June 2021

Whoa! Number of available jobs sets record

Remember from 2015 to 2018 the U.S. had over 7 million jobs available and virtually no takers? Back then we were averaging about 150,000 jobs created per month, or about 1.8 million jobs gained per year. No one seems to be focusing on the real root of this problem -- massive cuts in immigration and the fact that 20- and 30-year-olds do not believe they can afford children. Population and fertility rates are at all-time lows in the U.S. the last several years. So, where are we now? Today, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that there are 8.1 million jobs available. That is the highest total on record.

 

Proposed LNG export terminals in Louisiana could capture tons of greenhouse gases

Arlington, Va.-based Venture Global LNG will use advanced technology to capture greenhouse gases from its export terminals in Louisiana that it plans to build. Already there are several active LNG terminals in Louisiana, including the giant Cheniere terminal in Southwest Louisiana. Other billion-dollar deals are in play, and Venture Global LNG is planning its carbon capture efforts at all new LNG export facilities.

 

Major firms using incentives to lure workers back to the office

Companies such as Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs are offering lots of perks to get their employees back to the office. In-office companies such as law firms, banks, asset managers and tech companies are trying hard to bring their employees back to their leased or owned properties, but remote work has become the norm in the last 18 months. The companies are offering free meals and other incentives to bring labor back onsite.

 

Majority of small businesses expect revenue to grow this year

According to a report by Bank of America, 60 percent of small businesses expect their revenue to increase over the next 12 months (as of spring quarter). Just 34 percent of those same businesses thought revenue would increase this time last year.

 

GM will support UAW at its two new battery plants

In May, General Motors announced it will support union efforts to organize at the two U.S. electric vehicle battery factories that it’s building in Ohio and Tennessee with its joint-venture partner Ultium LLC. The union is working to create a wage of about $31 per hour at the two plants.

 

Florida tech growth advancing

According to a study done by CompTIA, the state of Florida will add a net gain of 16,000 jobs this year in the tech sector. Most of the jobs will come from the IT sector where demand for those jobs has grown by 190 percent in the past five years.

 

Virginia taking up rural jobs act

Sen. Mark Warner is heading up an effort in the Commonwealth of Virginia to expand the New Markets Tax Credit that will set aside $1 billion for communities in the state with less than 50,000 people. Rebranded as the Rural Jobs Act, the incentives will give rural communities in the state -- particularly those in Southwest Virginia -- a leg-up when it comes to job creation.

 

Hyundai to invest billions in electric vehicles in the Southern Automotive Corridor

South Korean sister automakers Hyundai and Kia will invest $7.4 billion in their electric vehicle transition in the U.S., the companies announced in the spring. Hyundai operates its only U.S. plant in Montgomery, Ala., and Kia operates its only U.S. plant 80 miles away in West Point, Ga.

 

Charlotte-based Bank of America raising wages to $25 an hour

Charlotte-based Bank of America announced this spring that it will raise its minimum hourly wage to $25 by 2025. The massive bank (the second largest in the country) just completed a plan to raise employee wages to a minimum of $20 an hour.

 

Nissan begins assembling new Pathfinder Pathfinder model at Tennessee plant

Japanese automaker Nissan began the assembly of its new 2022 Pathfinder SUV model at its plant in Smyrna, Tenn. The first model rolled off the assembly line in May with its powertrain being built nearly in Decherd, Tenn. More than 7,000 workers are housed at the plant in Smyrna, east of Nashville.

 

Move over natural gas; move in batteries

The proliferation of natural gas in the fracking frenzy that has been happening over the last 15 year is waning. Coal power plants have been replaced by natural gas-fueled plants, and that transformation hasn't even come close to completing. Yet, there is a new power source in town -- battery storage charged with wind and solar energy. Vistra Corp., one of the largest owners of natural gas power plants, announced this spring it is investing $1 billion in battery storage.

 

Nashville, the latest "it" city may have seen its best days

In the spring quarter, Oracle announced it would bring 8,500 jobs to Nashville's downtown riverfront. It is one of the South’s most impressive economic development announcements in history. Nashville also is the latest major market in the South to become an "it" city joining Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte and others. But there is a problem in Nashville, one of the nation's fastest growing cities. The Institute for Truth in Accounting recently ranked it one of the country’s five worst “sinkhole” cities, with $22,000 in debt per resident. Its bonded debt has increased by more than $1.25 billion in 10 years. Much if not all of the city's reserve funds have been spent and new property tax increases have been passed to fill in the financial gaps. The state has even considered a state takeover of the city's finances. What goes up, must come down.

 

"Tidal wave of women" left workforce

According to a new study published by the journal, Gender & Society, a "tidal wave" of women left the workforce in September of 2020 when school typically would have started for the year. The research showed that women over the age of 20 left their jobs as a result of their children being forced to stay home and participate in virtual learning. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 865,000 women dropped out of the labor force in September, four times the number of men.

 

Birth rate in U.S. lowest in more than 40 years

The birth rate in the U.S. fell 4 percent in 2020 to about 3.6 million babies. It is the sixth straight annual decline and the lowest since 1979 according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

Census: Austin is America's fastest growing city

In the spring quarter, the U.S. Census Bureau released its “New Vintage 2020 Population Estimates Available for Nation, States, Counties and Puerto Rico Commonwealth." The fastest growing metro areas in the U.S. in 2020 were Austin; Boise; Lakeland, Fla.; Fayetteville, Ark.; and Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla. Making the top 10 in the South included Raleigh, North Port-Sarasota, and Charleston, S.C.

 

Apple's North Carolina deal could garner $1 billion in incentives

Apple's announcement this spring that it will set up a billion-dollar campus that will house 3,000 workers in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina is expected to garner $845 million in tax breaks over the next 40 years. When local incentives are included, the total is close to $1 billion in incentives to the tech giant.

 

U.S. trade deficit hits record high

The U.S. trade deficit raged to a record $74 billion in March. Imports rose more than 6 percent as did exports. The improving U.S. economy drove purchases of imported goods. The deficit is the gap between what the U.S. buys from abroad and what it sells to other nations.

 

West Virginia Is offering remote workers $12,000 to move there

West Virginia, the South's smallest state in terms of population, launched a program to recruit remote and self-employed workers. The state is offering $12,000 and a free, year-long pass for outdoor activities for those who relocate to the state for at least two years.

 

South Carolina Ports opens new terminal

The South Carolina Ports welcomed the first vessel to the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal for the first time in the spring quarter. The terminal is the first container terminal to open in the United States since 2009.

 

IRS head says tax cheats cost U.S. $1 trillion per year or more

In the spring quarter, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig told a U.S. Senate panel that tax cheats -- including large corporations -- have created a tax gap of uncollected taxes of about $1 trillion a year. Rettig cited cryptocurrencies and foreign-source income as well as abuses of pass-through structures as the reasons for the taxes not being collected.

 

Spring quarter brings third-largest U.S. monthly deficit on record

Sure, the U.S. Treasury has been printing money more so than any time in U.S. history as trillions are being invested into the economy. It is already showing. In March, the U.S. spent $927 billion, more than double the level of March 2020 as a result of the Biden financial rescue plan. Also in March, the federal government spent $660 billion more than it collected in tax revenue. That figure was eclipsed only by April and June 2020 numbers under the Trump administration when the U.S. approved even larger levels of emergency spending.

 

Hyundai's Alabama plant helps company to best ever sales month in March

South Korean automaker Hyundai's sales soared 153 percent over March 2020 sales to over 72,000 vehicles, its best U.S. month ever. Hyundai's only U.S. assembly plant is in Montgomery, Ala.

 

Auto battery deal saves 2,600 Georgia jobs

Electric vehicle parts competitors SK Innovation (SKI) and LG Energy Solution (LGES) have reached an agreement in an ongoing dispute on trade secrets that will preserve 2,600 jobs in Northeast Georgia. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in favor of LGES on Feb. 10, after the company accused SKI of stealing 22 of its trade secrets. The ruling banned SKI from importing battery parts and components for 10 years, with some exceptions. SKI has agreed to pay LGES $1.8 billion in lump-sum payments and royalties. Both companies agreed to withdraw pending litigation and not seek enforcement of patent or intellectual rights for 10 years.

 

Elon Musk recruits employees at new Austin plant via Twitter

Entrepreneur Elon Musk of SpaceX and Tesla, took to Twitter in April to recruit employees at the new Gigafactory that will build Tesla's first cybertruck near the airport in Austin, Texas. Musk wants to recruit 10,000 employees to the new facility, twice what was originally announced.

 

Elon Musk wants to create city at South Texas rocket launch base

Not too long ago, Elon Musk and his SpaceX startup chose a site near Brownsville, Texas, to launch rockets, and land them. The private spaceflight company has already launched large rockets in tests so far in Boca Chica, Texas, a beachside community that is so tiny, other than in the summer, only a few dozen homes are occupied. Now Musk would like to create a community in Boca Chica. He tweeted in April, "“Please consider moving to Starbase or greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas & encourage friends to do so! SpaceX’s hiring needs for engineers, technicians, builders & essential support personnel of all kinds are growing rapidly.” So remember the "company town" where you had textiles and apparel company-owned homes and stores? Well, today, Elon Musk is trying to build a town based on space called "Starbase."

 

There is a new richest person in Texas

Move over Alice Walton of WalMart. . .Elon Musk, who has recently moved to Austin, is now the richest person in Texas. Musk made a highly publicized move to Austin last year from California. Much of Musk's newest developments are now in Texas with his Gigafactory in Austin to the Starbase rocket launch area in Boca Chica, Texas on the beach near Brownsville.

 

Virginia first state in the South to legalize marijuana

Virginia lawmakers in the spring quarter legalized marijuana, the first state in the South to do so. Under the law, adults 21 and older will be able to use and grow marijuana, beginning in July The state will also launch a legal and regulated market with tax revenues going toward education and equity initiatives as well as addiction treatments and public health services.

 

Southern Kentucky county to expand super successful industrial park

Bowling Green and Warren County have issued a $46.5 million bond to help pay for the expansion and development of the Kentucky Transpark by the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority (ITA). The initial Kentucky Transpark was comprised of approximately 700 acres and serves as home to 19 private companies and three educational facilities that employ over 2,600.

 

BP's new, massive offshore oil platform arrives in Texas

British Petroleum's 27-story, floating semi-submersible oil drilling platform, one of the largest in the world, arrived near Corpus Christi in the spring quarter after a 16,000-mile trip. The new platform is part of BP's $9 billion initiative to extract oil from the Mad Dog 2 oil field about 200 miles south of New Orleans. The platform will operate in 4,500 feet of water and will house hundreds of workers.

 

U.S. factory activity strongest since 1983

In March, U.S. manufacturers grew at a faster pace than at any time since 1983. As the pandemic wanes and government aid dollars flow freely, manufacturers were full steam ahead as spring began. The Institute for Supply Management gave its measure of factory activity a score of 64.7 percent in March, the highest in 37 years.

 

Raytheon CEO say Biden corporate tax plan will reduced the company's investments

Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes, in a speech to the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. in the spring quarter, said that President Biden's corporate tax increases, infrastructure plan and other initiatives to raise revenue will reduce investment by the aerospace and defense giant by about $1 billion a year. Hayes said that Raytheon spends about $5 billion a year on R&D and other expenditures, and if the corporate tax rate is raised from 21 percent to 28 percent, it would cost the company about $1 billion more in taxes.

 

Consumers spent $900 billion more online in 2020

While the pandemic was raging worldwide, consumers spent $900 billion more as they stayed at home according to a report by the MasterCard Economics Institute. While people were stuck at home, nearly every online retailer saw its online sales improve. E-commerce made up $1 out of every $5 spent on retail globally in 2020, according the report. In 2019, it was $1 out of every $7 spent.

 

U.S. emerges in spring as largest contributor to the world's economy

In March, the Labor Department showed that the U.S. gained 916,000 jobs. About the same time, the U.S. ascended as the No. 1 economic engine in the world based on GDP. It's the first time since 2005 that the U.S., not China, has been the No. 1 country fueling the world's economy.

 

State of Georgia buys megasite near Savannah

When looking to locate in the U.S., Volkswagen and Volvo checked out the megasite in Bryan County, Ga., near Savannah. Both passed, even though officials there thought they had landed Volvo, which eventually chose a site near Charleston, S.C., in Berkeley County. Volvo has now expanded several times at its facilities in Berkeley County. Now, the 2,284-acre Bryan County megasite has been purchased by the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority. The strategic purchase of the Bryan County Mega-Site is the largest in Georgia state history, according to a press release from the governor's office.

 

Whirpool announces a major expansion in Tulsa, Okla.

Whirlpool announced it is investing $15 million into its factory in Tulsa, where the company produces freestanding and slide-in ranges under the Whirlpool, Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid and JennAir brands. The expansion will also mean the addition of 150 jobs there.

 

New Boston Whaler factory opens in Florida

Brunswick Corporation and Boston Whaler recently held a groundbreaking ceremony ahead of the reopening of its 225,000-square-foot Flagler County manufacturing facility. The expansion will bring more than 400 jobs to the local economy.

 

Orange Park, Fla., getting an even better medical center

On the heels of a recent $126 million expansion, Orange Park Medical Center has announced a $34 million multi-phase expansion, creating over 80 new jobs. The latest expansion includes the construction of two new inpatient units and a new intensive care unit.

 

L’Oréal to add 45 jobs with $12 million expansion of North Little Rock plant

New York City-based L’Oréal USA announced in May that it will invest more than $12 million to expand its plant in North Little Rock, Ark. The project is estimated to add 45 jobs to the 350 jobs at the plant.

 

SIBO GROUP to invest $2.6 million in new Virginia operation

SIBO GROUP, a Slovenia-based manufacturer of closure solutions for tubes, containers and other packaging systems, will invest $2.6 million to establish its U.S. corporate headquarters and a new manufacturing operation in Harrisonburg, Va. The new facility will create 24 new jobs.

 

Four projects, 500 new jobs with $273 million investment for Kentucky

Gov. Andy Beshear recently announced four economic development projects that collectively will create over 500 new jobs in Kentucky with a $273 million investment:

Wieland North America plans to create 75 jobs with a $100 million copper recycling facility in Shelby County. The announcement comes less than four months after Wieland made public its plans to locate its new North American headquarters in Louisville with an $8.8 million investment, a project creating 75 jobs.

Firestone Industrial Products will create 250 jobs in Williamsburg with a $50 million expansion of its automotive air springs manufacturing plant. The company currently employs more than 500 people.

Canada-based Kruger Packaging is expected to invest $114.2 million to establish a state-of-the-art packaging manufacturing operation in Hardin County, creating at least 150 jobs in the coming years. This represents the company’s first corrugated box plant in the U.S.

Startup bourbon producer Jackson Purchase Distillery will upgrade a long-idled facility and create 30 jobs as part of the company’s plans for a new $8.76 million distilling operation in Fulton County.

 

Manufacturer bringing 79 new jobs to Hopkinsville, Ky.

EZ-ACCESS will begin manufacturing operations later this summer, creating 79 jobs and over $5 million in capital investment. The company makes a variety of ramps and lifts.

 

Aerospace engineering firm expanding in Fauquier County, Va.

SPARC Research, a provider engineering services in advanced missile and rocket propulsion, will invest $2.5 million and create 16 new jobs in expanding its operation in Fauquier Count. The company will establish a new 20,000-square-foot office and manufacturing facility on 4.5 acres near its current location in Warrenton.

 

DHL adding 250 jobs at CVG

Because of the skyrocketing demands for shipped goods across the world, DHL Express is adding 250 jobs and boosting wages at its North American superhub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

 

Four Lubbock companies announce combined 500 new jobs

Four Lubbock, Texas-based companies are planning to expand, creating over 500 jobs and investing a combined $11.4 million in capital:

SIMFLO, a leader in the vertical and submersible turbine markets, is expanding its current facility and constructing a new testing facility in Lubbock, which will be one of the largest test pits in North America. SIMFLO will invest $5 million and create 12 jobs.

VXI Global Solutions designs and supports customer engagement platforms. The company is creating over 350 new jobs.

Tech company Starnik Systems, headquartered in Lubbock, is expanding with a capital investment of $5 million, and will bring 75 new jobs to the area.

CEV Multimedia, which produces instructional materials for students and teachers, announced the creation of 89 new Lubbock-based jobs, and a $229,555 investment.

 

Mohawk expands in Roanoke, Va.

Mohawk Industries is growing its Roanoke manufacturing facility by expanding into yarn production there, creating 130 jobs. Originally a carpet-backing operation, the Roanoke facility will now house yarn conversion operations as well. In total, the location will employ approximately 300 people once the new positions are filled.

 

West Coast tech company revs up Austin workforce with 130 new jobs

Rev.com, a provider of artificial-intelligence-powered, voice-to-text transcription services, is revving up its presence in Austin. The company announced in March that it is expanding its Austin workforce with the addition of 130 employees.

 

Update: Amazon begins hiring 2,000 new jobs at CVG

Amazon has announced that it has begun hiring for jobs at its $1.5 billion air cargo hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, where it plans to create 2,000 new positions. The jobs -- loading and unloading aircraft and sorting packages -- will pay at least $17.50 per hour and include a signing bonus of $2,000.

 

Snow Joe adding 70 new jobs in Rowan County, N.C.

Cordless and electric tool maker Snow Joe, together with its complementary brands Sun Joe and Aqua Joe, announced it is expanding in Rowan County. Based in New Jersey, Snow Joe is adding a second shift and hiring for up to 70 new jobs at its Salisbury facility.

 

Magna Mirrors bringing 300 new jobs with $31 million factory build in Duncan, S.C.

Magna Mirrors has announced construction of a new $31 million, 170,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Duncan. The facility is expected to employ 300 people to produce high-tech vehicle mirrors with cameras and sensor technology.

 

Trucking company bringing 136 new jobs to Cherokee County, S.C.

Kerns Trucking, a regional transportation and logistics company, announced plans to establish its corporate headquarters in Cherokee County. The $7.9 million investment will create 136 new jobs.

 

CARsgen chooses Research Triangle for new facility

CARsgen Therapeutics Corporation, a biotech company specializing in cancer medicines, will create approximately 200 jobs and invest $157 million in Durham, N.C. The Research Triangle biomanufacturing site will be its first North America.

 

Global insurance firm moving HQ to Orlando

AssuredPartners, one of the country’s largest insurance brokerage firms, is moving its headquarters to downtown Orlando, Fla., and plans to bring with it at least 100 new high-paying jobs.

 

California-based company bringing jobs to Fluvanna County, Va.

California-based Stewart Tool Company will invest $9.1 million to establish its first East Coast manufacturing operation in Fluvanna County. The company will renovate the former Kloeckner Metals facility in Troy. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland and Pennsylvania for the project, which will create 22 new jobs.

 

M.C. Dean announces Phase 2 of $25 million expansion in Caroline, Va.

Tysons-based M.C. Dean Inc. announced recently it has entered the second phase of its $25 million expansion, breaking ground on an 84,000-square-foot modular manufacturing facility at its Center for Innovation and Industry in Caroline County. Expected to open this fall, the electrical engineering firm’s facility in Caroline County will be home to ModularMEP, M.C. Dean’s line of modular electrical buildings.

 

Credit Karma expanding in Charlotte, N.C., with 600 jobs

Credit Karma announced that it is expanding its operations in Charlotte, adding 600 new jobs and investing $13 million to transform its existing operations into an East Coast Headquarters.

 

Korean automotive manufacturer opening first U.S. facility in Jackson County, Ga.

Duckyang, a supplier of automotive battery modules and energy storage systems to SK Battery America, will invest $10 million in opening its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Braselton, Ga. The new facility will create 285 jobs in Jackson County.

 

SunCoke Energy to invest $50 million in Buchanan County, Va.

SunCoke Energy, the largest independent producer of high-quality coke for blast furnace steel production in the Americas, will invest $50 million in its manufacturing operation in Buchanan County to refurbish and upgrade the facility to enable the production of foundry coke. Virginia successfully competed with Ohio for the project, which will retain approximately 100 jobs.

 

Poultry operator adding 290 jobs in Little Rock, Ark.

Arkansas-based Custom Craft Poultry is opening a new poultry processing plant in Little Rock. The company has repurposed the former Odom’s Tennessee Pride sausage plant and invested nearly $10 million in the project. It is expected to create 290 new jobs.

 

Amazon has begun hiring 1,000 jobs for new facility in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

Amazon has started hiring for more than 1,000 full-time jobs at its new robotics fulfillment center in Mt. Juliet. The facility will use robotics technology to pick, pack and ship smaller items to customers across the region. Amazon has projected up to 3,000 jobs for the Mt. Juliet facility.

 

Freezer manufacturing facility creating new jobs in Georgia

IC Biomedical, a producer of cryogenic freezers, will make a multi-million dollar investment in opening an advanced manufacturing facility near Cartersville. As demand for medical-grade freezers continues to surge, the facility will deliver more than 80 jobs to Bartow County.

 

FanDuel bringing 900 jobs to new Atlanta tech hub

Mobile gaming site FanDuel has announced plans for a tech hub, with anticipated 900-plus jobs, in Atlanta. The proposed 68,000-square-foot operations center will host hundreds of high-paying jobs focused on software engineering, information technology and product development.

 

ID.Me bringing 500 jobs to its new Tampa office

Virginia-based ID.me is opening a new office in Tampa, Fla., and will bring 500 jobs with it. The digital security firm, which is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, says it hopes to hire employees for the new office by the end of this year.

 

Steel manufacturer expands to Newport News, Va.

IndieDwell is expected to invest over $2 million to build its first East Coast manufacturing facility in Newport News. The expansion is expected to add 220 new jobs. IndieDwell states that its mission is to “manufacture healthy, durable, energy efficient, sustainable modular housing to help solve the affordable housing crisis.”

 

Amazon reveals new Alabama warehouse and 500 jobs

Amazon announced plans to open a 1-million-square-foot fulfillment center in Huntsville, a project that will create more than 500 jobs. The company said the facility will be built near the new Mazda Toyota vehicle factory that’s under construction west of Huntsville in Limestone County.

 

Domtar to expand Georgia manufacturing facility

Pulp supplier Domtar Corporation will invest more than $60 million to expand its manufacturing operations in Jesup, Ga., delivering 75 additional jobs to Wayne County.

 

Food distributer adding 40 new jobs in Duplin County, N.C.

Governor Roy Cooper announced eGourmet Solutions is expanding in Duplin County, adding 40 new jobs and investing $500,00. The company is an online temperature-controlled logistics and supply chain company.

 

Siemens completes $36 million expansion in South Carolina

Siemens’ industrial manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, S.C., has completed a three-year expansion, adding more than 180 new positions and 52,000 square feet to one of the company’s key manufacturing hubs.

 

Bigtime boat manufacturer launches in Craven County, N.C.

White River Marine Group is acquiring Hatteras Yachts, and will target 500 jobs in Craven County. New Bern The company is investing $35 million and will modernize the New Bern plant.

 

Aluminum can maker expands in Winston-Salem

Ardagh Group, a supplier of infinitely recyclable metal and glass packaging, will add 94 new jobs in Forsyth County. The company will invest at least $195 million to expand its current beverage can metal manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem.

 

New airline coming to Norfolk, Va., creating 116 jobs

Breeze Airways, a new U.S.- based airline providing low-cost, nonstop service to mid-size markets, will invest $5.2 million to establish an operations center at Norfolk International Airport. The company plans to hire 116 staffers.

 

Breeze Airways landing at NOLA Airport

The addition of Breeze Airways to the New Orleans airport is expected to create 261 jobs there. The new airline will make a capital investment of $6.6 million, and flights are set to begin in July.

 

New peanut facility coming to Missouri

Fifty million dollars will be invested in the creation of the Delta Peanut processing facility, which will be owned by farmers. The facility will create 50 new jobs, with the manufacturing jobs earning an average wage of $38,250.

 

Foam firm reopening long-vacant Texas manufacturing plant

Future Foam, a company that specializes in polyurethane foam products, will renovate and begin manufacturing at the former Apex Tool Group plant (empty since 2015) in Garland, Texas. The $3 million project is expected to create 104 jobs.

 

New Tennessee solar farm will light up the Facebook data center

A new $140 million solar farm in Shelby County, Tenn., is to power Facebook’s data center in Gallatin. The Tennessee Valley Authority recently announced a partnership with Facebook and energy company RWE Renewables that will build a 150MW solar facility near Millington.

 

Walgreens warehouse coming to Memphis

Walgreens is bringing a new warehouse to Memphis, Tenn., along with 200 new jobs. The $30 million high-tech drug warehouse in Oakhaven is expected to increase the speed of packages to stores, to lockers for pickup and directly to customers’ homes.

 

Tortilla equipment manufacturer plans 210 jobs in Maury County, Tenn.

A California-based company that specializes in equipment to make tortillas is investing $30 million to set up shop in Tennessee and create 210 jobs. J.C. Ford Company plans to create the jobs over five years at the new facility in Columbia, Tenn.

 

Roadtec rebranding and expanding in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Roadtec (rebranding as ASTEC) will expand its operations in Chattanooga. The company, which manufacturers just about everything you need to build roads, will invest $6.2 million and hire 128 new jobs in Hamilton County.

 

Hydro-Gear bringing 300 jobs to Carroll County, Tenn.

The company that makes transmissions for outdoor power equipment has announced plans to expand its operations in Tennessee with a new facility that will bring 375 jobs with it. Hydro-Gear will invest $10 million to locate in Huntingdon, Tenn.

 

WebstaurantStore bringing 100 new jobs to Chatham County, Ga.

WebstaurantStore, a supplier to food service professionals, will open a distribution center in Chatham County, creating more than 100 jobs. The company also has two facilities in Albany, which employ more than 350 Georgians.

 

Conveyor belt manufacturer creating 83 jobs in Buford, Ga.

A company that produces lightweight conveyor belts is expanding its operations with a new plant in Buford. Ammeraal Beltech is expected to create 83 new jobs with the plant – a $19 million investment by the company.

 

Cabinet maker creating 125 new jobs in Lawrenceville, Ga.

A Texas-based cabinet manufacturer is expanding and relocating to Gwinnett County after acquiring a Lawrenceville-based company. Republic Elite’s relocation to Lawrenceville, after the acquisition of Windsor Kitchen and Bath, is expected to create 125 new jobs there.

 

EV charging giant opening HQ in Atlanta

A Netherlands-based supplier of charging stations for electric vehicles, Heliox, will set up a North American headquarters in Atlanta, hiring 70. North America is expected to become the largest market for e-mobility in the next 5 years.

 

Mississippi sawmill adds 43 jobs

Hankins Lumber in Grenada, Miss., is adding new sawmill operations, Hankins Timbers, to its existing business enterprise. The project is a $12.5 million corporate investment and will create 43 jobs.

 

Global manufacturer opening a new site in Rock Hill, S.C.

Mattress, pillow and sleep accessory company MLILY USA plans to open a new 300,000-square-foot manufacturing site in Rock Hill by late June. It will grow to employ 150 people.

 

Troy Industries relocating to Clarksville, Tenn.

Firearms manufacturer Troy Industries will relocate its headquarters and manufacturing operations from West Springfield, Mass., to Clarksville, Tenn., in part because of the “changing climate” for gunmakers. The move represents an investment of $7.2 million and the creation of 75 jobs over the next five years.

 

Silicon Valley 3D tech firm relocates to Chatham County, N.C.

PolarOnyx, a California-based 3D manufacturing company, recently relocated to Chatham County from Silicon Valley, and has now purchased an existing building that will accommodate the production and workspace needs for the company and its employees. The company declined to designate a specific job creation target.

 

Red Hats for 500 new employees

IBM acquired Raleigh-based Red Hat two years ago for a whopping $34 billion.

Now, the company plans to hire more than 500 new associates, concentrating on adding staff in the Triangle area of North Carolina and in Boston. The new talent will help develop products to meet the emerging edge computing needs of its clients.

 

Tergus Pharma opens new HQ in Durham, N.C.

Tergus Pharma, a company that develops and makes topical pharmaceutical products, opened its new headquarters in Durham in May, bringing with it almost 150 new jobs.

 

Hytrol to add 100 jobs in Fort Smith, Ark.

Hytrol Conveyor Company is looking to hire an additional 100 plus employees for its facility in in Fort Smith.

 

KPMG adding 350 jobs in Orlando

The Big Four accounting firm, KPMG, plans to add 350 jobs to launch what it is calling the Capability Center at its campus in Orlando, Fla. The new facility will serve as a hub for tax and advisory services.

 

PACCAR Parts breaks ground on Louisville distribution center

PACCAR Parts, a distributor of aftermarket parts for heavy- and medium-duty trucks, trailers, buses and engines, broke ground in May on a $52.2 million, state-of-the-art parts distribution center in Louisville. The investment is expected to create 80 full-time jobs.

 

Kentucky glass plant getting $45 million from Apple

Apple is strengthening ties to Corning’s plant in Mercer County, Ky., announcing it will award another $45 million to support Corning’s work to supply glass for the tech giant’s iPhones and other devices. This latest investment will expand Corning’s manufacturing capacity and “drive research and development,” according to Apple.

 

Ahlstrom-Munksjö building second facility, creating 51 jobs in Madisonville, Ky.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö, which manufactures fiber-based materials, will build a second facility in Madisonville with a $70 million investment expected to create 51 jobs. The new facility will house a glass fiber tissue production line to make luxury vinyl tiles and vinyl sheet materials.

 

Amazon creating 1,000 jobs in Northwestern Louisiana

Amazon has planned a 650,000-square-foot fulfillment center in the northwestern Louisiana city of Shreveport. The development will generate $200 million in capital investment and add more than 1,000 jobs to the local economy.

 

Consulting company HQ lands in Tysons, Va., will create 900 jobs

Guidehouse, a management consulting company, will invest $12.7 million to establish a global headquarters and create 900 jobs in Tysons. The new campus will house more than 1,550 employees when at full capacity,

 

Amazon bringing $100 million distribution center to Johnston County, N.C.

Amazon is planning another major expansion in the Triangle, with a $100 million distribution and fulfillment center in the works for Smithfield in Johnston County.

The warehouse will create 500 jobs paying at least $15 an hour.

 

Drax to build pellet plants in Arkansas

Drax Group, a sustainable biomass production and supply company, will begin constructing the first of three new “satellite” pellet plants in Arkansas. The first plant will break ground near a West Fraser sawmill in Leola, Ark., in June. The company will begin construction on two more plants in other locations in the coming months. In total, Drax will invest $40 million in the state, creating approximately 30 new jobs.

 

Chicken coop company returns to North Carolina

A custom chicken coop manufacturer is returning to North Carolina with plans to create hundreds of new jobs. Carolina Coops was founded in Durham in 2009. As it expanded, it opened in upstate New York. Now, a $2.1 million investment will bring a new manufacturing location to Butner. Carolina Coops will create 147 new jobs over the next three years in Granville County. By 2026, the company expects to have created as many as 500 new jobs.

 

AMPAC expanding in Petersburg, Va.

AMPAC Fine Chemicals plans to grow its Petersburg manufacturing facility, investing $25 million and creating 156 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced recently. AMPAC is a manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

 

Online lender creating 265 jobs in Knoxville, Tenn.

An Illinois-based online lender and loan processing firm will open a West Knoxville call office and training center. Lending Solutions Inc., (LSI) will create 265 jobs to open the center.

 

Biotech company bringing 300 jobs to Richmond, Va.

California-based Aditxt Therapeutics plans to invest more than $31 million to establish its first immune system monitoring center in the city. The new facility will also be adding 300 new jobs to the Virginia Bio+Tech Park.

 

Building supplier adding 235 jobs in Iredell County, N.C.

JELD-WEN, the manufacturer of windows and doors, will create 235 jobs in Iredell County. The company will invest $7.9 million in Statesville to establish a new production facility for its VPI Quality Windows.

 

JRD Systems Distribution Center creating hundreds of jobs for Eastern Kentucky

Software developer JRD Systems recently broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot distribution center in the Greer Industrial Park in Laurel County. The project means 200 jobs for the area.

 

Doosan Bobcat investing $70 million in Statesville, N.C.

Doosan Bobcat North America, a global leader in the compact equipment industry, announced plans for a $70 million expansion of its Statesville manufacturing facility. The company plans to construct an additional 580,000-square-foot manufacturing operations, which will create 250 new, full-time jobs over the next five years in Iredell County.

 

Two PPE manufacturing facilities coming to Acadiana

Gov. Edwards joined officials from SafeSource Direct and Ochsner Health to announce the development of two manufacturing facilities for personal protective equipment (PPE). The Acadiana Region projects will create a combined 1,221 new direct jobs. Over $150 million will be invested in Lafayette Parish and St. Martin Parish to develop the facilities.

 

Mercedes suppliers foresee 3,200 new jobs for the Tuscaloosa area

Regarding potential job growth at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, the automaker predicts its suppliers are looking to bring 3,200 jobs to the Tuscaloosa County, Ala., area within the next two to three years as it expands into the electric vehicle market.