Tuesday, the 2015 Georgia Manufacturers Register reported that Georgia now has more than 1,000 manufacturing companies who employ almost 500,000 Georgians – an increase from early 2013. Job announcements in this industry have taken place throughout the year and we are beginning to see the completion or start of completion for these company re-location and expansion projects.

This is July, state economic developers, industry leaders and communities were hard at work to bring about two groundbreakings, one grand opening and one job announcement, collectively representing more than 1,400 manufacturing jobs.

On July 14, Beaulieu International Group, a Belgium-based textile company, announced the construction of its headquarters on 120 acres of land that was once owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. The new B.I.G. headquarters will create 350 jobs in Cartersville over the next five years.

On July 15, Otsuka Chemical Co., based in Japan, broke ground for its first North American headquarters at The Lakes at Green Valley in Griffin, Georgia’s first eco-friendly park. This marks the first construction phase for the company’s North American headquarters. 

July 16 marked the grand opening for Mando Corporation, the largest Tier 1 Korean OEM. The event celebrated the opening of two new Mando plants in Meriwether County. Representing nearly 2,000 jobs, Mando Corporation is the largest employer in Meriwether County. 

LG Hausys, a Korea-based provider of construction and building materials, broke ground July 14 in Gordon County for its auto skin production plant, a project forecasted to be complete in December 2015.

Georgia is also among the top states with the fifth-lowest manufacturing unionization rate in the U.S. The state’s deep history in manufacturing dates back to Eli Whitney’s’ invention of the cotton gin in 1793 – and it continues to keep the industry strong in Georgia today.

Because Georgia has the No. 1 most competitive business climate in the U.S. and has a global reach, with representatives in 11 strategic markets, manufacturing businesses continue to strengthen Georgia’s manufacturing network, attracting more companies here every month.

To find out more about the many advantages Georgia offers businesses in the manufacturing industry, visit Georgia.org/manufacturing.