Nineteen ninety-seven has been a busy year for Georgia's North Fulton County, where high-tech companies are finding the right combination of business advantages.
In February of this year, Northern Telecom Inc. announced that it would build a 246,000 square foot regional sales and marketing headquarters in the county, which incorporates the cities of Roswell, Alpharetta and Atlanta, among others. The firm, which makes telephone switching systems, telephone transmission systems and mobile telecommunications equipment, will take advantage of the region's "Golden Triangle" formed by Interstates 75 and 85 and Georgia 400.
Also in February, HBO & Co. announced its intention to build two campus-style buildings in North Fulton County. The company provides information systems to the health care industry. In June, GTE Customer Service announced its plan to build a 50-acre campus at Deerfield, in the Alpharetta area. Two thousand eight hundred people will be employed there to handle the company's cellular telephone business.
What attracts high-tech companies to Fulton County?
The area's transportation infrastructure, for starters. Then there's the proximity to Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, the world's second-busiest airport, and the pro-business governments at both the state and local levels.
Also, the state of Georgia is on the cutting edge of technological advancements.
High-tech firms employ more than 22 percent of the state's work force. The Georgia Research Alliance coordinates the resources, expertise and facilities at the state's six research universities. And the Georgia Center for Advanced Telecommunications Technology supports research and services.
The Fulton County region itself boasts a superior telecommunications system. BellSouth, for example, whose national headquarters is in the area, has the country's largest toll-free dialing area. Metropolitan Atlanta, a prominent member of the Fulton County community, is becoming an increasingly attractive high-tech business location: its manufacturing employment grew by 18.5 percent during the first half of the 1990s, and its high-tech services jobs by 52.3 percent in the same period.
The county also benefits from being a part of a pro-business state. Georgia shows its support for economic development through its tax incentives. The state's Business Expansion and Support Act allows for statewide job tax credits and investment tax credits for new and expanding Georgia businesses.
| Fulton County's Policy for Development Incentives
- Taxable and tax-exempt industrial
revenue bonds
- Loan financing
- Business improvement loans
- Inventory tax exemption
- Enterprise zones
- Customized training programs.
|
Georgia also offers a host of financial assistance programs, as well as the Quick Start customized training program for new and expanding companies. Georgia's three foreign trade zones offer tax advantages to companies importing foreign goods.
Fulton County's Policy for Development Incentives offers taxable and tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds, loan financing, business improvement loans, inventory tax exemption, enterprise zones and customized training programs.
The county also has a "growth initiative," which allows a 90 percent across-the-board reduction in development and zoning fees for any planning community with development activity below 25 percent of the county's overall development activity level.
MetLife Realty Group Inc. (MRG), a subsidiary of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, made the decision this year to purchase five buildings in Atlanta's north Fulton corridor on behalf of the Tower Fund, a commingled separate account of MetLife. The buildings include a total of 301,890 square feet.
"This portfolio represents a strategic fit for Tower Fund because of the high quality of the location, physical attributes and tenancy," said Chris Cobbs, director of acquisitions for MetLife Realty's southeast region. "We believe the properties are an excellent addition to the Tower Fund portfolio."
Rapid growth
World Marketing Alliance, Inc. (WMA), an international marketing company offering financial concepts and products, is building a 100,000 square foot headquarters facility at Johns Creek. Also, anticipating expanding into an additional 75,000 square foot building in the future, WMA secured an adjacent 5.8-acre tract.
"WMA is excited about the opportunity to custom build a tremendous new headquarters that will serve as the hub for our operations worldwide," said Hubert Humphrey, the company's founder, chairman and CEO. "Johns Creek is one of the fastest-growing, most dynamic business developments in metropolitan Atlanta and WMA is proud to become a major part of it."
Rapid growth is also occurring in Albany, where the Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. has added a sixth paper machine and associated converting equipment to its plant. The new equipment will add about 65,000 tons of annual tissue and towel capacity to the operation and will create 100 to 150 new jobs.
|
"WMA is excited about the opportunity to custom build a tremendous new headquarters that will serve as the hub
for our operations worldwide."
-- Hubert Humphrey, WMA founder, chairman and CEO |
Albany's growth can also be seen in a September U.S. Commerce Department report showing that metropolitan Albany's products and services sold outside the United States increased by 98.7 percent between 1993 and 1996. Helping push this statistic up are the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, which has led international trade missions to Canada and Mexico over the past three years, and the Georgia International Trade Data Network, a computerized database of information on international markets and trade requirements.
Griffin has been enjoying growth over the past few years. Located on the southern side of the Atlanta metropolitan area, the city is just 35 minutes from Hartsfield International Airport and 45 minutes from downtown Atlanta. Land costs are reasonable, partly because the city's industrial parks are publicly owned through the Griffin-Spalding Development Authority.
In October, American Excelsior announced that it purchased 10 acres of land in the Griffin-Spalding Industrial Park, where it will build a 72,000 square foot fabrication and storage facility plus a 5,700 square foot office to produce polystyrene and urethane foam and other packaging products.
The company, which manufactures packaging, erosion control, cushioning and excelsior products, will make an initial investment of more than $3 million and hire 40 employees.
| Hoshizaki America Inc., which produces ice machines and refrigeration systems, is building a $15 million manufacturing and warehousing facility in Griffin, just south of Atlanta. |
Also in October, Hoshizaki America, Inc. announced that it bought 37 acres in Griffin's Green Valley Industrial Park, where it will build manufacturing and warehousing facilities to produce products from their ice machines and refrigeration systems lines. The company made an initial investment of $15 million.
Douglas County also takes advantage of close proximity to the Atlanta metropolitan area. Located 20 miles west of the city, it is home to more than 88,000 people.
Whirlwind Building Systems recently announced its plan to build a $4 million 65,000 square foot facility in the county, where it will employ up to 50 employees. Abrams Riverside announced that it will build an $11 million 250,000 square foot facility in the area and employ about 170 people.
GEORGIA FACTS AND CONTACTS
DEMOGRAPHY AND ECONOMY
Population: 7,201,000 (1995)
Capital: Atlanta
Three Largest Cities: Atlanta, 420,397; Columbus, 189,041; Savannah, 142,699 (1996 est.)
EM's Education Quotient for the Largest School Districts: Fulton County (Atlanta), Green Light; Muscogee County (Columbus), Yellow Light; Chatham County (Savannah), Yellow Light
GSP: $128.6 billion
Per Capita Income: $21,278
Size of Labor Force: 3,816,162
Percentage of Durable Goods Manufacturing Labor Force Organized: 11.2%
Right to Work State: Yes
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
Average Hourly Manufacturing Wage: $11.71
Population Over 25 With Bachelor's Degree or More: 12.9%
Corporate Income Tax Rate: 6%
Percentage Employment by Sector: agriculture, 1%; construction,4%; manufacturing, 18%; mining, <1%; oil and gas extraction, N/A; transportation/ communications,6%; wholesale/ retail,76%
Primary Industries: Textiles, Forest Products, Transportation Equipment
Targeted Industries: High Technology, Automotive, Telecommunications
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
Major Financial Incentives: BEST Program of Job Tax Credits and Investment Tax Credits
Worker Training Programs: Quick Start
Technology Transfer Programs:
Enterprise Zones: Atlanta
Foreign Trade Zones: Atlanta, Savannah, Brunswick
International Trade Offices: International Trade Division Georgia Dept. Industry, Trade & Tourism, 285 Peachtree Center Ave. Atlanta, GA 30303
Environmental Permit Assistance: One stop permitting
QUALITY OF LIFE
Average Price for a Single-Family Home: Atlanta, $160,000; Columbus, $160,225; Savannah, $147,500
Cost of Living Index: Atlanta, 98.4; Columbus, 98.7
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Charles Gatlin, Director of Marketing, Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism, 285 Peachtree Center Ave., Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 656-3445, fax (404) 656-3567
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