ALABAMA

FBI relocating 1,350 jobs to Huntsville, Ala.
In the fall quarter, the FBI announced a major expansion of its operations at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. The agency, which has a significant presence in Huntsville, is moving 1,350 jobs from the Washington, D.C., area. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said that the FBI expansion in Huntsville could mean as many as 5,000 jobs. Shown here, students help Miami Police Department Detective Robert Rodriguez don a bomb suit before investigating a simulated threat at the FBI’s Hazardous Devices School located at Redstone Arsenal, which plays a key role in training and certifying all of the nation’s public safety bomb technicians.

Airbus begins another assembly line at Mobile complex
Airbus has begun construction to expand its Mobile, Ala., operations to accommodate A320 aircraft and A220 production. A new A220 aircraft assembly building will be located adjacent to Airbus' A320 family production lines. The A220 program was formed by a partnership between France-based Airbus and Canada-based Bombardier. The expansion will create hundreds of jobs.

Shaw Industries investing $250 million in Alabama carpet plant
Dalton, Ga.-based Shaw Industries announced in December that it will invest $250 million in its Andalusia, Ala., carpet plant. The investment includes technology upgrades and new equipment.

New saw mill for Alabama
Great Southern Wood is spending $40 million to convert an existing facility into a sawmill in Abbeville, Ala. The project will create 100 jobs.

Westervelt to build new lumber mill in Alabama
Tuscaloosa-based Westervelt announced it will build a new lumber mill in Thomasville, Ala. The new mill, which will house 125 workers, will be capable of producing 250 million board feet of lumber each year.

 

ARKANSAS

Racetrack plans $100 million expansion in Hot Springs, Ark.
Less than two weeks after voters approved casino gambling in Arkansas, Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs announced a $100 million expansion that will include a 200-room hotel, a 14,000-square-foot event center and 28,000 square feet of new gaming space. The project did not receive any state or local incentives.

 

Pinnacle Foods expands Arkansas facilities
Pinnacle Foods, a packaged foods company, opened its 164,000-square-foot warehouse, which is connected to its manufacturing building on the southern side of Fayetteville, Ark. Fayetteville is the company’s frozen meal hub, producing products such as EVOL and Hungry Man as well as Swanson pot pies.

Gun maker expands Arkansas facility
A high-end gun manufacturer has announced an expansion of its three-year-old northwest Arkansas manufacturing facility, investing more than $750,000 in a new building and equipment. Nighthawk Custom, a manufacturer of custom firearms and other tactical weapons, is expanding its $1.25 million Berryville facility after receiving $125,000 in state grants for equipment.

 

FLORIDA

Lockheed Martin to add 750 jobs in Orlando, Fla.
In November, Lockheed Martin’s Orlando unit won two major defense contracts — one for 50 long-range anti-ship missiles (shown here) and another for the next generation F-35 fighter jet. The project will create 750 jobs.

Harris Corp. investing $125 million in R&D in Florida
The Melbourne-based Harris Corp. plans to invest more than $125 million in its research and development facilities in Florida. Harris’ Florida-based R&D includes electronic warfare, robotics, avionics and small satellites.

Bombardier to open Florida facility with 300 employees
Aerospace giant Bombardier will open a new facility at Miami-Opa Locka Airport that will eventually host 300 jobs. The company announced it would build a 300,000-square-foot facility for a service center and mobile response team, which responds to the needs of jet operators around the world.

Siemens and Chromalloy open Florida manufacturing facility
Siemens and Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation celebrated the grand opening of their new joint venture, Advanced Airfoil Components, in Hillsborough County, Fla. The 210,000-square-foot casting facility represents a capital investment of $139 million and will create 350 jobs in the Tampa Bay area.

Eastern Shipbuilding bringing thousands of jobs to the panhandle
Eastern Shipbuilding announced recently the approval to build its first U.S. Coast Guard cutter and begin work on the second cutter in Bay County, Fla. Construction will begin early next year and will take about three years to complete the first vessel.

Publix to grow headcount by 700 in Lakeland
Publix is planning a major expansion of its Lakeland headquarters, meaning 700 new corporate jobs. Publix is approved to receive a qualified target industry refund through the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity if it adds 700 jobs and invests $25 million in capital improvements,.

 

GEORGIA

It's official: Norfolk Southern relocating HQ to Atlanta
In December, officials at Norfolk Southern formally announced that it plans to relocate its headquarters from Virginia to Atlanta. The railroad is Atlanta's 21st Fortune 500 headquarters. Norfolk Southern will purchase land on West Peachtree Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue to develop a $575 million office campus. The company plans to create or relocate 850 jobs as part of the move. Norfolk Southern already employs 2,000 employees in Atlanta.

Wayfair to hire 1,000 in Savannah
Online retailer Wayfair is opening a 1.1 million-square-foot warehouse in Chatham County, Ga. The $45 million project will create 1,000 jobs.

BlackRock to open 1,000-job tech hub in Atlanta
New York-based investment firm, BlackRock, has announced plans to open a new innovation center in Atlanta, where it expects to locate about 1,000 jobs over the next several years. The company manages more than $6.4 trillion worth of assets for clients around the world.

Atlanta company investing $350 million in Georgia paper mill
Atlanta-based Graphic Packaging announced in the fall it will invest $350 million at its 60-year-old paper mill in Augusta, Ga. The company makes bleached paperboard at the plant that houses 750 workers.

Salesforce.com’s 600-job expansion in Atlanta
Salesforce.com’s expansion is projected to double its current Atlanta workforce. According to documents from Invest Atlanta (the city’s economic development arm), the expansion will create 600 jobs with an average annual wage of $90,000, and involve a private investment of $283.5 million. The San Francisco-based software provider evaluated other states before deciding to expand at the 34-story Buckhead office tower formerly known as Atlanta Plaza.

Floor & Decor will create 500 new jobs in Cobb County, Ga.
Floor & Decor, a specialty retailer of hard surface flooring and related accessories, will create 500 jobs over five years in the expansion and relocation of its headquarters in Atlanta. New jobs will include administrative and customer service positions.

 

KENTUCKY

Sister Schubert expands in Hart County, Ky.
Sister Schubert’s, a major producer of frozen dinner rolls, has announced a $50 million phase I expansion of its manufacturing operation in Hart County expected to create 72 full-time jobs.

Heaven Hill investing $65 million in Bardstown
Heaven Hill Distilleries is investing $65 million to renovate and expand its Bourbon Heritage Center, a visitors facility in Bardstown. The company will also expand its bourbon capacity in Bardstown.

Diageo to build $130 million distillery in Kentucky
Diageo, one of the largest alcoholic beverage companies in the world, announced in the fall it will build a new $130 million distillery in Lebanon, Ky. The project will create 30 jobs.

New harness racing track to open in Kentucky
A partnership between Churchill Downs and Keeneland Association will build a $150 million harness racing track in Oak Grove, Ky., near the Tennessee border. The project is expected to create 400 jobs.

GE Appliances plans $200 million investment and 400 jobs in Louisville
GE Appliances, a Haier company, announced it will create 400 new jobs with a $200 million investment in its laundry and dishwasher production facilities in
Louisville.

Chinese company bringing jobs to Kentucky
A Chinese company says it will buy a shuttered western Kentucky paper mill and reopen it by the end of this year. Global Win Wickliffe will purchase the former Verso Corp. mill in Ballard County. The company plans to invest $150 million and hire 500 people to produce pulp and brown paper packaging.

McCreary County (one of the nation’s poorest) to get 350 jobs
The U.S. Army has selected Fibrotex USA, in partnership with Outdoor Ventures Corporation, to produce next-generation state-of-the-art camouflage netting for the military during the next 10 years in Stearns, Ky.

 

LOUISIANA

Billion-dollar joint venture expands diesel facility in Norco, La.
Darling Ingredients will invest $1.1 billion to expand the Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco. The expansion will increase the facility’s production capacity of renewable diesel by an additional 400 million gallons to a total nameplate annual capacity of 675 million gallons.

 

GE expanding wind energy at Michoud site in New Orleans
Denmark-based LM Wind Power, a subsidiary of GE, is bringing a wind turbine testing center to the NASA Michoud complex in New Orleans. The expansion includes hiring 100 people and converting an existing building on the campus that was most recently used as a movie sound stage.

Manufacturer to land in Louisiana
VEGA Americas, a manufacturer of materials for other manufacturers, is building a new plant in Ascension Parish. The German company will invest over $22 million and create 120 jobs in the deal.

Company hiring 120 in rural Louisiana
Catamaran Solutions will open an industrial fabrication center in Minden, La. The project will create 120 jobs. The company plans to provide construction and maintenance services to industrial clients across North and South America.

Lake Charles celebrates Chennault’s rehab
Louisiana’s governor was on hand to celebrate the completion of $18 million in major infrastructure improvements — runway, runway lighting and taxiway rehab projects — at Chennault International Airport.

 

MISSISSIPPI

Ingalls’ $5 billion contract means jobs for Pascagoula, Miss.
Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula will build six destroyers over the next five years for the U.S. Navy under a contract valued at more than $5 billion. Ingalls has also been awarded a $48.5 million contract modification for repairs, restoration and modernization of the USS Fitzgerald. The Navy ship was brought to Pascagoula to be repaired after a collision with a container ship off the coast of Japan. The Pascagoula shipyard, which is the biggest employer in Mississippi, will produce six Arleigh Burke-class DDG-51 Flight III destroyers, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer told members of the Mississippi congressional delegation.

Furniture manufacturer is opening new facility in Mississippi
Sutter Street Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma, is opening a new facility to make upholstered furniture in Baldwyn, Miss. The project will create 350 jobs.

DMC Power to create 125 jobs in Mississippi
California-based DMC Power, a manufacturer of connection systems for distribution and transmission of electric power, is expanding its facilities in Olive Branch, Miss. The company is investing $8 million and adding 125 jobs.

Ajinomoto Foods expands Mississippi operations
Ajinomoto Foods North America is expanding its existing operations in Oakland, Miss. The company plans to invest $22 million and add 76 to its existing workforce of 400 to manufacture specialty frozen foods.

B&B Electric breaks ground on HQ; 300 jobs to Madison County
B&B Electrical and Utility Contractors is breaking ground on its new headquarters in Canton, investing $6.5 million. The family-owned company has been in continuous operation since 1982.

Sephora opens distribution hub in Olive Branch
The beauty retailer Sephora officially opened a new 720,000-square-foot distribution facility in Olive Branch. The project is expected to provide an estimated 400 jobs in DeSoto County. Sephora currently employs more than 220 workers at its facility.

 

MISSOURI

Joplin plant expansion underway
A ball bearing manufacturer that has been in Joplin nearly 50 years will invest $56 million in a plant expansion. Schaeffler Group USA has already started to bring in some of the new equipment it plans to install at its plant.

Quaker Window Products expands in Missouri
Quaker Window Products plans to expand its current operations to a new location in Eldon, Mo. The company will invest as much as $65 million during the next six to 10 years as the new campus is expanded. This phased plan is also expected to create 300 new full-time jobs for the
region.

Alorica plans to expand in Missouri
Alorica’s Joplin call center has announced plans to nearly double its local workforce. The company hopes to begin hiring 625 full-time, customer-service employees.

American Outdoor Brands facility nearly complete in Columbia
American Outdoor Brands, formerly Smith and Wesson Holding Corp., which manufactures and distributes firearms and outdoor equipment, will open a 632,000-square-foot distribution facility in December. The center will create 154 jobs in the first three years and 328 jobs long term.

 

NORTH CAROLINA

Flu vaccine maker to expand North Carolina plant
Seqirus, a maker of cell-based flu vaccines, is adding dose capacity at its plant in Holly Springs, N.C. The company is investing $140 million into the facility and adding 120 jobs.

Honeywell relocates HQ to Charlotte
Honeywell is relocating its headquarters from Morris Plains, N.J., to Charlotte, N.C. The announcement means about 500 jobs will be created in Charlotte. The company is also relocating its Safety and Productivity Solutions division from South Carolina to Charlotte. About 100 positions will relocate in that move.

LendingTree is expanding its Charlotte area HQ
LendingTree, an online loan marketplace, is expanding its headquarters in the Charlotte metro. The financial services company will add 436 jobs.

Tech company to hire 600 in downtown Raleigh
Homegrown tech firm Pendo, which currently employs 171 people in downtown Raleigh, N.C., will hire 590 more. The company will invest $34 million in the deal.

Publix to build $300 million distribution center
Publix Super Markets will create up to 1,000 jobs by 2025 and invest up to $300 million in a new refrigerated distribution center in Greensboro. The facility will be completed by the end of 2022 and is part of a multiphase project.

Medical manufacturer moving HQ to Forsyth County
Gant Medical, a manufacturer of medical products, is moving its North American headquarters to Forsyth County and bringing more than 100 jobs. Robert Long, vice president of economic development with the chamber, said, “We have similarly situated companies nearby, so there is a talent pool of qualified candidates for key positions that will ensure this product’s success.”

Egger begins construction on $700 million North Carolina Triad facility
Austria-based EGGER, a wood-based materials supplier for the furniture, construction and flooring industries, has broken ground on its $700 million Davidson County facility where it will potentially create 770 jobs over 15 years.

New factory bringing 384 jobs to Roxboro
POLYWOOD, a manufacturer of outdoor furniture made from recycled plastics, will create 384 jobs over the next five years in Person County, N.C. The company will invest $35 million in a new facility there.

 

OKLAHOMA

Defense contractor to add 130 jobs in OKC
Booz Allen Hamilton, an international technology consulting company, is set to add 130 new jobs at its downtown Oklahoma City operation and at Tinker Air Force Base. The company already employs 90 people there.

Rural Sourcing to bring 150 tech jobs to Oklahoma City
Rural Sourcing, a provider of IT outsourcing services, will open its fifth development center in Oklahoma City. The center will create 150 software development jobs, and means a $7 million investment in the first year.

Whirlpool announces $55 million expansion in Tulsa
Whirlpool is planning a $55 million expansion in Tulsa that will add 150 manufacturing jobs. A new distribution center will be built adjacent to the appliance company’s existing plant in Cherokee Industrial Park.

Meat snack plant means jobs for Marshall County, Okla.
Stryve Biltong will bring more than 100 jobs to the area in a building that once housed a peanut processing facility. “Biltong” is a process of air-drying meat that originated in South Africa. The product is similar to jerky, but has more protein, less sugar and lower fat. Stryve plans to source some of its meat from local farmers and tribes, as well as hire up to 150 employees.

 

SOUTH CAROLINA

Ritedose opens new facility at Midlands Technical College
The Ritedose Corp. has opened a 150,000-square-foot facility on the campus of Midlands Technical College in West Columbia, S.C. The facility is the anchor tenant on MTC’s Enterprise Campus, a 130-acre industrial park that offers office and industrial space ranging from five to 40 acres. Companies will be able to train and hire MTC students who have developed technical skills tailored to their organizations. The new operations mark the first expansion for Ritedose, a blow-fill-seal manufacturer headquartered in Columbia that specializes in the production of inhalation products, eye drops, ear drops and oral liquids.

Chinese memory foam manufacturer to bring 250 jobs to South Carolina
Healthcare U.S. Co., a Chinese mattress manufacturer, is locating a plant at the former Mack Truck and Guardian building in Winnsboro, S.C. The $45 million project will create 250 jobs.

Metal fabricator to locate new South Carolina plant
W International, a manufacturer of large, complex welded metal fabrications, is locating a new $35 million plant in Berkeley County, S.C. The deal will create 600 jobs. 

RoundPoint HQ to create 1,100 jobs in South Carolina
RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corp. is bringing an estimated 1,100 jobs to South Carolina with the construction of a new headquarters building in Fort Mill. The company broke ground recently on the planned headquarters building, projected to cost $34 million.

Massive $200 million Swiss Krono expansion in South Carolina
More than $45 million in tax credits will go toward funding a 250,000-square-foot, $200 million expansion of Swiss Krono’s plant in Barnwell, S.C. Swiss Krono is one of the world’s leading producers of engineered wood.

Forty new jobs heading to Aiken County
Green Energy Biofuel is putting up a new recycling facility in Aiken County. The alternative fuels company, which refines and recycles used cooking oil and other food products, will locate the new facility in Warrenville.

Columbia to get 750 jobs
As a result of its decision to cease operations at its plant in Macon, Ga., by the end of the year and in Lexington, Ky., by the end of 2019, Ingersoll Rand, an HVAC manufacturer, will hire 750 new employees for its facility in Columbia.

 

TENNESSEE

Amazon picks Nashville for Tennessee's largest jobs announcement in history
Amazon's announcement in November that it would bring a new operations hub to Nashville wasn't the HQ2 that landed in Virginia and New York. But at 5,000 jobs, it's the largest single deal ever announced in Tennessee. The $230 million project will be located in Nashville Yards, a new commercial site under construction between Church Street and Broadway near Interstate 40. Amazon will receive an incentive package that will total $102 million.

Amazon hiring 1,500 in Memphis
Amazon is planning to hire more than 1,500 employees. Of those, about 800 are being hired at a new receiving center. The other 700 will be hired to work at Amazon's sortation center in Southeast Memphis.

Portobello picks Tennessee for first U.S. facility
Brazil-based Portobello, a ceramic tile manufacturer, is investing $150 million to establish its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing plant in Baxter, Tenn. Portobello is Brazil's largest manufacturer and will create 220 jobs in the deal.

Agriculture technology startup to create 700 jobs in downtown Memphis
Indigo Ag, a startup that uses plant microbes and digital technology to promote crop health and productivity, is investing $6.6 million in downtown Memphis. The deal will create 700 new jobs.

Mars Candy investing $142 million in Tennessee facility
Wrigley Mars is investing $142 million in its facility Bradley County, Tenn., to make M&M's newest product, Hazelnut Spread. The company, which has operated the plant in Cleveland for 40 years, will add 75 workers.

Ernst & Young to invest $22 million, create 600 jobs in Nashville
Global professional services firm Ernst & Young is investing $22.7 million in Nashville with the creation of a new technology hub. The investment is expected to create more than 600 jobs over the next five years, including 200 technology and 400 tax delivery professionals.

Mimeo relocating headquarters from New Jersey to Memphis
Mimeo, a leading on-demand digital printer that can deliver documents overnight, is relocating its headquarters to Memphis. The company already has a distribution center there that houses about 400 workers. The new headquarters will create about 300 new jobs.

FreightWaves will create 260 jobs in Tennessee expansion
FreightWaves will invest $3.9 million to expand its operations in Chattanooga. The transportation and logistics data and content provider will create 260 new jobs in Hamilton County.

 

TEXAS

Apple will build new $1 billion campus in Austin creating 5,000 jobs
Apple announced it will build a new campus on a 133-acre site in North Austin. The company is investing $1 billion in the facility and will hire 5,000 initially. The campus is being built to accommodate as many as 15,000 workers. Apple already has a campus in Austin about one mile away from the site of the new campus where over 6,000 workers are housed.

Amazon to build new regional air hub at Fort Worth's Alliance Airport
Amazon is on the move again. It will build a regional air hub at the Alliance Airport in Fort Worth. FedEx also operates a hub at Alliance. The Amazon project is expected to create hundreds of jobs.

Samsung expands its Austin operations again
Samsung Austin Semiconductor will expand again in the Texas city. The company is investing $291 million and retaining 500 jobs.

McKesson to relocate HQ to Las Colinas, Texas
McKesson, a provider of healthcare supply chain management solutions, is relocating its global headquarters from San Francisco to Las Colinas. McKesson joins several companies that have relocated their headquarters from California, including Toyota, Kubota Tractor and Charles Schwab Corp.

PGA of America is relocating its headquarters to Frisco, Texas
The PGA of America is relocating its headquarters from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., to Frisco, Texas. The $500 million deal includes a 100,000-square-foot headquarters and two 18-hole championship courses, along with a new resort. Also, multiple PGA of America-hosted championships will be played at the new courses.

Okin BPS bringing 1,400 new jobs to San Antonio
San Antonio will be the new U.S. headquarters for a Czech Republic-based company that provides business processing services, bringing more than 1,400 jobs to the city and a $23 million investment. More than half the positions at the new Okin BPS headquarters will pay over $50,000 a year.

Tech company coming to San Marcos, Texas
A new technology company will bring 542 full-time jobs to San Marcos as part of a $110 million incentive agreement with the City Council. Katerra, an advanced technology-driven company providing services including architecture, engineering, and construction management, will establish an automated building component manufacturing and distribution facility in San Marcos.

Mary Kay bringing 700 jobs to Lewisville, Texas
May Kay’s new $125 million manufacturing and R&D facility in Lewisville will put all of the company’s North Texas operations under one roof, and allow the beauty industry leader to add jobs. About 500 employees will move from the company’s longtime facility on Regal Row in Dallas. More will be shifted from company headquarters in Addison.

Dallas area lands two more Amazon hubs
It looks like the digital retailing giant has targeted the Dallas-Fort Worth area for one of its largest concentrations of distribution facilities in the nation. Amazon is expanding its warehousing operations with two huge fulfillment centers — one in West Dallas and another in southern Dallas County. The Dallas City Council recently voted to give the Seattle-based Internet retailer about $2 million in incentives to build a $100 million distribution center in West Dallas that is expected to create 1,500 new jobs.

 

VIRGINIA

Amazon picks Northern Virginia and New York City for HQ2s
In the fall quarter, the largest single project by job generation in the South’s history landed in Arlington County, Va., in the D.C. metro. It was half of Amazon’s HQ2 project. The other location is in the neighborhood of Queens in New York City. In a statement, CEO Jeff Bezos said, “These two locations will allow us to attract world-class talent that will help us to continue inventing for customers for years to come.” Both locations will see 25,000 jobs created and $2.5 billion in investment in the deals.

Facebook to invest $1 billion in Virginia data center
Facebook will bring more than $1 billion of investment to Virginia. The social media giant is directly investing $750 million to establish a 970,000-square-foot data center in the White Oak Technology Park in Henrico County. In addition, due to a new renewable energy tariff designed by Dominion Energy Virginia and Facebook, hundreds of millions of dollars will be invested in the construction of multiple solar facilities in the Commonwealth to service Facebook’s Henrico Data Center with 100 percent renewable energy.

KPMG to create 500 jobs with move to Tysons, Va.
KPMG plans to create more than 500 new jobs as part of its move to Boro Tower in Tysons. The audit, tax and advisory firm will invest more than $30 million in its new space in Fairfax County.

Monogram Foods investing $30 million in Virginia expansion
Memphis-based Monogram Food Solutions will invest $30 million to expand its manufacturing operation in Henry County, Va. Monogram considered six other states for the project, which will create 300 new jobs. Monogram Foods manufactures branded meat snacks and pet treats for brands that include Bass Pro Shops, Johnsonville and Butterball.

IT contractor 1901 Group to create over 800 jobs in Virginia
The 1901 Group is expanding its Enterprise IT Operations Center in Montgomery County, Va., by 580 jobs. It is also expanding its corporate offices in Fairfax County with a 225-job expansion.

Dollar Tree moving 700 workers to Virginia HQ
Dollar Tree, which bought Family Dollar three years ago, is moving 700 employees from the Family Dollar headquarters in Matthews, N.C., to its new headquarters that is under construction in Chesapeake, Va.

 

WEST VIRGINIA

Leidos expanding in West Virginia
Leidos, a Fortune 500 company information technology firm, is consolidating two locations in Morgantown, W.Va. The company is expected to add 110 jobs to the current workforce of 140.