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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Georgia: Your Formula for Success

Georgia has the perfect environment for automotive businesses looking to relocate or expand.

Automotive Site Guide 2008
Don't just take our word for it. In 2006, Kia Motors announced its first U.S. plant in West Point, Georgia, with plans to hire 2,500 workers. Since then, numerous Kia suppliers and automotive companies have located in the state, creating more than 4,000 jobs across Georgia. With Volkswagen's decision to locate in Chattanooga, Northwest Georgia is ideally situated for automotive suppliers. And numerous automotive companies are already located here, such as Honda Precision Parts, Nissin Brake, and Toyo Tire.

Georgia's transportation network is unparalleled. With its central location in the Southeast, companies can reach 80 percent of the U.S. market in a two-hour flight or two-day truck haul. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is consistently the world's busiest. It's also a key cargo station, shipping more than 738,000 tons of goods each year.

The state boasts an excellent highway network, with five interstates and an extensive complement of state and federal roads. Georgia has the strongest rail network of any southeastern state, with 4,700 miles of rail. Georgia's ports are also a standout: the Port of Savannah is the fastest-growing in the United States and second-busiest on the East Coast; the Port of Brunswick continues to grow its automotive business; and Georgia's inland port terminals provide even more transportation options.

In this increasingly global economy, it's important to note that Georgia has the right connections for international businesses. More than 60 countries have consular, trade, or bi-national chambers of commerce in the state. Brazil, one of the most important trade partners in the Americas, recently opened a consulate in Atlanta. Georgia has 10 offices across the globe, including the new Beijing business center. Its international partners have no trouble reaching Georgia either: Hartsfield-Jackson adds more direct international flights each year, with Shanghai and Mumbai among the latest.

Offering a well-trained work force is another way that Georgia stands out from the crowd. Its Quick Start employee training program has consistently earned top rankings from trade publications and industry watchers. Quick Start provides customized training at no cost to the employer - an incalculable benefit to thousands of relocating and expanding companies.

Georgia's higher education facilities - from its extensive technical college system up to its prestigious research universities - mean that a well-educated work force is a given. In addition, the HOPE Scholarship program provides free tuition to the state's top scholars, putting a top-quality education within their reach.

Finally, Georgia has long fostered a business-friendly environment. Forbes magazine recently ranked Georgia as the fifth-best state for business. Our lower tax rates combined with a below-average cost of doing business mean you can do more with less in Georgia. Our competitive array of business incentives, from corporate tax credits to the training available through Quick Start and the Intellectual Capital Partnership Program, put Georgia in a class of its own.

Georgia Department of Economic Development
75 Fifth St. N.W., Suite 1200
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: 404-962-4122
www.georgia.org/manufacturing

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