December 2019

Industrial hose manufacturer to invest in rural North Carolina

Polyhose, an industrial hose manufacturer, is investing $7.9 million to locate a plant in Pender County, N.C.  The project will create 51 jobs. 

 

Clinical trials firm to expand in North Carolina

Q2 Solutions, a joint venture between IQVIA (formerly known as Quintiles) and Quest Diagnostics, announced it will create 749 jobs in Durham County, N.C. The company, whose global headquarters is currently in Morrisville, N.C., performs clinical trials for biotechnology firms. 

 

Brazilian manufacturer to create 455 jobs in Georgia

Brazil-based Guidoni Group, a producer of ornamental stones, is investing $96 million to locate a manufacturing plant in McRae-Helena, Ga. The deal will create 455 jobs. 

 

New poultry processing facility set for Pine Bluff, Ark. 

Cornerstone PB Holdings will open a poultry processing plant in Pine Bluff. The project is expected to create 150 new jobs. 

 

Software firm to create 200 jobs in Central Florida

Solai & Cameron Technologies, a software firm that focuses on the artificial intelligence industry, is moving its headquarters from Chicago to Orlando. The deal will create 200 jobs. 

 

Microsoft expandes in Charlotte

Microsoft is adding jobs at its South Charlotte campus. Microsoft will invest $23 million in the project that will create 430 new jobs. 

 

Charles Schwab relocating headquarters from California to DFW

California-based companies move their headquarters to Texas every day. Massive brokerage firm Charles Schwab announced in the fall it will relocate its headquarters from San Francisco to its new campus in Westlake, Texas, which is in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. The company said in a news release it’s acquiring rival TD Ameritrade Holding Corp., and the move is part of that process. Charles Schwab already employs thousands at its campus in Westlake. 

 

Mercedes to build luxury SUV at its Alabama plant

Mercedes-Benz is introducing a vehicle that combines the luxury features of its flagship S-Class sedan with the GLS full-size SUV as part of a push to increase profits through sales of upscale cars. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 will hit showrooms in the second half of next year, the Daimler AG brand reported. The vehicle, which is powered by a V-8 engine including a 48-volt hybrid system, will be built at Daimler’s factory in Tuscaloosa. Optional features include folding tables and a refrigerator with space for champagne bottles. 

 

Arkansas county had the largest wage gain in nation this year

Data from the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Benton County, Ark., had the largest wage gain among the nation's 355 largest counties. The wage gain was 16.3 percent in the second quarter of 2019. In Benton County, average weekly wages rose by 35 percent. Benton County is the home of Walmart's world headquarters. 

 

Radius Aerospace expands in Hot Springs, Ark.

Aerospace manufacturer Radius Aerospace announced in the fall it is expanding its facility in Hot Springs, Ark. The titanium manufacturer makes products including aircraft skins, doors, covers, ribs and leading edges for all kinds of aircraft including commercial and business jets. The deal will create 65 jobs. 

 

Medical supplier adding jobs in Memphis

McKesson Corp., a global medical supplies and pharmaceutical company, is growing its Memphis-based facilities. The company will invest over $18 million and hire 83 in the expansion. 

 

Five Southern states make ranking for "Best Positioned States for a Recession" 

Five Southern states made FitSmallBusiness' top 10 states best positioned for a possible recession. They were Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Other states making the ranking were Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska and North Dakota. 

 

Trucking company adding 75 jobs in Jax

Comcar Industries will be moving to a new office and adding 75 jobs in Jacksonville, Fla. The new office will include dispatch, customer service, brokerage and back-office support. The transition will take place through the second quarter of 2020. Comcar will continue its operations in Auburndale, Fla., as well.

 

Goodyear to consolidate Atlanta facilities to Coweta County, Ga.

In June 2016, the former Orchard Hills Golf Course property on Georgia Highway 16 in Newnan’s southeast side was rezoned as a major industrial and commercial site. In November, Goodyear Tire and Rubber announced it would build a 1.5 million-square-foot facility that will consolidate its Atlanta area distribution centers. The $140 million project will create 250 jobs in Coweta County. 

 

Automotive supplier announces new plant for Georgia

In the fall quarter, Nippon Light Metal Georgia announced it will create 110 jobs while investing $50 million in building a new manufacturing facility in Adairsville. The plant is expected to be operational in 2022. Nippon Light Metal Georgia specializes in aluminum products for the automotive industry.

 

Amazon announces another fulfillment center

Amazon plans to locate a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Auburndale, Fla. The project will add 500 jobs to the 13,500 full-time jobs the company has in the state. 

 

Solomon Group to create entertainment jobs in New Orleans

The Solomon Group, a company that specializes in designing and staging concert and event productions and other entertainment events, will create 86 jobs in New Orleans. 

 

Austin's unstoppable tech job sector

A report from commercial real estate services company CBRE that was published in the fall showed that Austin's tech workforce created over 10,000 new jobs in 2017 and 2018. That was an increase of 22.5 percent for the two years, or 60.4 percent of all new office jobs in Austin. Only San Francisco (24.7 percent) and Seattle (23.7 percent) bested Austin for growth of tech jobs over those two years. 

 

Houston-based LNG companies get approval from FERC for terminals

Three Houston-based companies received federal approval on November 21 for liquefied natural gas terminals proposed at the Port of Brownsville in South Texas. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved LNG export facilities worth billions to Annova LNG, Texas LNG and NextDecade Corp. to build their plants at the Port of Brownsville in South Texas. 

 

Data intelligence firm to expand to Atlanta

Data intelligence company Collibra announced in the fall quarter it will create 200 jobs at a new office in Atlanta.

 

Megasite in Montgomery, Ala., receives certification

The Montgomery Mega Site has received an Alabama AdvantageSite designation. The AdvantageSite program requires that community economic development organizations provide documentation specific to a proposed industrial site, including a set of standard data related to ownership/control, environmental and geotechnical conditions, and infrastructure status. Sites must also meet size, zoning and accessibility requirements. The Montgomery Mega Site is a 1,842-acre site located approximately 2.5 miles (5 minutes) from Interstate 65. The site can be accessed by Hyundai Blvd or U.S. Highway 331. The eastern boundary of the main site and the western boundary of the out-parcel are served by rail. All utilities are at the site. 

 

Hyundai to build pickup at Montgomery, Ala., plant

Korean automaker Hyundai is entering the U.S. pickup truck market by building the vehicle at its plant in Montgomery, Ala. The company will invest $410 million to add the line and create 200 jobs. Expected to go into production in 2021, Hyundai has billed the model, called Santa Cruz, a “compact utility vehicle,” but it features an open truck bed.

 

Alabama records lowest-ever unemployment rate

In October, Alabama's unemployment rate dropped to 2.8 percent. That is well below the 3.8 percent recorded in October 2018. It is the lowest unemployment rate in state history. 

 

Amazon to build second fulfillment center in North Mississippi

Amazon announced in November it is building a new fulfillment center to handle handle larger items, such as furniture, fishing rods and bicycles in DeSoto County, Miss. The new fulfillment center, which will be the second in Mississippi, will be more than 1 million square feet. The deal will create 500 new jobs. 

 

New sawmill slated for Alabama

A $30 million sawmill was announced in Selma, Ala., in the fall quarter. The project is expected to create 80 jobs. 

 

California electronics manufacturer to locate in Texas

All Quality & Services is moving into an existing facility in Garland, Texas following an $800,000 renovation. The company makes computer components such as modules, modems, semiconductors and circuit boards that are used in medical, automotive, mobile telecommunications, gaming, industrial and other industries. The deal will create 150 jobs. 

 

Volkswagen will build its first electric vehicle in Tennessee

German automaker Volkswagen announced in the fall it will build its first electric vehicle at its plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. The $800 million project to build another line will create 1,000 jobs. The expansion also includes a 564,000-square-foot addition to the body shop and a battery pack assembly facility. 

 

Israeli aerospace manufacturer to expand HQ in Virginia

Israel Aerospace Industries, the largest aerospace and defense company in Israel, is expanding its North American headquarters to a new facility in Fairfax County, Va. The project will bring 50 new jobs. 

 

Furniture supplier to expand in North Carolina

AkzoNobel is investing $55 million to expand its plant in High Point, N.C. The company specializes in wood coatings for the furniture industry as it produces a wide range of products to serve the furniture, flooring and building products industry. The expansion could result in as many as 43 new operations jobs.

 

Web hosting firm to expand in Virginia

InMotion Hosting, a provider of business web hosting services, is expanding in Virginia Beach. The $12 million project will create 50 new jobs. 

 

Apple breaks ground on $1 billion Austin campus

Apple Inc. has broken ground on its $1 billion North Austin campus. The new location is expected to house 5,000 workers when it opens in 2022, and as many as 15,000 in a few years. Apple manufactures MAC computers in Austin as well. The current employee count for Apple in Austin is over 6,000. 

 

Tech firm locates in North Carolina instead of Boston

Health care IT firm Well Dot Inc. has chosen Chapel Hill, N.C., over Boston for a 400-employee operation. The company's new $3.1 million operation will function as a research and development hub. 

 

CloudFactory to add 45 jobs in Research Triangle

CloudFactory, a startup that links remote workers around the world with artificial intelligence firms, announced it will double its workforce in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. The U.K.-based company will hire 45 workers in the deal. 

 

New boat manufacturer to build plant in North Carolina

MJM Yachts’ Pamlico Yachtworks announced in the fall it will build a new factory in Washington, N.C. The $12 million facility will house 200 workers. MJM produces seven powerboat models with deck lengths ranging from 29 feet to 53 feet.

 

Dallas-Fort Worth leads nation in law office leases

From third quarter 2018 to second quarter 2019, Dallas-Fort Worth led the nation in law office lease expansions, according to a new report from CBRE Group Inc. Over 700,000 square feet of office space was leased during that time and 428,000 square feet was leased by expanding law firms, the highest in the country. Following Dallas-Fort Worth were Los Angeles and New York City. 

 

Koch Foods investing $50 million in Alabama feed mill

Illinois-based Koch Foods is locating a grain storage and distribution facility in Attalla, Ala. The $50 million poultry feed mill will create 28 new jobs. 

 

France-based company investing $65 million to establish operations in Middle Tennessee

Mersen is investing $65 million and hiring 100 for a new plant in Maury County, Tenn. The company is a leader in electrical power and advanced materials. 

 

Gaming company to launch New Orleans project

Testronic is opening a new 150-job digital media project in New Orleans. The facility will serve as a gaming testing facility. Testronic will make a $500,000 capital investment to build-out space in the Exchange Centre.

 

Kia celebrates 10 years of production in West Georgia

South Korea-based Kia Motors celebrated 10 years of vehicle production in West Point, Ga. The plant is the first for Kia in the U.S., and supports more than 15,000 jobs in West Georgia. It assembled the first vehicle in November 2009 and currently has a capacity of building 340,000 vehicles per year. 

 

Netherlands IT company adding 300 jobs in NOVA

Randstad North America, a Netherlands IT firm, is expanding in Fairfax County, Va. The company is adding 300 jobs. 

 

Former Utah-based company opening headquarters in Research Triangle; 500 jobs

HZO, a technology-based waterproofing company, has opened its new headquarters in Morrisville, N.C. The new headquarters will provide the former Utah-based company with up to ten times more U.S.-based manufacturing space and four times more research and development space. The company is expecting to bring over 500 jobs to the Research Triangle Park region.

 

Nestle Purina opens $320 million pet food plant in rural Georgia

Nestle Purina has opened its newest pet foot plant in Hartwell, Ga. The plant was located in an abandoned textile factory. The $320 million deal will create 240 jobs. 

 

Japanese biotech firm to add jobs in College Station, Texas

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies plans to add 100 jobs in the growing gene therapy field in College Station. The $55 million investment will help build a new 60,000-square-foot facility. 

 

Kimberly-Clark expands in Corinth, Miss. 

Kimberly-Clark will invest more than $20 million to increase nonwovens capacity at its facility in Corinth, Miss. The company is building 45,000 square feet of space to make personal care products.

 

California company to add almost 1,000 jobs in Orlando

Concentrix CVG is adding 960 jobs at its customer service and tech support facility in Lake Mary, Fla. The company added a new client after it scheduled layoffs for the first of next year. 

 

Big HVAC deal in Kentucky

A Kentucky manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems announced a large expansion in Louisville. Kentuckiana Curb Co., which does business as KCC Manufacturing, is investing $50 million to build a second facility in Louisville. The deal will create 400 new jobs. 

 

Water products company to locate new operations in Tennessee

Mueller Water Products, which makes engineered valves, fire hydrants and other products for the water industry, is locating a new facility in Marion County, Tenn. The project is expected to create 325 jobs. 

 

Paper manufacturer to invest $400 million to expand in Macon, Ga. 

Irving Tissue is investing $400 million in a new manufacturing plant in Macon, Ga. The company just completed a $470 million project in Macon that created 200 jobs. The newest project will create 150 jobs. 

 

South Carolina Ports Authority has $63 billion annual economic effect on Palmetto State

The South Carolina Ports Authority and the Port of Charleston had a $63.4 billion annual economic impact on the state of South Carolina according to a study done by the University of South Carolina. The port supports one in ten jobs in the state, including 225,000 statewide. 

 

New technology center to locate in Manning, S.C.

Alabama-based Provalus, an information technology support firm, has chosen Clarendon County, S.C., for a new innovation center. The company will hire 105 jobs in the deal. According to George Kosinski, executive director of the Clarendon County Development Board, Provalus’ mission is to develop technology support jobs in rural areas for its numerous clients, some of which are Fortune 500 or Fortune 1000 companies.

 

Supplier base for Mazda Toyota growing in Northern Alabama

The joint-venture auto plant project between Mazda and Toyota is seeing a large supply chain investment in the Huntsville area. Already, five suppliers to the plant have announced projects worth $440 million and that is expected to increase substantially before the assembly plant opens in 2021. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA will open with a capacity for 150,000 vehicles to be built in the first year. 

 

Recent Arizona State University study shows Oklahoma City is top U.S. city for the "ease of doing business"

Arizona State's "Doing Business North America" ranking has Oklahoma City as the No. 1 U.S. city for "ease of doing business" for small and medium-size cities. Arlington, Va., was No. 2 in the ranking and Atlanta was No. 5. Also making the top 10 in the South were Charlotte (6); Houston (7); Virginia Beach (9) and Charleston, S.C. (10). 

 

Continental AG opens Mississippi tire plant

In November, Germany-based Continental AG opened its tire plant in Central Mississippi. The $1.45 billion facility on 900 acres is one of the largest projects ever announced in the Jackson, Miss., region. The plant is expected to house 2,500 workers within the next nine years. 

 

Film industry is booming in Oklahoma

Oklahoma recently expanded a rebate program for the film industry, and it is working. Film production there has tripled since the rebate program was enacted. Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and “Stillwater” starring Matt Damon are in the works right now.

 

Eagle Materials expands with cement plant in Louisville, Ky.

Eagle Materials is expanding its operations with the purchase of Kosmos’ cement plant in Louisville for $665 million.

Dallas-based Eagle Materials manufactures and distributes cement, gypsum wallboard, recycled paperboard, concrete, sand and aggregates from more than 75 facilities across the US.

 

Fresh Market to expand HQ in Greensboro, N.C

Specialty grocer The Fresh Market has announced plans to keep its headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., and expand, adding 53 jobs and investing $5.4 million. The company’s current headquarters are split between two locations in the city, and both those leases are expiring, which prompted to move.

 

Amazon’s HQ2 focusing on affordable housing

Amazon will give Arlington, Va., $20 million for affordable housing efforts in the first round of community benefits it will provide for its development in Pentagon City. Amazon envisions a pair of towers totaling about 2.1 million square feet, with building heights of up to 22 stories.

 

Virgin Trains’ Orlando expansion contractor to add 80 jobs

A contractor for Virgin Trains USA’s $4 billion Orlando-to-West Palm route plans to ramp up its hiring during the next four months. California-based Granite Construction will hire up to 80 for its work on the Miami-based intercity train’s extension, which includes more than 35 miles of new track between Orlando and Cocoa.

 

Two new projects for Covington, Ky.

Icon Marketing Communications, a marketing and advertising firm now in Fort Mitchell, will relocate to the former ROAD ID building in Covington, bringing at least 36 employees, adding 10 more, and investing $4.13 million in the building’s renovation. In another relocation, ROAD iD, a company that manufactures safety identification tags and bracelets for runners, cyclists and people with emergency conditions, will relocate into vacant warehouse space it owns just south of its existing building in Covington. That company plans to add five employees and invest $1.3 million in the renovation of the warehouse.

 

IRS to hire 2,100 in Austin

The Internal Revenue Service has more than 2,100 job positions open in Austin ahead of the upcoming tax season. The agency is looking to hire clerks, data transcribers and tax examiners. 

 

Carver Maritime expands complex in North Charleston, S.C.

Carver Maritime, an industrial port known for its shipping and warehousing storage operations, plans a $14 million expansion at its existing facility in North Charleston. Carver will also add 22 to its workforce.

 

Next Wave Energy Partners to build plant in Pasadena, Texas

Next Wave Energy Partners will construct a new alkylate production facility adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel at Next Wave’s 53-acre site in Pasadena. The project is expected to create up to 750 jobs during construction and approximately 30 permanent jobs once completed. The total cost for the project was not disclosed.

 

New sawmill bringing dozens of jobs to Selma, Ala.

Sunbelt Forest Ventures is investing more than $30 million to open a new state-of-the-art sawmill to produce pallet timber. The facility is located on a 50-acre site in the South Dallas Industrial Park in Selma. Forty-five people will be hired initially, with a goal or 75 or 80 once the facility ramps up to a double shift.

 

Tech disposal center coming to Spotsylvania, Va.

Singapore-based TES will invest $1.29 million to establish an IT asset disposal and recycling center in Spotsylvania County, creating 25 jobs. The facility will offer data destruction, data center decommissioning, refurbishment and recycling. 

 

New $50 million distribution facility coming to Missouri

Casey’s General Stores, which operates 2,100 convenience stores in 16 states throughout the Midwest and the South, will invest an estimated $50 million in a new, state-of-the-art warehousing and logistics/distribution facility in Joplin, Mo. It’s expected to employ 125 workers by its second year of operation.

 

Plans unveiled for $1 billion development in Raleigh, N.C.

Raleigh-based Dewitt Carolinas has released its designs for Midtown Exchange — a $1 billion mixed-use project situated on 40 acres in midtown Raleigh. Upon completion, the project will feature 915,000 square feet of commercial space, 1,575 residential units and 300 hotel rooms. 

 

Two big announcements for York County, S.C.

York County Council finalized two agreements in November that will add or expand operations. New-Indy Containerboard bought the Resolute Forest Products paper mill site last December for $300 million, and will spend $240 million to convert the mill to produce container board. As of the sale, the mill employed 460 people, and New-Indy says they will “provide and preserve and jobs.” National Machinery & Fabrication will be expanding in York County. The company specializes in water-jetting and precision cutting, machining and fabrication. The incentive agreement projects an investment of $4.2 million and at least 40 jobs in five years through site expansion.

 

Express Rx locates HQ in Little Rock, Ark.

Express Rx, a pharmaceutical retailer with stores across the southeastern U.S., will locate its new corporate headquarters in Little Rock. The company plans to hire 24 associates.

 

TST Fabrications investing in Virginia

TST Construction, a Norfolk, Va.-based general contractor for government projects, has acquired Metal Concepts, a fabricator also located in Norfolk. TST plans a $4.1 million investment. It will retain Metal Concepts’ 14 employees and create another 20 jobs.

 

Expansion adding jobs in Henrietta, Texas

There are some projects coming to Henrietta which will add jobs. D3 Engineering is planning a $55 million investment to expand operations, moving into a new, larger facility in Henrietta. The move will allow the company, which specializes in the development of vision, sensing, autonomous and power systems, to create up to 50 new jobs over the next five years. Sixty-five other jobs are being retained.

 

Progressive Pipeline expands HQ in Meridian, Miss.

A company that provides construction services for the installation and maintenance of gas and liquid pipeline systems, Progressive Pipeline, is expanding in Meridian. The $5.14 million investment is expected to create 25 jobs.

 

Old mall transformed in Louisiana?

North Shore Square, a mall in Slidell, La., that has struggled to find new life, is one of three sites being considered to house the National Finance Center, an agency that handles payroll for the Navy. The move could bring 800 to 1,200 jobs to the site, according to Chris Masingill, CEO of the St. Tammany Development District, and would breathe new life into an area that has seen an exodus of retailers and restaurants.

 

Big expansion for Panama City medical center 

Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center officials announced plans to add three floors to towers at the facility in Panama City, Fla. The $62 million investment is expected to add 100 new full-time jobs.

 

Memphis non-profit adding 200 positions

Youth Villages in Memphis, Tenn., is seeking 200 employees. Construction is underway for an expansion that will open up 72 new beds at the campus for emotionally and behaviorally troubled children. 

 

Culinary company expands in Austin

PREP — the largest provider of culinary production space in the Southeast — is expanding to Austin with its first location. The facility is estimated to support more than 200 jobs, and will feature 30 kitchens, 16 stations for early-stage entrepreneurs, and prep and storage stations for mobile food vendors. PREP's mission is to help small to medium-sized businesses by providing affordable, permit-ready production facilities.

 

Austin racks up hundreds of new jobs 

Republic National Distributing Company, a wine and spirits distributor, is relocating its regional operations and investing $27 million in a 250,000-square-foot facility in Pflugerville, Texas. The company plans to employ up to 304 associates.

 

High-end lighting company expands Charleston HQ

The Urban Electric Co., a lighting fixture designer and manufacturer, plans to expand its current headquarters in North Charleston, S.C. The company’s $10.7 million investment is projected to create approximately 180 new jobs.

 

New business for Wichita Falls, Texas

The old Stanley Tools building will soon house a new company. Rise Capital has purchased the building with a $2.4 million price tag. They’ll be leasing it out to Pamlico Air, a manufacturer of air filters, that plans to hire 200 workers within the first year. 

 

UT Regents approve $70 million for UTEP manufacturing program

The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved $70 million in funding for a major new facility at The University of Texas at El Paso that will house its growing research and teaching program in 3D printing and manufacturing. The funding also will improve UTEP’s test facilities for rocket engines and drones currently located in East El Paso County.  

 

Precision Pulley & Idler opens Kentucky complex

Precision Pulley & Idler, a supplier of idlers, pulleys, bearings and other products for bulk and material handling components industries, has opened its $10.75 million production facility in Maysville, Ky. The project is expected to create more than 100 full-time jobs over the next decade.

 

Flack Global Metals eyes Osceola, Ark.

Flack Global Metals (FGM) is moving forward with plans to build and operate a state-of-the-art coating and processing facility adjacent to Big River Steel’s Flex Mill located in Osceola. FGM plans to invest $150 million and create more than 150 new jobs to add production capability to the Big River Steel campus for pre-painted steel and aluminum coils. 

 

Pegasus Home Fashions locates plant in Denmark, S.C.

Pegasus Home Fashions, a manufacturer of bedding and home products, plans to establish operations in Denmark, S.C. The $1.1 million investment is projected to create 113 new jobs in Bamberg County. The family-owned company produces bed pillows, memory foam, blankets and more. Pegasus Home Fashions’ Bamberg County facility is the company’s first manufacturing and distribution operation in the Southeast.

 

Topre America plans $63 million expansion in Smyrna, Tenn.

Topre America will add 51 advanced manufacturing jobs to its automotive stamping operation near the Nissan manufacturing plant. The new jobs are part of a $63 million capital investment and the fourth expansion by the Japanese-based company in five years.

 

Distribution center gets $10 million upgrade in Arkansas

Seminole, Fla.-based Superior Group of Companies will invest $10 million in expansion and upgrades to its distribution center in Eudora, Ark. The company, which distributes a variety of uniforms and promotional products, plans to add 125 additional jobs over the next five years.

 

Thirty new jobs coming to Columbus, Ga.

A new business that helps food and beverage companies create innovative products is coming to Columbus with the promise of 30 jobs and $5 million in investment. Califormulations is retrofitting a 100,000-square-foot facility in the Muscogee Technology Park in Midland, which was recently vacated by NCR Corp. 

 

O’Reilly Auto Parts distribution center creating 380 jobs in Horn Lake, Miss.

Retailer O’Reilly Auto Parts is locating a distribution center in Horn Lake by retrofitting a 580,000-square-foot facility the company purchased in February. The project will create 380 jobs. 

 

Florida up against Indianapolis for $20 million HQ

Lee County and the state of Florida are kicking in money to convince Scotlynn USA Division to choose Southwest Florida rather than the Indianapolis area for its planned $20 million corporate headquarters. Scottlynn is a logistics provider that specializes in hauling time sensitive refrigerated produce.

 

Incentives for export facility on Jax’s Northside

Tax incentives for a new natural gas export facility on Jacksonville’s Northside have cleared a legislative hurdle.

The Mayor’s Budget Review Committee unanimously approved a $23 million property tax refund for Houston-based Eagle LNG Partners, which plans to build a $500 million facility on a riverfront tract in Jacksonville, Fla. Eagle LNG already runs a plant on the city’s Westside.

 

Irish fintech firm launches Nashville office with 200 jobs

An Ireland-based global provider of employee stock management, Global Shares, will base its operations headquarters for the United States in Nashville. The company plans to hire more than 50 associates in the next 12 months, and 200 new positions within two years.

 

King Street Station means 470 jobs for Chattanooga, Tenn.

Urban Story Ventures is announcing the second phase of King Street Station, a $35 million investment in Southside Chattanooga. In the last two years, the multi-story redevelopment turned an abandoned storage facility and surface lot into an office building and boutique hotel, adding approximately 470 new jobs to the area. The formerly vacant unit is now 100 percent leased.

 

ACI Plastics expands in Westminster, S.C.

ACI Plastics, a thermoplastics processor and recycler, plans a $10 million expansion to its operations in Westminster. ACI Plastics, which is known for its technologies for paint removal, instrument panels, electrostatic and optical separation, will partner with PreZero, which converts organic waste, plastics and paper into valuable raw materials and commodities.

 

Ford planning $1 billion investment in Louisville operations

Ford Motor Co. agrees to invest more than $1 billion in its Louisville operations in a proposed contract with United Auto Workers. The agreement includes a commitment from Ford to create 8,500 new or secured jobs as well as invest $6 billion in products across its operations. One billion of that investment will come at the Kentucky Truck Plant to support an all-new Super Duty F-Series truck as well as all-new Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. Another $100 million in new investment is planned at the Louisville Assembly Plant to support continued production of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair. 

 

Memphis, Tenn., gets $27 million expansion at rice plant

Riviana Foods is expanding its rice processing plant in Memphis with a $27 million plan to expand production of its Minute brand rice products at its facility there. The Houston-based firm said its decision to expand the Memphis plant stems from an increase in demand for ready-to-serve products in the U.S.

 

FleetPride plans distribution hub in Georgia

FleetPride, a distributor of truck and trailer parts,  will open a 256,000-square-foot distribution center currently under construction near Atlanta in Lilburn, Ga. The Lilburn facility is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2020.

 

Google to the rescue in Clarksville, Tenn.

The Hemlock Semiconductor plant promised hundreds of jobs for Clarksville, but never got off the ground. In stepped Google, breaking ground in February 2018, to convert the Hemlock site into a data processing center. In November, jubilant officials gathered for the ribbon cutting on the $600 million facility that will create 100 jobs to start.

 

Google confirms Atlanta expansion

Tech giant Google will expand its current Southeastern headquarters, setting up shop as an anchor in the 1105 West Peachtree building, a new mixed-use development in Midtown Atlanta. The new digs are set to open in 2022, but the number of jobs it will create has yet to be released. 

 

New UPS healthcare facility could add 200 jobs in Louisville

In a move to further focus on its healthcare supply chain services, United Parcel Services will be adding 1.3 million square feet of distribution space across the country, including a new 450,000-square-foot facility in Louisville. The warehouse has already been built near the healthcare campus of the UPS Worldport hub, and could create up to 200 new jobs there.

 

ATCC opens second headquarters campus in Virginia

ATCC has launched its second headquarters expansion with a new campus in Prince William County, Va. ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) is a nonprofit organization that collects, stores and distributes microorganisms for research and development to combat diseases including Malaria, Zika and Tuberculosis to name a few. Expected to be completed by early 2021, the $22 million expansion will increase the building’s size from 126,000 to 161,000 square feet.

 

North Carolina gas valve manufacturer to expand

RegO, which supplies valves and controls for propane, LNG and cryogenic gas systems, has announced a “multi-million dollar” expansion at one of its four facilities in the state. The expansion is expected to create 50 new manufacturing jobs in Whitsett and at RegO’s headquarters in Elon, N.C.

 

Lockheed Martin wins $60 million in Metro Orlando defense work

Central Florida’s largest defense contractor has secured two U.S. Navy contracts worth a combined $60 million.  Maryland-based Lockheed Martin won a $40 million contract to build Trident II missiles. The contract was awarded to Lockheed’s Titusville operations and 12 percent of the work will take place in Cape Canaveral.

 

Update on Frito-Lay’s Florida facility

Frito-Lay is still pursuing a fulfillment center in Osceola County, Fla., but does not yet have a timeline for the facility’s construction. The Texas-based subsidiary of PepsiCo announced plans in August for a $130 million center in Osceola County, which could employ 200 people, is still in communication with Osceola County on the proposed facility.

 

Carvana delivering 450 jobs in Alabama

Carvana, an e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, plans to invest more than $45 million to construct an Alabama distribution and fulfillment center, and create more than 300 jobs. Construction of a 200,000-square-foot distribution facility in Bessemer is expected to begin in April 2020 and open by December 2021. The total project is about $47 million in capital investment.

 

Jacksonville Port receives $20 million grant

The JaxPort project is expected to create an additional 15,000 jobs at the Florida port and is part of a $238 million expansion. The Jacksonville Port Authority is the recipient of a $20 million grant for infrastructure improvements to include reconstructing about 100 acres of pavement at the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal on Blount Island to allow the port to better accommodate large container vessels.

 

Trex bringing 150 jobs to Frederick County, Va.

Trex Company, a manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing, broke ground recently on a new manufacturing facility adjacent to its existing production site in Frederick County, which is expected to bring more than 150 jobs to Winchester and Frederick County. 

 

New Orleans biotech companies to create 275 jobs

Expansions by three New Orleans biotech firms — AxoSim, Cadex Genomics and Obatala Sciences — will create 135 new jobs at the University of New Orleans (UNO) and the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, a biotech incubator where all three companies launched local startup operations. AxoSim will expand its existing facilities at the BioInnovation Center, and projects adding 75 jobs at an average annual salary of $60,000. On the UNO campus, Cadex Genomics has opened a molecular diagnostic laboratory focused on improving cancer treatment. The company will create 50 new jobs with an average annual salary of $70,000. Obatala Sciences will expand at the same UNO institute and create 10 new jobs with an average annual salary of $80,000. Obatala produces biotech tools for improving the speed and effectiveness of pharmaceutical development.

 

GlaxoSmithKline creating 150 jobs in Virginia

GlaxoSmithKline will invest $16.7 million to expand its consumer healthcare research and development center in Richmond. The global healthcare company chose Virginia as one of three R&D laboratory hubs for its global Consumer Healthcare business and plans to add approximately 150 new jobs at the site.

 

DIRTT Environmental Solutions investing $18 million In South Carolina

DIRTT Environmental Solutions, an interior design and construction company for commercial spaces, will establish operations in York County, S.C. The $18.5 million investment is expected to create more than 100 jobs in Rock Hill.

 

FIS to build world HQ in Jacksonville, Fla.

Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), a global leader in financial services technology, announced that it will stay in Jacksonville “for decades to come,” and will construct a $145 million, 300,000-square-foot headquarters to house 1,700 jobs. The move will consolidate its three locations and allow it to hire 500 new positions over 10 years. 

 

Hyster-Yale Group expands Kentucky operations

Forklift manufacturer Hyster-Yale Group recently began construction on its $25.7 million expansion in Berea, Ky. The project will significantly boost capacity at the facility.

 

Georgia governor helps open lumber mill in Warren County

Georgia-Pacific celebrated the official opening of its $135 million, 340,000-square-foot lumber facility with an onsite dedication in Warren County, Ga. “It’s not just the 80 jobs at this facility, it’s giving landowners opportunities to have a market to sell their wood,” said Governor Kemp.

 

Hyundai begins production of redesigned Sonata 

Alabama’s Hyundai plant launched mass production of the redesigned Sonata sedan in November, another milestone for the $1.8 billion, 3,000-worker Montgomery facility. The 2020 Sonata features improved safety, technology, performance and fuel efficiency, along with an all-new sporty design that is a departure from the brand’s traditional styling. 

 

New jobs coming to the Pee Dee with $6.9 million investment

 A railroad tie manufacturing company is expected to bring dozens of new jobs to Marion County, S.C. Tie & Timber Technologies recently announced a $6.9 million investment that is projected to create 51 new jobs over the next five years. According to a press release, “T3 [Tie & Timber Technologies] will focus on the manufacturing of green railroad ties that will be shipped initially to nearby processors for treatment with preservatives, then delivered to various North America railroads for use in maintenance of rights of way. The company will also market byproducts, including bark and wood chips, to industries primarily located in South Carolina.”

 

Livent expands in North Carolina

The Livent Corp. is expanding its facilities in Bessemer City, N.C., in a $16 million effort that will add 30 new jobs and increase production capacities. The expansion will allow Livent to increase production of lithium hydroxide, which is an essential component of the advanced lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, as well as in industrial greasers and other applications. In addition to the 30 new jobs at the facility, work on the expansion is expected to employ 85 construction workers.

 

New call center cuts the ribbon in Danville, Va.

Three hundred new jobs are one step closer to becoming a reality in Danville after a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November. PRA Group is moving in to provide 300 jobs for the Danville area over a three-year period.

 

Cargill’s Animal Nutrition & Health expands Texas facility

Cargill’s Animal Nutrition & Health business, a division of the company that offers products and services to feed manufacturers, animal producers and feed retailers, opened a $34 million expansion of its facility in Temple, Texas.

Construction of the 70,000-square-foot addition began in January 2018 and was completed in August 2019.

 

Food manufacturer picks Amarillo, Texas

SSI Foods will locate a new 75,000-square-foot plant in Amarillo. The $42 million project will employ 150. SSI Foods was started by a group of industry veterans to process protein products for chain restaurants and the food service industry.

 

Texas lures Uber and 3,000 jobs

Gov. Greg Abbott and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi were in Dallas recently for the groundbreaking ceremony of the company’s new major hub in Deep Ellum. The San Francisco-based ride-sharing and food delivery company’s new hub is expected bring about 3,000 jobs to North Texas as the company will hire for new positions and relocate current employees. By the end of this year, Uber is expected to either hire or relocate 400 employees in Dallas. 

 

Huge data center project in Milam County, Texas

A Louisiana-based data company says it will build the world’s largest bitcoin mining facility at a former Alcoa site in Milam County between Austin and College Station. Whinstone US’s 100-acre data center project is set to start this month in the town of Rockdale, and the first 180,000-square-foot building in the project should be open early next year. The $150 million project is expected to create 200 jobs. 

 

New $200 million wood products plant ramps up In Charlotte, N.C.

The first wooden beam rolled off the high-tech production line at Roseburg Forest Products’ new $200 million plant in Chester County in October. The facility is expected to employ 145 people when it’s in full production. 

 

Two auto suppliers creating over 500 jobs in Tuscaloosa County, Ala.

The Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority approved tax abatements for projects by two automotive parts suppliers that are expected to create more than 500 jobs. International Automotive Components Group North will invest  $22.3 million and create 119 jobs. Lear Corp. plans to make a $12.4 million investment in an expansion, which is expected to create 442 jobs.

 

Sapience Automation expands to Charleston, S.C.

Sapience Automation, a full-service integrator of robot systems, is establishing operations in Charleston. The $500,000 investment is expected to create 26 new jobs in Berkeley County.

 

Drone careers take off in Virginia

Virginia Beach-based DroneUp announced that it will invest $130,000 to expand its headquarters and add 41 new jobs. The web and mobile platform for on-demand drone pilot service has clients in the commercial, government and military sectors. The company, which was founded in 2016, connects drone clients with qualified drone pilots via its Mission Match process, which is available via an app as well as online.

 

Hundreds of jobs coming to Floyd County, Ky.

Just weeks after state and local leaders announced the prison in Wheelright will reopen, bringing along hundreds of jobs, officials with the Floyd County Fiscal Court announced that the fiscal court has teamed up with Teleworks USA to bring 300 more jobs to the county. The telemarketing jobs pay $12 an hour and offer health insurance, retirement and paid vacation after a trial period.

 

Beer distributor opens in Texas with 50 new jobs

KEG 1 O’Neal, which distributes a variety of alcoholic beverages in 30 Texas counties, has opened its $11 million, 108,000-square-foot distribution facility in Temple, Texas. The regional office and distribution warehouse added 50 new jobs, giving the company a total of 110 employees in the city where it has operated for more than a decade.

 

European Wax Center plans Plano HQ, 100 jobs

European Wax Center, a beauty salon franchise, has selected Plano for its new corporate headquarters, bringing more than 100 jobs to DFW. 

 

Cannabis facility breaks ground in Florida

The legalized marijuana industry continues to grow in Florida. Acreage Holdings recently broke ground on a 15.4-acre cannabis facility in Baker County. The Sanderson Cultivation and Production Facility expects to employ 80 to 100 people at its indoor climate-controlled facility, which will provide products for the company’s soon-to-be-opened dispensaries in Florida.

 

Rangle eyes Metro Atlanta for a software development hub

Rangle, a software development company headquartered in Canada, will open a new software development center in Fulton County, Ga. The project is expected to create 30 new jobs in the Metro Atlanta area.