, is adding an additional 150 workers in the Orlando area. The new jobs will be in credit analysis and loan underwriting.

Manufacturer Adding Jobs in Orlando

Maronda Systems, a maker of wall and flooring products, is adding 115,000 square feet to its operations in metro Orlando. The deal will create about 30 new jobs.

Mitsubishi Power Systems Announces New Facility in Orlando

Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas (MPS) announced in the summer quarter that it is building a new turbine parts manufacturing facility in Orlando. The new facility will be located adjacent to the present MPS Orlando Service Center and will feature new center of excellence capabilities for combustion turbine blade and vane component manufacturing. The new facility will include a high efficiency generating system manufactured by Mitsubishi. The deal represents a $64.5 million investment.

UAIG Expands in Miami-Dade

The United Automobile Insurance Group (UAIG) made the decision in the summer quarter to expand its national headquarters operations in Miami-Dade County. UAIG considered relocating its HQ to Georgia or Illinois before deciding to remain and expand in Miami-Dade. Along with its current staff of 500, UAIG will hire 75 more employees in the expansion. The company will expand to a new 100,000-square-foot facility in an Enterprise Zone in Miami Gardens. The deal represents an investment of $16 million.

GEORGIA

Georgia Recruits another Chinese Manufacturer

Sany America, a Chinese company based in Changsha, announced in the late summer quarter that it is building a $30 million, 200-employee U.S. headquarters and assembly plant in Peachtree City, Ga. The company is a heavy construction equipment manufacturer. The deal is the third Chinese manufacturer to locate in Georgia in the last 14 months.

Applegate Insulation to Open Plant in Stephens County, Ga.

Michigan-based Applegate Insulation announced in late summer it is opening a new plant in Stephens County. The deal will create about 80 jobs with an investment of $4 million. The company is the largest privately-owned cellulose insulation manufacturer in the U.S.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Announces Distribution Center

It was a good month for Georgia in August. Dick’s Sporting Goods announced early that month that it is locating a new distribution center in East Point. The deal will create 484 jobs with an investment of $23 million.

Japanese-Based Yanmar Investing $20 Million

Yanmar America announced in August it is doubling the size of its Adairsville, Ga., plant, adding up to 200 jobs and investing $20 million. The company broke ground this summer on a 240,000-square-foot facility on 70 acres in Bartow County. The company already operates from a 220,000-square-foot facility there and the new complex will house Yanmar Marine, Yanmar Agriculture Machinery and the Yanmar Construction Equipment Group. The company supplies diesel engines and transmissions for the marine, industrial and agricultural vehicle sectors.

India-Based Firm to Create 500 to 1,000 Jobs in Atlanta

Wipro Technologies, a Bangalore, India-based technology conglomerate, announced in the summer quarter that it has chosen Atlanta for its first global software development center. Wipro chose Atlanta after considering over 600 U.S. locations. As of early September, the company had not chosen a location in Metro Atlanta, but its new facility is expected to house between 500 and 1,000 employees.

Quintiles Transnational to Create 400 Jobs in Marietta, Ga.

Pharmaceutical development company Quintiles Transnational Corp. said it is investing $19 million to move its global central laboratories in Smyrna, Ga., and clinical development services office in Atlanta to the former AT&T building in Marietta, Ga. The move will create 400 jobs over the next four years. For more information on the South's biotech industry, go to www.BioIndustrySouth.com

Beverage Company Expanding in Columbus

Birmingham-based Buffalo Rock Co., is expanding its beverage plant in Columbus. The company is adding 50 employees and investing $4.5 million, adding a new line capable of producing eight to 10 million more cases of product a year.

Bennett International Will Create 150 Jobs at New Georgia Plant

Bennett International Group said it plans to build a 62,500-square-foot factory in Tennille, Ga., for a new venture, Bennett Building Systems, which will manufacture and sell metal utility buildings. The $6.5 million plant will create more than 150 jobs. A global transportation company, Bennett International is one of the biggest privately held, woman-owned enterprises in the U.S.

Litton Loan Says ‘Goodbye’ Atlanta, ‘Hello’ Henry County, Ga.

Litton Loan Servicing plans to leave Atlanta in the fall when it opens a new, $14 million facility in McDonough, Ga., that will house disaster-recovery and customer-service call centers. The Houston-based mortgage servicing firm plans to add 100 more employees to 170 who are expected to move to McDonough from Atlanta. Litton is a unit of Credit-Based Asset Servicing and Securitization.

ERC Creating 300 New Jobs in Waycross, Ga.

Enhanced Recovery Corp., a national debt collections service provider, announced in mid-July that it will invest $5.5 million and create 300 new jobs in Waycross, which is located in South Georgia. The call center, which will be operational in the first quarter of 2008, will provide collection services for customers in the credit card, telecom and retail markets. The company plans to hire 150 in the first year and another 150 in the second year.

Food Company Expanding in Eastman, Ga.

Standard Functional Foods is adding 77 new jobs to its facility in Eastman. Standard Candy has been operating in Eastman for over 22 years and is best known as the maker of the GooGoo Cluster brand.

Precision Components Investing in $53M Expansion in Columbus

Precision Components, a supplier to the aerospace and medical industries, is expanding its Columbus, Ga., facility, adding about 100 jobs and investing $53 million. PCI produces forged and machined components. Much of its business centers on compressor airfoils for the gas turbine industry.

Two Companies Pick Harris County, Ga.

NorthWest Harris Business Park, a new industrial park in West Georgia, landed two deals over the summer. Harris County is located just eight miles from West Point, Ga., site of the new Kia assembly plant. Xpress Materials, LLC opening a new concrete plant. The company is investing $10 million and creating 45 new jobs initially in the park. IMS also chose a site in the park. The company is a manufacturer of pipe fittings and is investing $1 million and hiring about 20 workers.

KANSAS

Kimberly-Clark Picks Kansas for Big Distribution Center

Kimberly-Clark said it will open a 450,000-square-foot distribution center in Kansas City, Kan., at the New Century AirCenter, 20 miles from Kansas City, Mo.

KENTUCKY

Compass Airlines Building Center in Louisville

Compass Airlines announced in the late summer quarter that it is building an aircraft hanger and maintenance center at Louisville International Airport. The $10 million project will create about 70 new jobs. Compass currently serves four cities and flies the Embraer E-175 aircraft.

Plasticware Celebrates Grand Opening in Mount Vernon, Ky.

Plasticware, a producer of plastic deli containers, has acquired the former Alcoa Reynolds Food Packaging facility in Mount Vernon. Alcoa closed that plant on March 1. Plasticware is retaining 79 former Alcoa workers and later will rehire 112 and add 28 new employees. The deal represents an investment of $16 million.

Sub-Zero Wolf Is Building a Factory in Kentucky

The luxury appliance maker, Sub-Zero Wolf Inc., has chosen Richmond, Ky., for a $35.5 million factory that will create 100 jobs.

Wind Energy Chooses Morgantown, Ky., for Turbine Plant

Start-up Wind Energy Corp. will invest $6.1 million for a facility In Morgantown, Ky., for development, production, and sale of wind turbines, creating 260 jobs in the next five years. Wind Energy will hire 20 new employees at its Elizabethtown, Ky., headquarters. The firm is developing a turbine that can produce electricity with wind velocities as low as 4 mph.

Armstrong Coal to Reopen Ky. Mine, with 415 Jobs Initially

Armstrong Coal Co. said, in early August, it plans to resume coal production at the dormant Big Run underground mine in Ohio County, Ky., 30 miles south of Owensboro. The St. Louis, Mo.-based company estimated initial employment at 415, increasing to 923 at full production, which is expected in four years. The company said it will spend $60 million to ready the mine for operation. In papers filed with the state, Armstrong estimated the mine could produce 10 million tons of coal a year. Its plans include construction of preparation plants and mixing facilities and renovation of rail loading and barge loading facilities, plus laying a rail spur between them.

LOUISIANA

Faustina to Build $1.6 Billion Ammonia Plant in Louisiana

Faustina Hydrogen Products expects to start construction late in 2007, or early 2008, on a $1.6 billion ammonia plant, in St. James Parish, La. The facility will have the capability of producing 4,000 tons of anhydrous ammonia a day¬¬—and other products¬¬—using petroleum coke and high sulfur coal instead of more costly natural gas. The plant is expected to create 200 jobs when it starts operating in 2010. Faustina has agreements to sell ammonia output to two fertilizer producers: Mosaic Fertilizer and Agrium Inc. Faustina is a unit of U.S. Transcarbon, primarily owned by Green Rock Energy, which was formed by D.E. Shaw & Co. and investment bank Goldman, Sachs & Co. to invest in coal and petroleum coke gasification projects.

Green Manufacturing Plant to Open at Port of Shreveport-Bossier

Australia-based Pratt Industries, the world's largest privately-held paper and packaging company, is expanding and opening a Mill Division at the Port of Shreveport-Bossier. The mill, which is scheduled to begin operations in December of 2008, will recycle the fiber of old corrugated containers and mixed paper waste from large cities as the raw material for corrugated materials such as cardboard boxes. The new plant represents a $150 million investment and will house about 150 workers.

Era Helicopters Expands Lake Charles Facility

Era Helicopters has invested about $4 million towards a project that will include a new training facility, administration building, aircraft hanger, and the installation of the latest technology training simulators in Lake Charles, La. The site is located at the Lake Charles Airport and serves as the company’s headquarters. Era employs about 300 workers on the site.

Weatherford Announces Expansion and Relocation of Manufacturing Facility

Weatherford, a provider of mechanical solutions and technology for the oil and gas industry, announced in the summer quarter it plans to expand and relocate its Houma, La., manufacturing operation to a new site in Terrebonne Parish. The company is expanding into a new $45 million, 279,000-square-foot facility where it will manufacture primary cementation equipment. About 400 jobs will be retained and 50 new hires will be made.

Valentec Systems Announces Opening of Camp Minden Facility

Valentec Systems, a supplier of mission-critical ammunition, pyrotechnic and weapons systems, announced in the summer it has opened its new $1.6 million 40-millimeter energetic production facilities in Camp Minden, La. The new facility sits on 103 acres and totals 217,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The company will produce, among other products, infrared parachute flares for the U.S. Army beginning in January of 2008.

Baton Rouge Lands Staples Customer Service Center

Staples, the world’s largest office products company, announced in the summer quarter that it had picked Baton Rouge for a new customer service center for its North American delivery business. The center is expected to create more than 400 new jobs.

MARYLAND

New Headquarters for Audacious Inquiry

Audacious Inquiry, LLC, a boutique management and technology consulting firm will be opening a new headquarter facility in Howard County. The facility will be located in Howard County’s Center for Business and Technology Development.

MISSISSIPPI

GE Selects Batesville

General Electric Company will break ground this summer building a 200,000-square-foot facility. The new facility will specialize in jet engine components. GE plans to hire over 100 employees. GE Aviation is the subsidiary that is building the facility and it is expected to be operational in early 2009.

Max Home Announces Tishomingo County Operation

In the summer, Max Home LLC announced the location of a new custom upholstered furniture operation in Tishomingo County, Miss. The new operation will be located in a 96,000-square-foot industrial building in Iuka Industrial Park. The company will initially create 150 new jobs.

MISSOURI

MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. Selects Edwardsville

Idaho-based MWI Veterinary selected Edwardsville, Mo., in the summer quarter for its new Midwest distribution center. The 105,000-square-foot facility will employee 30.

T-Mobile Creating 650 New Jobs in Springfield

T-Mobile-USA announced a new call center in Springfield, Mo., over the summer. The deal represents an investment of $17.5 million by the cellular phone company. About 650 new jobs will be created.

NORTH CAROLINA

Honda Aero Lands in Alamance County

Honda Aero, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., will establish its headquarters and jet engine manufacturing operations at the Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport, including production of the engine of its new HondaJet. The relocation project will create 70 jobs during the next five years and an investment of $70 million. Honda Aero is moving its headquarters from Reston, Va. The deal will help support Honda Aircraft, which announced in February a $100 million project to build the HondaJet at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro.

Pratt Industries Will Expand Statesville, N.C., Plant

Pratt Industries plans to invest $33 million to expand its Statesville, N.C., corrugated cardboard facility. The Australia-based company will add 68 jobs, bringing its total Statesville work force to 170.

New Thieman Venture Will Add 44 Jobs at N.C. Facility

Thieman Metal Technologies, a contract metal fabricator, is investing $555,000 to create a new business, Revo Industries, within its existing Ellenboro, N.C., facility that will employ 44 people. Revo will powder coat, assemble and produce turn-key products for industrial and construction customers. Thieman currently employs about 70 people in North Carolina.

RSI Home Products’ Expansion in N.C. to Create 400 Jobs

RSI Home Products plans a $15 million, 350,000-square-foot addition to its manufacturing plant in Lincoln County, N.C., creating 400 jobs. RSI makes kitchen and bathroom cabinets and countertops; its customers include Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Aircraft Parts Company Will Bring 72 jobs to Kinston, N.C.

Commerce Overseas Corp., a California-based producer and supplier of military aircraft parts to customers in more than 50 countries, said it will invest $4.3 million to establish a manufacturing and distribution facility in Kinston, N.C., with 72 employees.

OKLAHOMA

STRC Expansion in Tulsa

Sinclair Tulsa Refining Company announced a major expansion of the West Tulsa Refinery. The expansion will allow a 60% increase in the daily output of gasoline and diesel. The expansion will also have a huge increase in full-time employees.

UniFirst Breaks Ground in Oklahoma City

The new 72,000-square-foot industrial laundry facility will be one of UniFirst’s largest facilities in North America. This new facility will create as many as 100 new jobs for the Oklahoma City area.

SOUTH CAROLINA

S.C. to Become Home to World's Largest Plastic Bottle Recycling Plant

In late summer, The Coca-Cola Company and United Resource Recovery Corp. (URRC) announced that they will build the world's largest food-grade plastic bottle to bottle recycling plant. The $50 million plant will be located in Spartanburg, S.C. and will produce approximately 100 million pounds of recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic for reuse each year, the equivalent of about two billion 20-ounce Coca-Cola bottles. The deal is expected to create about 100 jobs.

Specialty Ceramics Maker Picks Greer, S.C., for New Facilities

Advanced Composite Materials, LLC, a maker of ceramic composites, plans to spend about $18 million over the next five years to build a headquarters, lab and factory in Greer, S.C., that will create 21 jobs.

Pioneer Frozen Foods Announces Expansion in Newberry County

Pioneer Frozen Foods announced in the summer an $11.5 million expansion of its facilities in Newberry County, S.C. The expansion is the result of a new product the company will produce for McDonald's. The deal will create 25 new jobs.

Southern Milling & Lumber Locating New Facility

Southern Milling & Lumber is building a new manufacturing facility in Calhoun County. The new facility will cut lumber and manufacture wood pallets. The deal represents a $1.2 million investment and will result in 50 new jobs.

Elkay Cabinet Division to Locate in Barnwell County

The Elkay Cabinet Division is locating a new plant in Barnwell County, S.C. The cabinet manufacturer will invest over $12 million and expects to hire about 300 employees within two years.

Specialty Polymers Expands in Chester

Specialty Polymers announced in the summer quarter an expansion of its plant in Chester, S.C. The $3 million, 57-job expansion will include a new research and development center and additional warehouse space.

South Carolina Lands U. K. Aerospace Supplier’s Factory

Nasmyth Group, a global aerospace supplier based in the United Kingdom, will invest $15 million in its first plant and a North American headquarters in Newberry, S.C., which will employ 100 people. Nasmyth formed a new subsidiary, NPP Inc., to operate its U.S.-based manufacturing business. Nasmyth Group is a tier one supplier; its customers include Rolls Royce, Airbus, Raytheon and Boeing.

TENNESSEE

Verizon Wireless to Build $54 Million Regional HQ in Franklin, Tenn.

Verizon Wireless broke ground this summer on a $54 million regional headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., located in the Nashville metro. Verizon will hire 600 to 700 new employees at the state headquarters over the next three to five years to manage a variety of functions, including business services, sales, financial services, IT, human resources and network operations. About 500 current Verizon employees in the Nashville area will relocate to the new 180,000-square-foot complex, building capacity to over 1,300 when it is fully operational.

Eastman Chemical Will Invest $1.3 Billion in Tenn. Complex

Eastman Chemical Co., one of Tennessee’s largest industrial employers with 7,500 workers, said in July it plans to invest more than $1.3 billion over five years in its Kingsport, Tenn., operations. Plans are to spend $265 million in each of the next five years to upgrade technology, infrastructure, research and development, and production at the manufacturing complex in northeast Tennessee.

Tennessee to Get U.S.-Funded Biofuel Research Center

In the summer, the U.S. Energy Department announced that one of three bioenergy research centers it will create will be located in Tennessee. It will be led by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with participation by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia and Tennessee universities. The other centers will be located in Madison, Wis., and Berkeley, Calif. The Energy Department will provide $25 million in funding for each center for the next five years.

TEXAS

IndyMac Plans to add 195 Employees

IndyMac Bancorp Inc. is one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies. IndyMac has started the second phase of its expansion in Austin to add 195 new jobs.

PayPal in Austin

PayPal plans to employee as many as 300 over the next two years in Austin. The company leased a 37,000-square-foot office with the option to expand to 75,000-square-feet.

Gaylord Announces a $315 Million Expansion in Grapevine

Gaylord Entertainment Co. announced it will invest $315 in expanding the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine. When the expansion is complete, Gaylord will have 2,000 hotel rooms and 600,000-square-feet of convention and meeting space.

CytoGenix Begins Construction in Westchase

CytoGenix, Inc. broke ground on a 20,000-square-foot facility in Westchase. The company has invested $3.8 million for the new DNA manufacturing plant. CytoGenix will employee 200 scientists.

VIRGINIA

Ariake USA, Inc. Will invest $18 million in Harrisonburg

Ariake USA, Inc. plans to invest $18 million to expand its Harrisonburg manufacturing facility. Ariake USA, Inc. is one of the world’s largest providers of stocks, bouillons, and natural meat flavorings. The 58,000-square-foot expansion will create 25 new jobs.

Aerial Machine and Tool Corp. in Patrick County

Aerial Machine and Tool Corp. are investing $600,000 to expand its production capacity. The facility will manufacture precision-sewn and machined products for the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. The deal will create 75 new jobs.

The Hershey Company Investing $25 Million

The Hershey Company plans to invest $25 million to expand its facility in Augusta County. The expansion will create 150 new jobs for Augusta County.

IKEA Furniture Maker Hiring in Pittsylvania County

Swedwood North America, a furniture manufacturer and subsidiary of the retailer IKEA, is hiring at its new plant located in the Cane Creek Centre, an industrial park jointly developed by Pittsylvania County and the City of Danville, Va. Swedwood, which will produce furniture for IKEA home furnishing stores in North America, is expected to hire up to 740 people.

WEST VIRGINIA

AT&T Offers 200 New Jobs

AT&T announced in the summer that it will open an in-bound call center in Wheeling, W.V. AT&T plans to invest $8 million and offer 200 new jobs for the Wheeling community.

Weatherford Fracturing Hiring 65 in W.V.

Weatherford Fracturing Technologies is opening two facilities in West Virginia, one in Upshur County and the other in Mingo County. The company is investing about $68 million in the two deals that will result in about 65 new jobs.

QUIZ ANSWER

The answer is (b) and (c). The poultry processing industry and casinos led all industry sectors in the South in major employment deals announced in calendar year 1993, with 11 and 13 deals making the 1994 SB&D 100, respectively. Yep, things have changed in the region since 1993.