September 2018

For real-time news on business, politics and economic development in the South, go to www.RandleReport.com. For more information on the automotive industry in the South, go to www.SouthernAutoCorridor.com. 

 

South dominates 10 biggest "boomtowns" 

Magnifymoney.com ranked its boomtowns in the summer, and seven of the 10 markets seeing the biggest influx of people, work opportunities and business growth are located in the South. Austin was ranked No. 1 followed by Provo, Utah. In the South, Raleigh, Charleston, S.C., Nashville, Dallas, San Antonio and McAllen, Texas made the top 10. Outside the South, Provo, Denver and Boise made the top 10. All of the slowest growing places ranked by the site were located in the Midwest and Northeast.  

 

Manufacturing job gains are the most since 1995

The Labor Department announced in the summer that from July 2017 to July 2018, the manufacturing sector added 327,000 jobs. The total is the most since a 12-month period in 1994 and 1995.  

 

Reshoring of manufacturing jobs spiked in 2017

In 2017, the U.S. added 196,000 manufacturing jobs, the most since 2014 when 208,000 were added. However, of those 196,000 new manufacturing jobs created last year, 170,000 were added as a result of either reshoring or foreign direct investment (FDI), according to the Reshoring Initiative. Reshoring and FDI are responsible for more than half of the increase in U.S. manufacturing jobs since employment in the sector cratered in 2010. According to the Reshoring Initiative, the top four reasons manufacturers reshore jobs are (1) government incentives; (2) proximity to market; (3) skilled workforce; and (4) made in the USA branding. Reasons against offshoring include (1) quality concerns; (2) freight cost; (3) total cost; and (4) delivery problems. 

 

Unfilled jobs are stacking up

By Michael Randle

In August, the Department of Labor released data that showed there were 6.7 million job openings on average in the three summer months beginning with June, the highest quarterly number dating back to the summer of 2001. The fast-growing economy added 750,000 unfilled jobs in the spring quarter and just about every sector had an increasing number of job openings. Project activity is slowing in some sectors simply because the skills gap has now turned into a body gap. In fact, the number of job openings outnumbered the total number of people unemployed in the country for all three summer months. 

 

Many economists believe of the 6.5 million unemployed in this country, only 1.5 million are employable, factoring in the retired who are age 64 or younger, those 16 years of age or older who are still in school, the addicted, family caretakers and the disabled. That being said, we have 6.7 million job openings for about 1.5 million employable people without a job who want one. 

 

The labor crunch is affecting one industry in particular. The petrochemical and oil and gas industries in the South have seen project totals of $30 million or more in investment drop from a high of 107 in 2015 to 50 projects in 2017. The money is there for more petro deals, but the workers aren't. In Louisiana and Texas, many petro deals are simply delayed, waiting for a project to be completed before the labor can move on to another project. 

 

Texas Gulf Coast oil exports exceed imports for the first time ever

Expanded infrastructure in the Houston-Galveston port district, which includes coastal ports in Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christi, have driven the area into a net export position on crude oil for the first time ever. Oil exports passed imports for the first time in April of this year by 15,000 barrels per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Then in May (the latest data available), exports topped imports by 470,000 barrels per day. 

 

CEO of the world's largest container shipper says U.S. will lose in trade war

Soren Skou, the CEO of Moller-Maersk, the world's largest operator of container ships, said at the company's headquarters in Copenhagen in August that the U.S. will be stung economically more so than any other country in a trade war. Skou's opinion is based on the U.S.'s hefty reliance on foreign-produced goods. 

 

Florida reduces debt by 25 percent in Scott's two terms

The state of Florida has reduced debt that funds roads, schools and environmental projects by more than $7 billion during Gov. Rick Scott's two terms. From a report that came out in the summer by the state Division of Bond Finance, the debt amount dropped from $28.2 billion in July 2010 to $21 billion on June 30 of this year, a 25 percent reduction. Prior to the reduction, the state borrowed every year for 30 years without reducing its debt. 

 

Engineering firm to expand Kansas City HQ

Burns & McDonnell, an engineering and architecture firm, is adding 1,200 jobs at its headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. The company is investing $42 million in the project. 

 

Technology company adding 1,100 jobs in Texas

Tech services firm Cognizant Technology Solutions announced in the summer it will add 1,100 jobs at its facilities in Irving, Texas. The New Jersey-based company will expand its software development, digital engineering and app development divisions. 

 

TVA to locate $300 million operations center in Meigs County, Tenn. 

The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to locate a new $300 million systems operations center in Meigs County. The development is part of one of the largest upgrades to the energy company's power grid. 

 

Nissan to invest $170 million to upgrade Tennessee and Mississippi plants

Nashville-based Nissan North America plans to invest $170 million at its two plants in the Southern Auto Corridor. The upgrades are being done to support the Nissan Altima model that is built at both facilities. 

 

Big deal goes down in Virginia

Micron Technology is investing $3 billion to increase memory chip production at its facilities in Manassas, Va. The semiconductors are used by the automotive and industrial markets. Micron will also add 1,100 new jobs in the deal. By dollar value, the project is the largest in Virginia history. 

 

Publix to build refrigerated distribution center in Guilford County, N.C.

Florida-based Publix Super Markets announced in the summer it will build a $300 million refrigerated distribution center near Greensboro in Guilford County, N.C. The project will create up to 1,000 jobs. 

 

Google investing $600 million in its South Carolina data center

Google plans to expand its data center campus in Berkeley County, S.C. The center has been operating for 10 years and has seen about $2.4 billion in investments. This latest expansion will cost $600 million. 

 

South Carolina ports achieve new record

The South Carolina Ports Authority saw a strong performance in fiscal year 2018, setting new records for monthly and annual container volumes at the Port of Charleston. The three percent growth in 2018 followed 10 percent growth in 2017. SCPA handled 2.2 million 20-foot container units in fiscal 2018. March through June saw the highest months of container volume in the port's history. The dredging of the harbor to 52 feet is also well underway.  

 

Rural inland port helps bring South Carolina counties' unemployment rate to historic lows

The Dillon Inland Port in Dillon County, S.C., has created 1,100 new jobs in the Pee Dee region of Eastern South Carolina since it opened in 2016. It was built by the South Carolina Ports Authority and is the state's second inland port. With the help of the new inland port, unemployment rates in Dillon, Marlboro and Marion counties have dropped to levels not seen since the 1980s. 

 

Last of the American blue jean makers? 

By Michael Randle

With great irony, free trade devastated the blue jean manufacturing industry in the South in the 1990s and now protectionism (tariffs) may be the one policy that will kill it off for good. On December 31, 2017, Cone Mill's White Oak Plant in Greensboro, N.C. -- the last selvedge denim mill in the U.S. -- closed permanently. The White Oak plant opened in 1905 and was at one point the largest blue jean mill in the world. Until the last day of 2017, the mill produced denim continuously since 1905. 

 

Today, made in the USA raw denim is mostly made up of boutique companies as opposed to large factories like White Oak. Small manufacturers like Raleigh Denim Workshop, owned by Victor Lytvinenko and his wife Sarah in Raleigh, N.C., is one of those boutique companies. In a story on Greensboro.com, Lytvinenko said his company has already lost two big accounts in Europe worth tens of thousands of dollars as a result of the tariffs the European Union slapped on American-made blue jeans in response to tariffs President Trump placed on the EU. Simply put, many shop owners in Europe refuse to pay the 25 percent tariff on American-made blue jeans. 

 

Walmart creating 400 jobs in Kentucky

Walmart is leasing over 700,000 square feet of space in Shepherdsville, Ky., for a fulfillment center to distribute online orders. The $41 million project will create 400 new jobs. 

 

Arkansas boat manufacturer adding jobs

Veranda Luxury Pontoons is more than doubling its workforce in Malvern, Ark. The company, which manufactures high-end pontoon boats, is moving into a larger facility and adding 100 jobs to its current workforce of 80 people.

 

Manufacturer setting up shop near Honda's Alabama plant

Lohr North America, a maker of car carriers, is converting an existing building in Lincoln, Ala., for a new plant. The French company will hire 140 workers in the deal. 

 

France-based auto supplier to locate new operation in Middle Tennessee

Faurecia Interior Systems announced it will locate a $30 million plant in Maury County, Tenn. The plant will house 143 workers. 

 

Inspire Brands to locate new headquarters in metro Atlanta

Inspire Brands, which has a portfolio that includes 4,600 Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings and R Taco restaurants, will  locate its new headquarters in Sandy Springs, Ga. The $32 million project will create 1,100 jobs. 

 

Japan-based manufacturer plans North Carolina plant

Dowa Thermotech, a provider of industrial furnaces and heat protection treatments used in the automotive industry, will establish a plant in Sanford, N.C. The $22.5 million investment will generate 109 jobs. 

 

Consulting firm expands in Cumberland County, N.C.

Booz Allen Hamilton, a technology consulting firm, is expanding its current operations near Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The company will invest $5 million and add 208 jobs. 

 

Michelin to reopen Earthmover tire production plant in South Carolina

A Michelin plant that was built in 2012 and idled in 2016, is expected to be back up running soon in Starr, S.C. The tire maker is expected to hire 100 workers for the reopening. 

 

Chinese manufacturer buys West Virginia paper mill

ND Paper, a subsidiary of China-based Nine Dragons Paper, is purchasing the former Resolute Forest Products mill in Fairmont, W.Va. The plant produces packaging and tissue. ND Paper will invest $55 million in the deal. No word yet on job counts. 

 

Soybean facilities in Missouri to create nearly 100 jobs

Palindromes, the parent company of Sedes Soy Crush, will build three new soybean crushing facilities in Missouri. The projects will create 93 jobs. 

 

Auto parts supplier adding jobs in Kentucky

Webasto, a sunroof manufacturer, announced in August it will invest $15 million in its panorama roof systems line at its plant in Lexington, Ky. The deal will create 183 jobs. 

 

Jim Beam still growing in Kentucky

Jim Beam Distillery is expanding its capacity at two facilities in Clermont and Boston, Ky. The bourbon maker is investing $164 million in the two deals. 

 

Starbucks plans new office in Atlanta

Starbucks is establishing an operations center in Atlanta. The project will create 500 jobs. 

 

Daimler delivers 50,000th Freightliner from North Carolina plant

Germany-based Daimler AG, the company that assembles the Freightliner Cascadia, has delivered the 50,000th model of the truck since production began 19 months ago at its plant in Rowan County, N.C. Daimler Trucks North America has garnered about 40 percent of the market share of Class 6 and Class 8 long-haul trucks. 

 

Construction jobless rates are at an 18-year low; 200,000 job openings

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry added 19,000 jobs nationwide in July, forcing down jobless rates to 3.4 percent, an 18-year low. Also according to the BLS, there were nearly 200,000 open construction jobs in July. 

 

App developer adding jobs in Virginia

Willowtree, a mobile applications developer, is investing over $12 million to relocate and expand its headquarters in Albemarle County, Va. The project will create 200 jobs for the homegrown Virginia company. 

 

Manufacturer relocating, shifting work to Mississippi

Unified Brands, a commercial kitchen manufacturer, is relocating a factory in Mississippi and will add 250 jobs. The company is relocating to Vicksburg bringing an additional 175 jobs and is shifting work from Oklahoma and Michigan in the $9.5 million deal. 

 

Technology company adding 200 jobs in South Carolina

Capgemini, an emerging technologies firm, opened its first office in Columbia, S.C., 10 months ago with 125 employees. The company is now expanding, adding 200 workers there. 

 

Dairy expands in East Texas

Hiland Dairy is expanding its Tyler, Texas manufacturing facility. The milk producer will be doubling in size thanks to incentives from the City of Tyler. More than 80 jobs will be created. 

 

Aluminum manufacturer expands in Georgia

Elixir Extrusions, a maker of aluminum extrusions and parts, is expanding its plant in Douglas-Coffee County, Ga. The $8 million deal will create 130 new jobs. 

 

Japanese transport company expands in Richmond, Va. 

Ocean Network Express, a Japan-based container shipping company, is expanding its North American regional headquarters in Richmond. The company is investing over $2 million in the deal, which will create 129 jobs. 

 

Defense consultant relocating HQ to Fairfax, Va. 

Aviation and defense consultant, MAG Aerospace, is moving its headquarters to Fairfax, Va. The surveillance and reconnaissance -- manned and unmanned -- special mission aircraft operator will invest over $5 million and hire over 100 in the deal. Virginia beat out Alabama and North Carolina for the project. 

 

Aluminum smelter in Kentucky returning to full production

Century Aluminum is returning full production of its aluminum smelter in Hawesville, Ky. The company closed three lines and laid off over 300 employees after a dispute over electricity prices in 2015. The company is investing $150 million in the restart and will add over 400 jobs. 

 

Texas data center gets $400 million infusion

San Francisco-based Digital Realty Trust is expanding its data center in Garland, Texas. The Silicon Valley company is investing $400 million. 

 

Dredging Mississippi River in Louisiana to 50 feet clears major hurdle 

A recommendation of approval by the Army Corps of Engineers was made in August to deepen the main channel of the Mississippi River to 50 feet from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. The 5-foot increase in the river's depth will increase annual benefits by $127 million. The dredging is estimated to cost $237 million. 

 

Atlanta's population increased by over 75,000 last year

Atlanta's economy is thriving and those searching for jobs are flocking to the Georgia capital. The 10-county Atlanta metro added almost 76,000 residents in 2017, bringing the population to more than 4.5 million residents. 

 

Film deals brought $9.5 billion to Georgia

Georgia saw a record number of film projects in fiscal year 2018. Four-hundred-and-fifty-five film and television projects were produced in the state, generating an economic impact of $9.5 billion according to Gov. Nathan Deal. 

 

Kentucky's economy continues its surge

Kentucky was named Southern Business & Development's "State of the Year" in the spring quarter for its job and investment generation in calendar year 2017. That surge is continuing in 2018. Kentucky's unemployment rate was at a 43-year low in April and the Commonwealth saw an average increase in wages of 5.7 percent in the first quarter of this year, the fourth highest in the nation. 

 

Dallas Fed reports Texas' hot economy will cool this year

A report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas showed that the Texas economy will slow the second half of this year as export growth slows and wages rise. Currently, Texas is the No. 1 state for job growth, adding jobs at a 3.6 percent annualized rate during the first six months of the year. 

 

Chinese manufacturer to reopen Kentucky paper plant

Global Win Wickliffe, a Chinese paper manufacturer, is investing $150 million to reopen the former Verso Corp. mill in Ballard County, Ky. The company purchased the facility for $16 million and will hire 500 full-time workers. It's the first U.S. plant for the company. 

 

Texas Instruments considers multi-billion dollar deal

Dallas-based Texas Instruments is considering a chip making project in Richardson, Texas that could top $3 billion in investment. The project, if completed, would create over 600 jobs. 

 

Recycled paper manufacturer to open North Carolina plant

Jackson Paper Manufacturing is investing $14 million in a new plant in Morganton, N.C. The plant, which will house 42 workers, will produce more than 1 billion square feet per year of corrugated sheets for box manufacturers. 

 

Chinese tariffs on LNG could disrupt one of the South's most promising industries

The South is swimming in natural gas from the fracking frenzy that continues unabated. In fact, we have so much natural gas that U.S. producers of liquefied natural gas are running out of places to sell it. If China levies a 25 percent tariff on U.S. natural gas, it could cause some pending LNG export facilities in Texas and Louisiana to scale back or even the be canceled. There are several LNG export facilities under construction now in Texas and Louisiana that are multi-billion dollar facilities. Since 2011, companies like Houston-based Cheniere Energy, which operates an LNG export facility in Southwest Louisiana, have invested about $44 billion on LNG export terminals. 

 

German manufacturer to build new plant in Georgia

SELIT North America will build a $45 million plant in Banks County, Ga., that will house 100 workers. SELIT was founded in 1948 and is Europe's leader in producing underlayment foam used for floating flooring. 

 

Garland, Texas captures Canadian manufacturer

Canada's Quest Window Systems will build its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Garland, Texas. The company makes advanced window wall systems used in high-rise building projects. The $12 million project will create 320 jobs. 

 

Submarine bow dome manufacturer opens Mississippi plant

Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from Seemann Composites cut the ribbon on the company's new submarine bow dome production facility in Gulfport, Miss. The company will produce the domes for the Navy's Columbia Class Ballistic Missile Submarine. The $4.6 million project will create 46 jobs. 

 

Big aerospace deal in OKC

Valkyrie Systems Aerospace will establish a manufacturing operation in Oklahoma City. The company will build unmanned aerospace systems. The project will create 352 jobs. 

 

Frito-Lay plans big Florida operation

Frito-Lay has announced plans to build a $130 million, 286,000-square-foot service center in Osceola County, Fla. The company, which will hire 200 in the deal, picked Osceola County over 10 other Florida locations. 

 

Environmental solutions company investing $50 million in Louisiana

Thermaldyne, an environmental solutions company, has made a $50 million investment in a plant in West Baton Rouge, La. The deal will create 75 jobs. 

 

Glass manufacturer opens plant in Wichita Falls, Texas

Vitro Architectural Glass has opened its plant in Wichita Falls that features a new jumbo coater that can produce the largest architectural glass in North America. The $60 million project has already created 50 jobs. 

 

Call center adding 300 jobs in Tulsa

Customer service provider Alorica is adding 300 jobs at its large call center in Tulsa, Okla. The center currently houses 1,000 workers. 

 

Aerojet adding 140 jobs in Arkansas

Aerojet Rocketdyne, a manufacturer of aerospace and defense products, is investing $50 million in its facilities in Camden, Ark. The plant builds solid rocket motors and warheads used in battle. The company can produce more than 75,000 solid rocket motors a year. The expansion will generate 140 jobs, boosting employment at the plant to around 900. 

 

FedEx adding jobs at North Carolina hub

Memphis-based FedEx is adding 400 employees to its Mid-Atlantic Hub at the Piedmont International Airport in Greensboro, N.C. The expansion will bring employment at the hub to more than 800. 

 

Corning to build cable plant in Hickory, N.C.

Corning will build a cable plant for its Optical Communications division. The $60 million project will create 110 jobs. 

 

Dallas net office absorption turns negative

In the second quarter, Dallas was the only market that saw office vacancy rise out of the top 10 U.S. metros. According to Colliers International, office vacancy rose 0.4 percent to 15.2 percent in Dallas. 

 

Cold storage facility expanding in Virginia

Interchange Cold Storage is locating a new facility in Rockingham County, Va. The company is building 250,000 square feet of space and will create 88 jobs in the $41 million project. 

 

Pet products manufacturer growing in Missouri

TropiClean, a Missouri-based maker of pet grooming and dental products, will expand its facility in St. Charles County, Mo. The project is expected to increase employment by about 150. 

 

Koch Foods announces $80 million investment in Alabama plant

Koch Foods is expanding its poultry plant in Gadsden, Ala. The  company will invest $80 million in the facility and add 200 workers. 

 

Florida population is peaking

Florida is on track to grow by a net of 400,000 people this year. Over the last year, about 37,000 people migrated to the state from New York; 24,000 from New Jersey; 17,000 from Pennsylvania; 15,000 from Ohio and 10,000 each from Connecticut, Illinois and Virginia. Estimates vary on the number of Puerto Ricans who migrated to Florida because of Hurricane Maria. 

 

Three Southern markets make top five for diverse job openings

The Job Market Diversification Report measures the variety of job opportunities in 150 metros in the U.S. The report came out this summer, and Salt Lake City ranked No. 1 for available job diversity. San Francisco placed second followed by Louisville, Raleigh and Houston.

 

Richmond Fed report says climate change could significantly dampen economic growth in the South

The Richmond Fed's August Economic Brief presents evidence that higher summer temperatures could hurt a variety of business sectors in the United States, particularly in the South. The evidence challenges long-standing assumptions that economic damage from climate change would be limited to the agriculture sector or to developing nations. 

 

By examining changes in temperature by season and across states, the Richmond Fed report found evidence that higher summer temperatures could reduce overall U.S. economic growth by as much as one-third over the next century, with Southern states accounting for a disproportionate share of that potential reduction. 

 

U.S. oil escapes Chinese tariffs

The U.S. has become such a major player in oil and gas mining that China has spared the commodity from its list of tariffs. China is the world's biggest buyer of crude. China has put tariffs on U.S. diesel, propane and gasoline. 

 

Some Chinese investments in the South are put on hold because of trade war

From 2014 through 2016, China was the fastest growing foreign direct investor in the South. In fact, China invested $46 billion in the U.S. in 2016, a record by a long shot. Two years ago, Sun Paper announced a $1 billion paper mill in Arkadelphia, Ark. The project was delayed, but now it has been delayed further as China and the U.S. go tit-for-tat in a trade war. This summer Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson sent his top economic development official to China to meet with Sun Paper to make sure the project was still on track. In a story published by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Hutchinson was quoted, "It's obvious that with uncertainty, businesses hesitate to invest in new projects. That's whether you're a United States businessman or whether you're a Chinese investor." 

 

Mississippi is the top retirement state where $1 million lasts the longest

Personal finance site GoBankingRates did a study that was published this summer that ranked the top states for retirees with $1 million in retirement savings. The study considered inflation, cost of living and real estate. It also factored in expenses such as housing, groceries, utilities and health care. The top state where your dollar will last the longest in retirement was Mississippi, where $1 million will last 25 years, 11 months and 30 days. Oklahoma was second, Michigan third, Arkansas fourth and Alabama fifth, with $1 million lasting at least 24 years in those states.

 

Missouri voters reject right-to-work

In August, Missouri voters overwhelmingly rejected right-to-work ballot measure Proposition A that was signed into law by former Gov. Eric Greitens in 2017. Union organizers garnered enough petition signatures to force a statewide referendum where the rejection of right-to-work laws lost 67 percent to 33 percent. 

 

Toyota's Kentucky plant unveils next generation 2019 Lexus ES 350

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky unveiled the next generation Lexus ES 350 sedan model that is built at the Japanese automaker's plant in Georgetown. Over 150,000 hours of training was done to build the new ES 350 that included sensory training that teaches workers on the assembly line to feel for defections that could be as small as a strand of hair. The plant will also build the F Sport high-performance model. The Kentucky plant is the only place in the world outside of Japan where Lexus models are produced. 

 

South Carolina-made BMWs now cost more for Chinese buyers

China is a popular destination for South Carolina-made BMW SUVs. However, in the wake of China's 40 percent tax on U.S. car imports (in a retaliatory move, China added a 25 percent tariff on American vehicles), BMW will raise the price of its vehicles by up to seven percent. 

 

Beef packer to add second shift, 600 jobs in Texas

Caviness Beef Packers, a beef processing company, is expanding its plant in Hereford, Texas. The company is adding a second shift and 600 workers.

 

Amazon to open first Arkansas distribution center

Amazon is bringing a distribution center to North Little Rock. The center will house 100 workers and will serve about 50 trucks a day. 

 

Distillery to be built in Boyle County, Ky. 

Plans are in the works to build a new facility on the outskirts of Danville in Boyle County. Luca Mariano Distillery will include rickhouses, a bottling facility, a visitor’s center, even a restaurant and cabins for overnight visits. Investment in the project could be as high as $50 million. 

 

Georgia's Robins Air Force Base to add over 1,000 jobs

Robins Air Force Base will add 1,200 jobs over the next year. The base currently employs over 22,000 personnel. 

 

Amazon to establish distribution center in Garner, N.C.

Amazon will build a new 2.6-million-square-foot distribution center in Garner. The $200 million project will generate 1,500 jobs. 

 

Flooring manufacturer adding jobs in Northwest Georgia

Mannington Mills is expanding its laminate, vinyl and hardwood flooring plant in Gordon County, Ga. The company is actually adding a second facility with an investment of $42 million. The deal will create 200 new jobs. 

 

New solar farm being built in Florence, S.C.

Coronal Energy will build a new solar farm called the Rankin Solar Center in Florence,
S.C. The $15 million project will generate 10 megawatts of power. 

 

Auto parts distributor to expand operations in Tennessee

Revel Enterprises will invest $2.3 million to expand its auto parts distribution facility in Paris, Tenn. The deal will create 64 jobs. 

 

Cement products manufacturer investing $120 million in Georgia

Japan-based Nichiha Corp. plans to invest $120 million in its cement products facility in Macon-Bibb County, Ga. The fiber cement siding products plant will also house 74 more workers. 

 

Tellurian will start building its LNG megaproject in Southwest Louisiana in 2019

Tellurian is on track to start work in 2019 on its LNG megaproject on the Calcasieu River near Lake Charles, La. The project is one of the largest in U.S. history with a $30 billion price tag. The project will create thousands of construction jobs and 400 permanent jobs. 

 

Joint plant adding jobs in Lexington, Tenn. 

Welch Packaging and Cooper Container II are expanding their packaging facility in Lexington, Tenn. The projects calls for 40 new jobs. 

 

Master-Bilt growing in Mississippi

Master-Bilt, a refrigeration manufacturer, is investing $1 million to expand its plant in New Albany, Miss. The company is relocating the production of refrigerated cabinets from Wisconsin to Mississippi. The deal will create 30 new jobs. 

 

Startup Synergy Steel to create jobs in South Carolina

Synergy Steel will move into an existing building near Lancaster, S.C. as a startup company. The $2.8 million project will create 139 jobs. The company will produce steel studs and trusses. 

 

Aerospace company to establish HQ in Mississippi

Vertex Aerospace, a spin off from L3 Technologies, will place its headquarters in Madison, Miss. The company will invest $1.4 million and add 70 jobs. 

 

New data center set for Texas

Bitmain Technologies, a leader in block chain hardware and software, is setting up a $465 million data center in Rockdale, Texas. The project will create 400 jobs.

 

Solar panel provider to open shop in Raleigh

Virginia-based Sigora Solar will open a solar panel operation in Raleigh, N.C. The project will create 75 jobs. 

 

Shintech to invest $1.5 billion in Louisiana expansion

Chemical giant Shintech will invest $1.5 billion in its plant in Iberville Parish, La. The project will create 120 jobs. 

 

Patient access firm adding 500 jobs in Research Triangle

TrialCard, a provider of technical services related to patient access is adding 500 jobs at its patient contact center in Morrisville, N.C. 

 

ABB to add jobs in Memphis

ABB, an industrial technology company, is investing over $20 million in Memphis to expand its presence there. The deal will create 90 new jobs. 

 

Big solar farm planned for North Carolina

Invenergy, the largest independent, privately held renewable energy provider in North America, is working to bring a large-scale solar farm facility to Edgecombe County, N.C. The $100 million solar facility is being built on a 600-acre site. 

 

Big lumber mill to coming to Georgia

Georgia-Pacific announced plans in August to build a new lumber production facility in Albany, Ga. The $150 million project will create 130 jobs with an estimated annual payroll of about $5 million. 

 

Manufacturer expanding capacity in Mississippi

ACCO Brands, one of the world's largest suppliers of school and office supplies, is increasing its manufacturing capacity in Booneville, Miss. The nearly $1 million investment will create 29 jobs. 

 

Auto and truck parts manufacturer hiring in Mississippi

SMW Manufacturing, which opened in Oxford, Miss., in 2017, is expanding after starting the project with 50 jobs. Located in a former Caterpillar facility, the company makes parts for heavy truck, automotive and mining industrial markets. The $4 million deal will create 25 jobs. 

 

Europe's largest flat glass manufacturer announces big deal in Henry County, Va. 

Poland-based Press Glass will invest over $43 million to build a 280,000-square-foot plant in Henry County, Va., near Martinsville. The project is the first to locate in the new Commonwealth Crossing Industrial Park, which is located near the North Carolina and Virginia border. The deal will create 212 new jobs. 

 

Houston tops nation in construction growth

The Houston area added the most construction jobs in the U.S. during the past year. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, construction employment rose in 76 percent of the 358 metro areas tracked by the organization. Houston saw a nine percent gain in construction jobs with 19,300 jobs. 

 

Sabra expands in Chesterfield County, Va.

Sabra Dipping Co., which operates the world's largest hummus processing facility in Chesterfield County, Va., is expanding that facility. The company is adding 40,000 square feet of space and adding 12 full-time positions.