Georgia Ranked Top Location for Automotive Industry.(Brief Article)

Georgia Governor Roy E. Barnes said that Business Facilities, a monthly business magazine, has ranked the state of Georgia as the second best location in the United States for the growing automotive industry. The rankings were based on industry figures from the Department of Labor that tracked the increase in the number of automotive employees and in the number of automotive establishments from 1995- 1999.

"Our people have been working tirelessly to further the growth of the automotive industry in Georgia by making our state an attractive place to conduct business," said Barnes. "The honor of being ranked as the one of the top locations by a publication as well respected as Business Facilities is obvious proof that we are achieving the goal of making Georgia the most appealing and competitive automotive producing state in the country."

Barnes commended the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism (GDITT) for its promotion of the state to both foreign and domestic auto manufacturers and related parts companies. "With the assistance of the GDITT, we have effectively positioned Georgia as the prime choice for companies looking to establish a U.S. headquarters or expand existing operations," he said.

Two major U.S. automobile manufacturers, General Motors and Ford Motor Co., have maintained production facilities in Georgia for decades. Automotive News reports that Georgia's GM and Ford plants ranked as two of the most productive facilities in North America and accounted for almost 5 percent of the total U.S. vehicle production in 1998.

In addition to the GM and Ford plants, several foreign automobile manufacturers have chosen Georgia as the headquarters for U.S. operations, noted R.K. Sehgal, Commissioner of GDITT. Such companies include Porsche, Saab, Lotus and Daewoo.

A deepwater port facility, located in Brunswick, also handles more than 150,000 vehicles per year for domestic and international automobile manufacturers. "We are very proud to have such respected companies as Porsche and Lotus looking to Georgia as the ideal location for basing their U.S. operations," said Sehgal. "We realize that our low cost of living, tax incentives, location and atmosphere make it a very attractive option for such corporations."

GDITT has also been investing resources and capital into creating additional jobs and projects throughout the state. In 1998, Georgia ranked 6th in the U.S. in automotive employment with some 40,000 workers and ranked 7th in total vehicle production. GDITT has also located 26 transportation equipment projects in Georgia, creating 6,000 jobs with an investment of $595 million since 1995.

The complete automotive industry rankings are available in the June issue of Business Facilities and online at http://www.facilitycity.com/busfac/.

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