Relocations and Expansions

ALABAMA

Steel Pipe Plant Set for Mobile

Berg Steel Pipe Corp. has selected Mobile, Ala., as the site for its new spiral steel pipe manufacturing facility. The plant will locate on part of a former International Paper site. The project is expected to represent a $75 million investment and employ about 100 workers.

Company Announces Metal Recycling Center in Phenix City

In the late winter quarter, Blaze Recycling & Metals announced a $15 million metal recycling facility in Phenix City. The plant will house about 100 workers.

ER Solutions Opening Call Center in Montgomery, Ala., With 300 Employees

The ER Solutions Inc. unit of collections company Convergent Resources Inc. said it will open a call center in Montgomery, Ala., that will employ at least 300 people by year’s end.

Bank Merger Means 1,000 More Jobs in Birmingham

The merger announced last year between Alabama-based banks Regions Financial Corp. and AmSouth Bancorporation will result in about 1,000 newly created jobs for the bank in Birmingham over the next 18 months. The additional jobs will bring the total workforce for Regions Financial, the bank's new name, to around 6,300. At the same time, Regions is expected to cut about 3,700 jobs nationwide.

ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering’s $470 Million Deal With FedEx to Bring 200 Jobs to Mobile, Ala.

ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering has won a $470 million contract to convert 87 Boeing 757 jets to freighters that will create 200 new jobs at the Singapore Technologies Engineering unit’s Mobile, Ala., facility, which has 1,200 employees.

Infiniti Property & Casualty Consolidating to Birmingham

Birmingham-based Infiniti Property and Casualty announced in the Winter quarter it is consolidating several operations from around the country to a building in Birmingham's Liberty Park. The deal with result in about 500 new jobs.

Fabricator Locates in Andalusia

S.Q. Fabrication, a maker of metal products for a number of users but specifically for companies satisfying environmental regulations, is opening a facility in the south Alabama town of Andalusia. S.Q. plans to hire about 20 workers in the deal.

ARKANSAS

IPSCO Building New Plant in Arkansas

In late January, IPSCO announced it is building a $40 million tubular goods heat-treating facility next to its pipe plant in Blytheville, Ark. The new plant will increase the Illinois-based company's capacity to produce tubular products by 100,000 tons per year.

Fresenius Medical Care Will Bring 30 Jobs to Maumelle, Ark.

Waltham, Mass.-based Fresenius Medical Care North America, a supplier of products and services for patients with kidney failure, plans to open a new distribution center in Maumelle, Ark., that will create 30 jobs.

FLORIDA

Intuit Opening Support Center in Orlando

Intuit, producer of Turbo Tax and Quicken software has announced plans to open a customer support center in Orlando's top research park. The company will hire about 150 workers this year and 400 within the next two years.

Concrete Company Picks Haines City

South Carolina-based Metromont Corp., a producer of pre-stressed concrete, is building a plant in the central Florida market of Haines City. The deal will result in about 100 new jobs.

Sealy Mattress Plant in Orlando

The world's largest bedding manufacturer announced in the winter it is building a $15 million, 225,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Orlando. The expansion will add 20 jobs to the 220 workers already employed by Sealy in Orlando.

GEORGIA

Range Fuels Inc. Picks Treutlen Area for Georgia’s First Ethanol Plant using Wood Waste Feedstock

Colorado-based Range Fuels Inc. will build Georgia's first wood-based ethanol plant in Treutlen County, creating 69 jobs, Gov. Sonny Perdue announced. The new plant will be funded by Range Fuels’ owner, Khosla Ventures, a venture capital firm owned by Vinod Khosla, who is promoting cellulose-based ethanol production, which could use agricultural wastes, grasses, corn stalks, wood waste and municipal garbage as a feedstock. Most U.S. ethanol production uses corn or soy feedstock. Khosla was one the founding executives of Sun Microsystems.

Comcast Hiring 600 in Atlanta

Cable television provider Comcast announced in mid-January it is adding 600 new workers in the Atlanta area to its current work force of 2,100 there. The positions will be in sales, technology and account executive-related fields in the commercial business development division.

Delta Air Adding More Jobs at Augusta, Ga.

Delta Air Lines will add 25 new jobs at its Augusta, Ga., reservation center within the next month. Late last year the troubled-airline also added 25 employees at that facility.

Imperial Trailers Unit Chooses Eastman, Ga., for New Factory

High-Line Manufacturing said it will spend $1 million and hire more than 50 people at the facility, which will produce Black Iron Industrial Trailers. Production is expected to begin in April.

Saint Gobain Investing $4.2 Million to Increase Output at Covington, Ga., plant.

International glass products maker Saint Gobain Desjonqeres said it will spend $4.2 million to put a fourth production line in its Covington facility, creating 35 more jobs. The factory makes glass perfume bottles for Mary Kay, L’Oreal and Chanel.

KANSAS

Convergys Chooses Wichita

Ohio-based Convergys, an incredibly active oursourced customer care company, one that seems to turn deals every time the wind blows in the South, chose Wichita for its latest center. The deal will result in 600 new jobs in Wichita. 

Ranpak Expands

Ranpak, a producer of paper packaging materials, has invested about $1 million in a new facility in Kansas City, Kan. The deal will result in 21 new jobs.

Freightquote Adding Jobs in Lenexa

Freightquote.com, an online freight brokerage firm, is adding 115 jobs at its Lenexa, Kan., headquarters. The privately-held company expects revenues to rise to $440 million this year.

KENTUCKY

Convergys Creating 600 Jobs in Erlanger, Ky., and 550 in Longview, Texas

Convergys Corp. said it will open a new customer care center in Erlanger, Ky., with 600 employees, and another in Longview, Texas, with 550. The business services and consulting company said it expects the Kentucky facility to start up in the first quarter, and the one in Texas in the second quarter this year.

LOUISIANA

Lawdan Industries to Open Pipe and Steel Fabrication Plant in Louisiana

Lawdan Industries Inc., a unit of Corval Group, said it will operate a pipe and steel fabrication plant in Baton Rouge with a work force of about 80 in its first year of operation. Lawdan is spending $2 million to renovate a 65,000-square-foot plant and expects operations to begin in April. CorVal owns several commercial and industrial construction-related businesses, including the NewMech Companies. 

Celunol Breaks Ground

Cambridge, Mass.-based Celunol Corp., broke ground in the winter quarter on a new cellulosic ethanol production facility in Jennings, La. The project will produce ethanol for the automotive industry from agricultural residues.

Coast Guard to Build $17M Facility in New Orleans

On February 23, the Coast Guard Sector of New Orleans announced plans to build a $17 million facility in New Orleans. The New Orleans Coast Guard operation is the largest field unit in the U.S. The unit was responsible for more than 33,000 rescues in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The expansion will bring Coast Guard job totals to over 2,500 in the New Orleans region. 

MARYLAND

Merkle Hiring 500

Howard County, Md.-based Merkle announced in the winter quarter it is adding about 500 workers to its headquarters. The database marketing company is currently based in Lanham, Md., but will be moving into a new corporate campus in Columbia. The deal is worth about $65 million.

Cel-Sci Building Plant in Baltimore

Virginia-based biotech firm Cel-Sci, is building a $15 million plant in Baltimore to manufacture its first cancer drug. The 30,000-square-foot facility is expected to house about 40 workers.

MISSISSIPPI

Toyota Picks Northeast Mississippi

Toyota Motor Corp. announced it is building a $1.3 billion, 2000-employee SUV assembly plant in Northeast Mississippi, near Tupelo. The 1,700-acre core site is located in Blue Springs, Miss., which is about 20 miles from Tupelo proper. The Japanese automaker plans to begin production of the Highlander SUV model some time in 2010. Toyota will have an initial annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles. Operations at the plant will include stamping, plastics, body weld, paint operations and vehicle assembly. Mississippi economic development officials reported that the new assembly facility will provide 2,000 direct jobs, an estimated 2,000 parts supplier jobs in the Northeast Mississippi region and about 2,000 temporary construction jobs. Annual payroll is expected to be $328 million Toyota officials said.

MISSOURI

Tenet Adding Jobs in Missouri

Tenet Healthcare Corp., is adding about 180 new jobs at an operations center in St. Ann, Mo. The Dallas-based owner of hospitals throughout the South is increasing its patient financial services group.

Conklin Relocates HQ to Kansas City

Minnesota-based Conklin, a manufacturer of a variety of products, including those in the lubricant, agronomics, animal products, vehicle products and consumer products, is relocating its headquarters to Kansas City's Northland. The company will create 100 new jobs and plans to invest $11 million in a new 100,000-square-foot facility.

NORTH CAROLINA

Google Announces Huge Data Center in Lenoir, N.C.

Google, the California-based Internet search engine, announced in January it is investing $600 million in a new data center in Lenoir, N.C. The location is in Caldwell County, or about 70 miles northwest of Charlotte. The data center is one of the most expensive on record and will house about 210 workers when completed.

E85 Inc., Investing $200M in Fayetteville, N.C. Ethanol Plant

Seattle-based E85 announced in the winter quarter it is building a 100 million gallon per year ethanol plant in Fayetteville, N.C. The $200 million project is expected to employ about 50 workers once operational. The company expects to build 10 ethanol plants in the U.S. to produce the renewable motor fuel.

Charlotte Snares Deal

California-based Shutterfly, an online provider of digital photo services and products, announced in the early winter quarter that it will open a facility in Charlotte, N.C. that will employ 230 workers. The company also plans to employ as many as 800 part-time seasonal employees in Charlotte. Shutterfly will invest over $30 million in the deal.

Three Biotech Firms Sign on at N.C. Research Campus

N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis has signed Pelican Life Sciences as a tenant.  The company will establish a research and development center at the campus and will initially have about 10 scientists there.  Also, two other biotech firms recently announced decisions to locate at the campus.  GlycoMark and Onconix both announced that they would lease space in the first building, which is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in late 2007. For more information on the biotech industry in the South, turn to page 22 and BioIndustrySouth.com News or go to www.BioIndustrySouth.com.

Honda Aircraft Picks North Carolina's Piedmont Triad

On Friday, Honda Aircraft, a subsidiary of American Honda Motor Company, announced it is expanding its presence in Greensboro, N.C., by adding about 300 new jobs to assemble the new HondaJet. The Japanese company has been testing the jets at the Piedmont Triad International Airport since 2001.

BST Safety Textiles Will Employ 200 at Air-Bag Plant in Cordova, N.C.

The BST Safety Textiles division of Narricot Industries LP will invest $35 million and create 200 new jobs in the next three years to produce side-curtain air bags in a facility owned by International Textiles Group in Cordova. Both companies are owned by the investor group W.L. Ross & Co., but are independent of each other. Narricot is a leading maker of fabrics for automotive seat belts and air bags.

Sony Ericsson Hiring 100 at Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson­––citing increasing sales of its Walkman and Cyber-shot camera phones––plans to add 100 employees at its North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park. A joint venture of Sweden’s LM Ericsson and Japan’s Sony, the London-based company’s phone sales shot up 47 percent last year.

NYPRO is Building $6.5 Million Factory in Mebane, N.C.
Nypro Carolina said it will invest $6.5 million to move production from Graham, N.C., to a bigger plant the company will build in Mebane. The new factory will have about 145 workers, 60 more than the Graham plant. The Carolina division of Clinton, Mass.-based Nypro Inc., supplies plastic components for consumer electronics, healthcare, packaging and the automotive industries.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Capsugel $17M Expansion to Add 45 Jobs in Greenwood County

Following close on the heels of a 2006 expansion to its Licaps manufacturing center in Greenwood, S.C., and a state-of-the-art Formulation Center at SC Bio in the Greenwood Genetics Center, Capsugel has announced a $17 million investment in its North Emerald campus that will add 45 new jobs. The Licaps process fills and seals liquid in a hard shell for use in the sports nutrition and Neutraceutical markets.

Metal Fabricator Expands in Sumter

G&G Metal Fabrication has expanded to a 33,000-square-foot facility in Sumter, S.C. The company produces and assembles parts used in vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances.

Carolina Metal Finishing Will Bring 40 New Jobs to Bishopville, S.C.
Carolina Metal Finishing said it will spend $800,000 to transform the former National Guard Armory in Bishopville, S.C., into a manufacturing facility with 40 employees. The Paramount Metal Finishing subsidiary applies specialty powder coatings and paints on metal and plastic components for a variety of equipment makers.

Paper Plant Opening in Laurens County

Florida-based Sun Paper Co., announced in the Winter quarter it is opening a new facility in Laurens County. The new plant will employ initially about 40 workers.

Cytec Industries Plans $150 Million Project, Adding 225 Jobs at Its Greenville, S.C., Facility

Cytec Industries said it plans to invest $150 million to double output and add about 225 jobs at the company’s Greenville, S.C., carbon-fiber manufacturing location. Last year, Cytec completed upgrading its existing carbon fiber plant, increasing capacity by 33 percent and creating 60 more jobs. Construction of the new factory, to be built next to the existing one, is expected to begin next year, with production to start early in 2010.

TENNESSEE

Kirkland’s Creating 55 jobs in Nashville, Tenn.

Home décor retailer Kirkland's, Inc. said the new satellite office it plans to open in Nashville, Tenn., will have about 55 employees. The new office will house the company’s merchandising, marketing, store operations and real estate employees and some senior management. Kirkland’s, which operates 350 stores in 37 states, said some 300 employees will remain in its Jackson, Tenn., headquarters.

Chicago Container Manufacturer Picks Memphis

In the early winter quarter, Liquid Container/Plaxicon leased a 150,000-square-foot facility in Memphis to produce plastic packaging and containers. The Chicago-based company is investing $16.5 million in the deal and creating about 40 new jobs.

Hydroponics Grower to invest $40 million, Add 300 Jobs in Overton County, Tenn.

 HydroSerre Mirabel’s Hydroserre Tennessee unit picked Overton, Tenn., for the site of a $40 million hydroponics growing facility that will employ nearly 300 people. Quebec-based Hydroserre grows specialty lettuce and greens in water instead of soil using proprietary growing methods that, it says, produced 16 to 18 crops a year.

TEXAS

Comerica Relocates HQ from Detroit to Dallas

Comerica Bank, announced in March it is relocating its headquarters from Detroit, Mich., to Dallas. The move is expected to create more than 170 jobs in the Dallas area.

Wachovia Plans to Add 1,000 Jobs in Texas This Year and Next

 As part of its planned expansion in Texas, Wachovia Bank said it will create 300 new jobs at its 24-hour telephone service center, in San Antonio, and expects to add 1,000 new employees a year in the state through 2008. Over the next two years, the main operating unit of Charlotte, N.C.-based Wachovia Corp. plans to open 50 more banking outlets in Texas, where it already has 160.

Giant CitiCorp Data Center Going Up in Texas

New York-based Citicorp Inc., is the latest in a long line of financial services companies to break ground in the last three years or so on incredibly expensive data centers in the South. Citicorp plans to build a $450 million, 50-employee, high-security data center in Georgetown, Tex., located in the Austin-Round Rock metro. Wachovia in Birmingham, Lowe's and Microsoft in San Antonio and many other major corporations have built similar data centers in the region over the last three years.

Call Center Opening in Carrollton, Tex.

PRC announced in the winter it is opening a new call center in Carrollton. The Florida company, which provides outsourced customer management, will hire about 530 workers at the center.

Fluor Undergoing Large Expansion in Houston Area

Fluor, the massive Irving, Tex.-based engineering, construction and consulting firm, announced in the winter quarter it is leasing almost 200,000 square feet of office space in Sugar Land, Tex., located in the Houston metro. The expansion will result in about 1,000 new employees in Sugar Land.

VIRGINIA

Criticon Investing $115 Million Data Center in Harrisonburg

Criticon, a data processing and preparation host, is investing $115 million to open a 150,000-square-foot, co-location data storage center in the city of Harrisonburg. The project will create 25 new jobs.

Two Headquarters Expansions—Dollar Tree Stores and Init Innovations—Will Bring Over 100 Jobs to Chesapeake, Va.  

A 75,000-square-foot addition to Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.’s 120,000-square-foot headquarters, in Chesapeake, Va., will create 100 jobs. The nation’s largest dollar discount variety store chain said it expects to invest more than $12 million in the new facility, which will include office space, a new data center, regional training facilities and an auditorium.

INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc. plans a $500,000 expansion for its Chesapeake, Va., headquarters that will add 13 jobs. Init is a unit of the German company, INIT Innovations in Traffic Systems, AG, a leading developer and maker of intelligent transportation and electronic fare collection systems for public transportation.

Quality Culvert Inc. Will Create 50 Jobs at New Plant in Virginia

 Florida-based Quality Culvert Inc. will invest $6.8 million to build a 58,000-square-foot plastic-pipe factory in Greensville County, Va., that will employ 50.

WEST VIRGINIA

Weatherford Plans $68M, 160-Job Expansion in West Virginia

Houston-based Weatherford International has announced a $68 million, 160-job expansion at three sites in West Virginia. The company will provide pumping services to natural gas and oil wells.

Northrup Grumman Boosting Jobs in Fairmont, W. Va.

 McLean, Va.-based Northrup Grumman Corp. said recently its NEW BOLD Enterprises, Inc. Fairmont, W. Va. facility, will add the majority of 50 new jobs Grumman will need to support a recently announced $75 million Department Defense contract for work on an integrated military and civilian biometric identification system. NEW-BOLD is one of several firms working with Northrup Grumman on the contract.