Three Not-So-Easy Pieces - Southern Business and ...
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Small and Medium-Sized FDI Clusters in the American South
WWW .RANDLEREPORT.COM WWW .SB-D.COM WWW .SOUTHERNAUTOCORRIDOR.COM
E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e Wo r l d ’s T h i r d L a r g e s t E c o n o m y
WINTER 2019
Three
Not-So-Easy
Pieces
Solving the puzzle
Factors holding back
a good economy
Bring your equipment,
train your employees, and hit
the ground running.
(All while your new facility is under construction.)
COMMONWEALTH CENTRE FOR ADVANCED TRAINING
AT CO M M O N W E A LT H C R O S S I N G
• Publicly owned by Henry County, Virginia
• 1.2 million labor force within 60 miles
• Located on US Hwy 220 (future I-73)
• Adjacent to Norfolk Southern mainline
• Only 33 miles to Piedmont Triad International
e
D
Detroit Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina
• 726 acres (120 pad ready)
Pittsburgh
Neew Yo
New York • All utilities in place
Columbus
uss Phila
Phil
hila
ila
laaadelphia
• Advanced Manufacturing training
Cincinna
nna
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Bal
Ba ltim
lti
tim
imore
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more
re
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Waashington,
Washingt
Wash
W a hinggton,
t D.CD.C. facility onsite
Fran
annkfort
rtt Charleston
ston
ton
Rich
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on
ond
Knoxv
xvville Greensboro
en
Ralei
eigh
eig
Charlotte
Contact Mark Heath at (276) 403-5944 or MHeath@YesMartinsville.com
CommonwealthCrossing.com
The Best Industrial Sites in the American South
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E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e Wo r l d ’s T h i r d L a r g e s t E c o n o m y
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WINTER 2019
T ABLE OF C ON T E N T S
FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
36 Three Not-So-Easy Pieces
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8 Southbound
The editor’s column
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10 Around the South
57 FDI Clusters
Small and medium-sized cities in the South
Top stories from the last quarter
relative to business and economic
attracting foreign direct investment in a development
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22 Snapshots from the Road
Photos of the people and places
SB&D visited in the last quarter
26 Relocations & Expansions
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expansions and relocations announced
in the South in the last quarter
0 33 SouthernAutoCorridor.com
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EQWTVGU[QH5QWVJGTP#WVQ%QTTKFQTEQO
72 Top Deals
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deals announced in the last quarter
6 SB&D
D
SOUTHBOUND $[/KEJCGN4CPFNG'&+614
Owner, Editor &
Publisher
Subsidies, incentives and Michael C. Randle
legal immigration mike@sb-d.com
OKAY FELLOW JOURNALISTS, THIS IS FOR YOU: stop Not only can we not replace our current Managing Editor
calling incentives “subsidies.” The one thing we need to do as workers, we can’t even come close to fill-
an industry is to change the word from “subsidies” to “incen- ing the number of jobs that are available. Stacy C. Randle
tives.” “Subsidies” are what GM and Chrysler received in 2009
to keep their companies open and running. Without govern- I will give President Donald Trump cred-
stacy@sb-d.com
ment subsides, both of those car makers would have been it here. He knows that we cannot replace
toast. They were meant to save the companies, not create any our current workforce as a result of the Project Managers
jobs, at least on the front end. “Incentives” are paid to create lowest fertility rates in the nation’s histo-
jobs. There is a big difference. ry. If you recall, in his state of the union Matthew E. Randle
address, Trump said, “Legal immigrants
In 2009, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur
enrich our nation and strengthen our matthew@sb-d.com
Ross (he was not Secretary Ross then) and I were on CNBC
society in countless ways. I want people
during the auto bailout discussion. Ross said on the show that
to come into our country in the largest Shelly Jo Jacobs
the domestic auto industry was going down because of “sub-
numbers ever, but they have to come in
sidies paid by Southern states to foreign automakers.” I dis-
legally.” shellyjo@sb-d.com
agreed with him, saying, “Mr. Ross, these are not subsidies.
They are incentives in return for billions in investment and I am sure that statement angered the Art Director
tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. What you want to do hardline immigrant activists that sup-
with GM and Chrysler is a subsidy because the goal is to sim- port him. Regardless, Trump has Stacy C. Randle
ply prevent them from closing for good.” charged his son-in-law Jared Kushner to
It’s easy to calculate the return on incentives. Don’t bother cal- work on a proposal that would increase stacy@sb-d.com
culating tax generation or anything else other than wages. It the number of low- and high-skilled
doesn’t matter the size of the employer. Just count how many workers admitted into the country an- Writers
employees are working there and then multiply that by the av- nually. Today, the U.S. brings in about 1
erage salary per year. Then compare that figure to the incen- million legal immigrants a year. To re- Michael C. Randle
tives that were granted. For example, the BMW plant in Greer, place our current workforce, that figure
S.C.— just the plant — pays out wages of about $700 million a needs to be tripled. Beth Braswell
year. So, let’s say the BMW plant has averaged a $300 million
annual payroll in the 25 years of its existence. That’s almost $8 Just look at our labor situation right Lee Burlett
billion in wages. . .so far. now. There are 7.5 million jobs available
and about 150,000 takers on average per Trisha Ostrowski
Trump team quietly plans increase in legal immigration month. In fact, in February, only 20,000
The biggest challenge this country is facing now, and for many Americans were hired to fill 7.5 million Matthew Randle
years or decades to come, is that too few people are being born available jobs. Just imagine what our
and too many people are aging out of the workforce. In oth- economy would be like if those millions Stacy Randle
er words, we cannot replace those workers that are retiring. of jobs were filled in just two years? -
Southern Business & Development (ISSN 1067-8751) is a registered trademark TM. Founded in 1992 and published quar-
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sources, however, the accuracy of this information is not guaranteed. All rights reserved. Permission must be granted by
SB&D for reprint rights, in whole or in part. Copyright 1992-2019. Southern Business & Development TM 1997. Southern
Auto Corridor and Southern Automotive Corridor TM 2003.
8 SB&D WINTER 2019AR OUND
THE
SOUTH For real-time news on business, politics and economic development in the
South, go to RandleReport.com. For all economic development projects
announced in the South, go to SB-D.com. For more information on the
automotive industry in the South, go to SouthernAutoCorridor.com.
Texas high-speed train named one of the most U.S. population growth hits 80-year low
important infrastructure projects in the world Census data published in the winter quarter showed
In the winter quarter, CG/LA named the proposed Texas high- that the U.S. population grew from 2017 to 2018 by
speed train one of the top infrastructure projects in the world. CG/ just 0.62 percent. The growth is the lowest registered
LA’s report selects projects with widespread and strategic impor- since 1937, or in the last 80 years. Nearly a fifth of all
tance in 30 different countries. The new high-speed train project states lost population over the past two years.
will link Houston to Dallas-Fort Worth when completed. Nearly 1°-°ÌÀ>`i`iwVÌ Ì>ÀiVÀ`Óä£n
50,000 Texans, sometimes called “super-commuters,” travel back According to a report published in March by the
and forth between Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth more than once U.S. Commerce Department, the U.S. trade defi-
a week. The new high-speed rail will utilize the N700 bullet train cit in goods hit a record high of $891.3 billion in
available in Japan (shown here) to transport riders between the cit- 2018. The high deficits are a blow to President
ies in 90 minutes. Trump’s trade policies that were supposed to lower
the deficit. As imports jumped, some exports such
as automobiles, soybeans and farm products “got
hammered” according to The Wall Street Journal by
retaliation tariffs from Europe and Asia. The trade
gaps with China and Mexico also set records.
>Õv>VÌÕÀ}>``i`ÀiLÃÌ >>Þ
year in the last 30 years
The U.S. manufacturing sector posted net job gains
of 284,000 in calendar year 2018. That is the largest
increase since 1997. In December, the manu-
facturing sector added 32,000 jobs. Most of
the gains were in durable goods, such as
machinery, furniture, automotive and
aerospace. The nation created a net
gain of 207,000 manufacturing
jobs in 2017.
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THE
SOUTH
The Federal
Energy Regulatory
Commission has
approved the
Venture Global LNG
export facility in
Calcasieu Pass near
Lake Charles, La.
Shown here is an
artist’s rendering of
the facility.
>Õv>VÌÕÀ}LÃÕ« FERC approves ed metal for final assembly company has lost 25 percent
vÀ£nÃÌÀ>} ÌÌ Ã VÃÌÀÕVÌv of a variety of products, of its customer base as pric-
American factories are hir- iÝ«ÀÌv>VÌÞ including automotive and es for the company’s pipe
ing again, more so than at -ÕÌ ÜiÃÌ ÕÃ>> aerospace. The industries have risen as a result of the
any time since the mid- The Federal Energy Reg- are also suffering from the tariffs. According to govern-
1990s. After years of job ulatory Commission has retaliation of tariffs by Mex- ment data, nearly four out
losses as a result of a lack of approved the Venture Glob- ico, European nations and of five exemption requests
competitiveness and auto- al LNG export facility in China. filed by Texas companies
mation, manufacturers in Calcasieu Pass near Lake have not been processed by
"ÛiÀViLÞ
the U.S. have hired a net gain Charles, La. Spokespersons the Commerce Department.
paperwork, Texas steel
of employees for 18 consec- for the company said they When the steel tariffs were
«À`ÕVÌÃ>Õv>VÌÕÀiÀÃ
utive months. Employment will begin construction on approved in March 2018,
ÕÃÌ >}}>ÃÌ>ÀvvÃ
in the manufacturing sector the multi-billion-dollar fa- Commerce expected about
VÕÌ`ii«ÌÌ iÀ
peaked at 19.6 million in cility immediately. The plant 4,500 exemption requests
«ÀwÌÃ
1979. It is 12.8 million today. will be built on a 1,000-acre each year. Instead, Com-
Texas oil and gas pipe firms
The sector hit its low of 11.5 site where the Calcasieu Ship merce has been inundated
are filling out government
million in 2010. Channel meets the Gulf of by the formal requests, re-
paperwork in attempts to
Mexico. The facility will de- ceiving more than 66,000
/ i-ÕÌ `>Ìià get exemptions from 25 per-
liver low cost liquefied natu- in the first year. One of the
Milken Institute’s Best cent tariffs on foreign steel
ral gas to customers around reasons Texas pipe com-
*iÀvÀ} ÌiÃÀ>} imposed by President Don-
the globe. panies have been losing so
For the second consecutive ald Trump. One steel man-
much business is that many
year, Provo, Utah, with its U.S. industry groups ufacturer in Texas has filled
of their customers are inter-
large high-tech sector, job Ãi`>««i>Ì/ÀÕ«Ì out 500 exclusion requests
national firms who can buy
and wage growth, is the Best i`1°-°iÌ>ÃÌ>Àvvà to the U.S. Department
steel from other countries to
Performing City in the U.S., Four dozen U.S.-based in- of Commerce since tariffs
avoid the tariffs.
according to the Milken In- dustry groups sent a letter of have been imposed, most of
stitute. But Raleigh, N.C., appeal to the Trump admin- which have not been pro- ->ÀiiÀ}ÞÃ}LÃ
came in second and Dallas istration in January asking cessed. Why 500 exclusion The solar energy industry
third. Rounding out the top to put an end to the steep requests? To get around had a banner year in 2016,
10 are San Francisco, Fort U.S. tariffs on imported steel the tariffs, companies must where the share of employ-
Collins, North Port-Sara- and aluminum. The appeal fill out exemptions for ev- ment in the electric power
sota-Bradenton, Nashville, centered on the metal tariffs ery grade of steel they need sector rose to 43 percent.
Orlando, Austin and Salt creating economic hardship from foreign suppliers. In Compared to the whole of
Lake City. for those who use import- the meantime, the Texas the fossil fuel industry (at 22
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percent), solar jobs were the abama and Tennessee. The
national students can work 12
months in the U.S. on the Op-
tional Practical Training pro-
gram (OPT) and an addition-
>LÀÕÃV>
Congress to pass
«À}À>ÃÌ«ÀÌiVÌ
}À>ÌÃ
al 24 months on STEM OPT if A coalition of big labor
fastest growing in the entire solar farms will be located in
they earn degrees in science, unions called on Congress to
sector. Trump’s tariffs ended Hollywood, Ala., and Yum
technology, engineering and pass expansions on programs
that run. Since the U.S. put Yum, Tenn. The sites will
math fields. Canada has far to protect immigrants with
a 30 percent tariff on for- be among the largest ener-
more options for foreign stu- temporary work permits.
eign-produced solar panels gy projects in the Tennessee
dents to work in that country. Led by the AFL-CIO, more
two years ago, the solar in- Valley region and the largest
The Trump administration’s than 30 unions sent a letter
dustry in the U.S. lost 10,000 ever to be built for Google.
DHS agenda has initiated re- to Congress asking for pro-
jobs in 2017, followed by a
Fewer international stricting or eliminating OPT tections for “Dreamers” (im-
loss of 8,000 solar sector jobs
students are enrolling at or STEM OPT beginning migrants who arrived in the
in 2018.
U.S. universities this year or next year. The country illegally as minors)
Massive solar power Fewer international students regulation states, “ICE [Im- and beneficiaries of two hu-
«ÀiVÌvÀ}i½Ã are enrolling at U.S. univer- migration and Customs En- manitarian immigration pro-
`>Ì>ViÌiÀÃ ÀÌ iÀ sities. At the same time, the forcement] will propose this grams — temporary protect-
č>L>>>`/iiÃÃii Trump administration is rule to improve protections ed status (TPS) and deferred
Google is working with TVA planning a new regulation of U.S. workers who may be enforced departure (DED).
to deploy 1.6 million solar that would make it tougher negatively impacted by em- “For the labor movement,
panels to power two huge for those same students to at- ployment of non-immigrant these programs have been vi-
Google data centers in Al- tend college. Currently, inter- students on F and M visas.” tal in ensuring that thousands
MOVING
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view at site selection
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PowerVision uses the latest drone
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commercial and industrial tracts,
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DataIsPower.orgAROUND
THE
SOUTH The Air Force said in the winter it will rebuild Tyndall Air
Force Base near Panama City, Fla., to be the “air base
of the future.” The base was destroyed by Hurricane
Michael.
of working people have rights Hurricane Michael, Tyndall
on the job and the freedom to Air Force base near Panama
negotiate together for fair pay City, Fla., is somewhat opera-
and working conditions,” said tional, with some unmanned
AFL-CIO President Richard F-16 jets flying again. The
Trumka. More than 300,000 Air Force said in the winter
people have TPS protections it will rebuild Tyndall to be
in the U.S., which allows the “air base of the future.”
them to legally live and work. Officials said the rebuilt base
In a period when labor is will be safe from storm surge
incredibly tight, the Trump and winds up to 180 miles
administration has cut back per hour. The expected cost
TPS protections and has let of the rebuild is $3 billion.
DED expire.
7>ÀÀi ÕvviÌÌ`ÃVÕÃÃiÃ
ÀÌ ÜiÃÌÀ`>½Ã º`Ã>ÃÌiÀ»VÌÀLÕÌ}
/Þ`>čÀÀVi >ÃiÌ to California exodus in
LiÀiLÕÌ>účÀ >Ãiv ÌiÀÛiÜ
the Future” During the winter quarter,
After taking a direct hit from the billionaire Warren Buffet
£È SB&D WINTER 2019TRANSLAND
AROUND
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SOUTH
ƂÌ{°Ç«iÀViÌ]Ì iÕi«ÞiÌÀ>Ìi
in Mississippi is at an all-time low. With
11,500 employees, Ingalls Shipbuilding
is the largest manufacturing employer in
the state.
warned companies look- 7>Ì> ÕÃiÀV` plummeted 84 percent since cord job growth, posting a
ing to expand or relocate i>Àč>â½Ã+Ó November, when Amazon 2.2 percent gain for year-
to states that suffer from ÀÌ iÀ6À}>¶ announced it had selected over-year. That percentage
unfunded public pensions Forget it! what they are now branding outpaced the nation’s job
while describing California’s According to Redfin, a na- as National Landing in Ar- growth rate of 1.8 percent
situation a “disaster.” Cal- lington County. The lack of in 2018. Economic projec-
tional real estate broker-
ifornia’s unfunded public listings near Amazon’s HQ2 tions for job growth in 2018
age, there are exactly seven
pensions, Buffett said, will means that sellers are waiting were at 27,000; however, the
active listings in the third
on the company to complete state saw a net increase of
be paid by taxpayers in that week of March in zip code
its project before selling at 44,300 jobs. Alabama total
state in one way or another. 22202. There were 21 avail- much higher prices. employment also set a record
He also said that investing able properties there a year in December with 2,072,600
in a plant or business in an ago. This is the area that en- Mississippi
people employed in the state.
unfunded pension state will compasses Arlington Ridge, Õi«ÞiÌÀi>V iÃ
ultimately mean the busi- Crystal City, Pentagon City >ÌiÜ ÕÃÛi] Þ°]>À«ÀÌ
ness, as well as its workers, and Aurora Hills, Va. It is According to the Mississippi >`«ÌÃiÜ>i
will at some point be on the also the zip code where Am- Department of Employment Louisville’s Airport Authori-
hook to pay for the public azon’s HQ2 is being built. Security, at 4.7 percent, the ty has changed the name of
unemployment rate in Mis- its airport from the Louis-
pensions. The 22202 housing inventory
sissippi is at an all-time low. ville International Airport to
In addition, the number of the Louisville Muhammad
people with jobs has hit a Ali International Airport in
historic high. The 4.7 percent honor of the late boxing leg-
unemployment rate has now end. Ali is Louisville’s most
been recorded for eight con- famous native son.
secutive months. Over 1.16
/iÝ>Ã>Ì>Ã °£
million Mississippians are
standing on U-Haul’s
working, the second highest
annual top 50 growth
number ever recorded in the
states
state.
Texas is still the No. 1 in-mi-
č>L>>L}ÀÜÌ gration state. U-Haul gen-
ÃiÌÃÀiVÀ` erated migration data from
In 2018, Alabama saw re- over 2 million one-way truck
Louisville’s Airport Authority has changed the name of
its airport from the Louisville International Airport to
the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in
honor of the late boxing legend and one of Kentucky’s
favorite sons.
&
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WIN
W INTER
T 2019
20
019
19AROUND
THE
SOUTH
Beautiful Aiken, S.C., continues to rank as
one of the best small towns in the South.
rental transactions in 2018 to 2023, Silicon Valley will lose percent compared to 2017 such as smartphones, tele-
determine which states are its grip on the world’s tech- the second half of last year. visions, computer monitors
considered “growth states,” nology innovation center, It should be noted that in and electric vehicles. Rare
and then ranks them. Texas mostly as a result of the high the last decade, the Kentucky earth elements are found
saw a 5 percent increase in costs of doing business there. distilling industry has added mostly in China.
one way U-Haul truck rent- more than 10,000 new jobs,
/iÝ>ÃiÝ«ÀÌÃv>{£ -«>Vi8ÜLÕ`ÌÃ
als arriving in the state over opened more than 40 new
«iÀViÌ]«ÀÌVÃÌÃ ÃÌ«ÜiÀvÕÀViÌ
2017. North Texas and the distilleries and increased
ëiLiV>ÕÃivÌ>Àvvà Florida and Texas
Austin area led the state in economic output by more
Businesses in Texas paid SpaceX founder Elon Musk
one-way truck traffic. than $3 billion.
$364 million in tariffs on im- said in March that the com-
Dallas-Fort Worth, ported products in October čÀ}Ì ÕÌÞ]6>°] pany will build its Starship
ÕÃÌ>``ÃÌ 2018, according to federal Üú iÃÌ ÌÞ»>Ü>À` and Super Heavy rockets in
VÃÌÀÕVÌLÃ data and Trade Partnership Arlington, Va., once again Boca Chica, Texas and Cape
In calendar year 2018, Dal- Worldwide. Texas business- has been ranked as the “Best Kennedy, Fla. The 387-foot,
las-Fort Worth added 22,000 es spent only $25 million in City to Live in America” by two-stage rocket will cost
construction jobs, the most tariffs in April 2018. Mean- Niche. The website named about $5 billion to develop
of any market in the coun- while, Texas exports subject Arlington best city for its and the first flight is expect-
try. Houston came in second to retaliatory tariffs were outstanding public schools, ed in 2023.
with 19,400 construction down 41 percent in October abundant night life, low
jobs gained according to the 2018 compared to October crime rate and walkability. "À>`ÃiÌÌ}«>VivÀ
Associated General Con- 2017. In addition, exports Niche also named Arlington LÃÀ`>
tractors of America. Dallas subject to retaliatory tariffs as the top city in 2016. The From January 2018 to Jan-
also led the entire nation for going through Port Houston county is where Amazon is uary 2019, greater Orlando
employment growth in 2018, were down 47 percent in Oc- placing its HQ2 and hiring led all Florida markets with
adding more than 116,000 tober 2018, while those not at least 25,000 workers in the a gain of 49,900 jobs. South
jobs. subject to retaliation were up process. Florida came in second with
34 percent. 30,000 new jobs and Tampa
/ iÀÕÃ ÌčÕÃÌLÞ 1ÛiÀÃÌÞv iÌÕVÞ Bay placed third with 19,300
-V6>iÞV«>ià čiÀV>Ü ÃiÞ ÀiÃi>ÀV iÀÃw`}iÜ jobs year-over-year.
VÃÌ } }i>À exports take a dive ÕÃivÀV>
In the last two quarters, Ap- American whiskey brands, A research team from the či]-° °]>i`Ì
ple is investing $1 billion into including Kentucky bour- University of Kentucky has Ì«£ä>}>âi½ÃLiÃÌ
new facilities and thousands bon exports, have dropped begun a pilot-scale process- Ã>ÌÜÃÌ i-ÕÌ
of jobs in Austin. Google since President Trump ini- ing plant in Webster County, Southern Living magazine’s
and Facebook are also taking tiated tariffs on foreign steel Ky., that will work on min- new annual ranking of best
up tons of space in Austin’s and aluminum last year. The ing rare earth elements from small towns has been re-
newest office towers. KPMG European Union, China, coal. The U.S. Department leased. Named best small
recently conducted a survey Mexico and Canada retali- of Energy is also conducting town in the South last year,
that showed that the Silicon ated with 25 percent tariffs research regarding the feasi- Aiken saw its ranking drop
Valley may be in danger of on various American-made bility of extracting rare earth to No. 4. The winner of this
losing its title as tech center products, including whiskey. elements from coal. Rare year’s “Best Small Town in the
of the world. Sixty percent American whiskey exports earth elements are found in South” was Beaufort, N.C.,
of those tech executives that rose 28 percent during the the earth’s crust and are used followed by Beaufort, S.C.,
were surveyed said that by first half of 2018, then fell 8 in manufacturing products and St. Augustine, Fla. -
Óä SB&D WINTER 2019SNAPSHOTS
ROAD
FROM THE 1: Southern Business &
Development hosted its sixth
annual Southern Economic
Development Roundtable
event at WaterColor in January.
The invitation-only discussion
included 65 people from 13
Southern states. 2: John Bradley
leading a group of energy
execs. 3:$GEEC*CTFKPDTKGƂPI
members on Hurricane Michael.
4: Victor Hoskins, Stephen Moret
and Jason El Koubi during a
Q&A about landing Amazon
in Virginia. 5: Part of the S.C.-
based group: Deepal Eliatamby,
Hal Johnson, Chuck Whipple,
George Kosinski, Jay Schwedler,
Will Williams, Jim Newsome
and Will Johnson. 6: Alabama-
based Taylor Williams, Ellen
McNair, Ed Castile and Randall
George. 7: Chuck Whipple and
22 SB&D WINTER 201911
Bob Leak on a balcony overlooking the Gulf
of Mexico. 8: SB&D owner Michael Randle,
James McClain, Jason El Koubi, Allyson
Rothrock, Shelly Jacobs and Mark Heath.
9: Gray Swoope, Chris Masingill, Michael
Olivier, Jay Moon, Ted Abernathy and Don
Pierson. 10: Will Williams. 11: Host Michael
Randle. 12: Every year Kentucky attendees
bring bourbon for the Friday bourbon break.
This year it was Jody Lassiter’s turn. 13: SEDR
2019@WaterColor saw a packed house,
including Taylor Williams, Marvin Moss, Jason
El Koubi, Chris Masingill, Don Pierson, Jay
Moon, Michael Olivier, Shelly Jacobs and
Stacy Randle. 14: Bob Leak, Jr. at the t-shirt
grab. 15: Michael Randle, Shelly “The Elf”
Jacobs and Nancy Windham. 16: Tyler Engle,
Will Johnson, Ellen McNair, Jay Schwedler
and George Kosinski. 17: Matthew Randle,
Victor Hoskins and Stephen Moret at Red
Bar in Grayton Beach one week before it
burned down. 18: Mac Holladay. 19: Jay and
MaryAnn Moon. 20: David Hudgins, Dr. Glen
Fenter and Mark Herbison.
CONTINUED
WINTER 2019 SB&D 23SNAPSHOTS 21: John Bradley, Mike Cobb
and Taylor Williams. 22: Deepal
Eliatamby, John Bradley and Gena
Lentz. 23: Ted Abernathy, Jeff McKay
and Chris Masingill. 24: Peggy
McLean and Raul Peralta. 25: Hal
Johnson and Jim Newsome. 26: Iain
Vasey. 27: David Thornell.
28: Clif Chitwood, Chris Masingill,
Sam Powers, Chuck Whipple, Bob
Leak Jr., George Kosinski, Rhonda
Clayton, Jay Schwedler, Will Williams
and Gene Stinson.29: Michael
Olivier. 30: Kyle Touchstone, Mike
Cobb and Jody Lassiter.
24 SB&D WINTER 201931: Sam Powers. 32: Henry Florsheim. 33: Ellen McNair and Randall George. 34: Clark Gillespy and Stuart Heishman. 35: Bob Leak Jr., Mark Heath, Allyson Rothrock, James McClain and Mac Holladay. 36: The Energy panel, including John Bradley, Mike Cobb, Taylor Williams, Heidi Smith, Clark Gillespy, Stuart Heishman and David Hudgins. 37: Hal Johnson and Kyle Touchstone. 38: Shane Homan, Kyle Spurgeon, Gena Lentz, Henry Florsheim, Iain Vasey, Hal Johnson and Jim Newsome. 39: Scott and Yolanda McLain, David Hudgins and Rhonda Clayton. 40: Kathy and Jim Newsome. -
RELOCATIONS
& EXPANSIONS
For real-time news on business, politics and economic development
in the South, go to RandleReport.com. For all economic development
projects announced in the South, go to SB-D.com. For information on
automotive in the South, go to SouthernAutoCorridor.com.
ALABAMA makes the A320 family air- riculture Foundation is pre- Sykes Enterprises to add
craft in Mobile. The expan- pared to invest an estimated more than 200 jobs in
FBI may invest $1 billion
sion will create 400 new jobs. $100 million in a new Ala- Fort Smith
in Huntsville
bama Farm Center in Chilton Tampa-based Sykes Enter-
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), U.S. Steel restarting
County that could create up to prises, a service provider for
chair of the Senate Appropri- Alabama mill to take
400 jobs. Plans call for a com- many Fortune 500 compa-
ations Committee, recently advantage of higher steel
plex on 500 acres to include nies, is expanding its cus-
announced that the FBI may prices
a 5,000-seat air-conditioned tomer service center in Fort
invest as much as $1 billion Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel’s
arena, a 150,000-square-foot Smith, Ark. The company
as it increases its presence in plans to invest $215 million exhibition building, 400-stall will add 200 jobs.
Huntsville. He also said that to install an advanced elec- horse barn, 400 RV hookups
the continuing resolution tric arc furnace (EAF) at and a variety of other barns Southland Gaming &
budget includes $385 million Fairfield Works is expected and arenas. Racing in West Memphis,
for the FBI, which is part of to provide a boost to Ala- Ark., plans $250 million
the transference of FBI em- bama’s steel-making industry New jobs coming to expansion
ployees to Huntsville’s Red- in its historic home. U.S. Steel Winston County Southland Gaming & Rac-
stone Arsenal. In November, had initiated construction of Winston Homebuilders, a ing in West Memphis will
the agency said it plans to the EAF at its operations in manufactured home produc- undergo a $250 million ex-
move 1,350 jobs to the facility. Fairfield in March 2015, but er, will be taking up residence pansion. The project will
suspended construction in at the former Southern Ener- include a 96,000-square-foot
Airbus breaks ground on gy Homes facility in Double casino complex and a 20-sto-
December 2015 due to un-
new line in Mobile Springs, which left the area ry high-rise hotel. Southland
favorable market conditions.
Jetliner manufacturer Air- a few years ago. Winston began as a dog racing track
The project’s revival means
bus broke ground on a new Homebuilders will be hiring in the 1950s.
the addition of 150 jobs at the
$300 million manufacturing 150 workers in the deal.
Jefferson County facility. FLORIDA
facility in Mobile in January.
The new assembly line will Alabama Farm Center ARKANSAS
Cape Canaveral has
produce the A220-100 and could bring 400 jobs to CoorsTek expanding in captured a new tenant.
A220-300 aircraft for U.S. Chilton County, Ala. Arkansas Los Angeles-based Relatively
customers. Currently, Airbus The Alabama Farmers Ag- CoorsTek Inc., a manufactur- Space, a 3-D rocket manu-
er of ceramic components, facturer and launch services
is adding 50,000 square feet provider, has signed a lease
to its facility in Benton, Ark. to build and operate its own
It’s part of a $26 million ex- facilities at Launch Com-
pansion that will increase plex at Cape Canaveral. The
employment by 60 workers. company is the fourth with
More than 200 people are orbital launch site capability
housed at the plant now. at Cape Canaveral. . .SpaceX,
GE Aviation investing $50 million in Auburn, Ala.
GE Aviation is expanding its additive manufacturing
operation in Auburn. The project calls for a $50 million
investment and 60 jobs.
26 SB&D WINTER 20196GZCUDCUGF(KTGƃ[VQNCWPEJOKNNKQPGZRCPUKQPCV
%CRG%CPCXGTCN(NC
/ i i`>À*>À]/iÝ>ÃL>Ãi`ÀViÌV«>Þ]ÀiyÞƂiÀë>Vi]
will establish a new launch and manufacturing project in Cape
>>ÛiÀ>]>°1`iÀÌ i`i>]ÀiyÞÜÛiÃÌfxÓ>`
add 200 high-paying jobs there.
ULA and Blue Origin are the 1,000 new employees to sup- Clarke and Hall counties. Material Handling an-
other three. port membership growth The company has located its nounced it was expanding
Beacon Pharmaceutical that’s surpassed 1 million cli- North American headquar- its Lexington, Ky., headquar-
relocates to Jupiter, Fla. ents. The company will hire ters in Duluth, creating 75 ters and reshoring one of its
throughout the state, but new jobs; is adding more forklift production lines (the
Beacon Pharmaceutical, a fo-
about half of the positions than 100 new jobs at its man- “S-Series”) to Kentucky from
cused early-stage life sciences
are available in the Tampa ufacturing and R&D facility Asia. The $4.6 million expan-
firm, will build a state-of-the-
Bay area. in Athens, and more than 50 sion will create 40 new jobs.
art facility in Jupiter. The new
200,000-square-foot head- jobs at the company’s Gaines-
GEORGIA High-tech aerospace
quarters will house 137 new ville manufacturing facility.
Health IT company manufacturer to open
jobs with a capital investment Chinese tech company new Kentucky facility
establishing headquarters
of approximately $80 million. moving HQ from New Meyer Tool, a supplier of
in Atlanta metro
Insurance giant Jersey to Alpharetta, Ga. aerospace parts, is opening
BioIQ, a health IT company
A China-based manufacturer a new $15.9 million facility
Progressive to hire 1,500 that provides health testing
of radio-frequency identifica- near Erlanger, Ky. The com-
in Tampa and immunization programs
tion and biometric technolo- pany is acquiring and reno-
Ohio-based company Pro- for health plans, is relocating
gy security products, ZKTeco, vating an 83,000-square-foot
gressive is hiring 1,500 work- its headquarters from Cali-
plans to relocate and expand property that will house 100
ers in Tampa. The jobs will fornia to Cobb County, Ga.
its U.S. headquarters from
be in customer service, sales The $5 million project will workers.
New Jersey to Alpharetta. The
and claims with an emphasis create 500 jobs.
move is expected to create 40 Commercial furniture
on workers who are bilingual
Animal pharma investing jobs and bring more than maker expanding in
in English and Spanish.
$120 million in three $5 million in investment. Kentucky
WellCare to hire 1,000 Georgia counties Headquartered in Indiana,
KENTUCKY OFS Brands Holding, a man-
WellCare Health Plans of Boehringer Ingelheim Ani- i--
Florida, one of the Tampa mal Health USA will createe Kentucky company ufacturer of furniture for of-
Bay area’s largest companies, 225 jobs and invest more than reshoring jobs from Asia fices, hospitals, hotels and
anticipates hiring more than $120 million in Gwinnett, In the winter quarter, Clark schools, will invest $1 mil-
5JCYGZRCPFKPIRNCPV
in Adairsville, Ga.
Three years after opening
a huge plant in Adairsville,
Shaw Industries, the largest
employer in Bartow County,
is adding a 500,000-square-
foot addition to the plant,
which could double the
employment numbers there
to more than 600 over the
next three years.
WINTER 2019 SB&D 27RELOCATIONS
& EXPANSIONS
'ZZQP/QDKNVQKPXGUVOKNNKQPKP.QWKUKCPC
ExxonMobil will add a $469 million polypropylene
manufacturing unit to its Baton Rouge petrochemical
complex. The project will create 65 new jobs and 600
construction jobs.
lion in its existing operation LOUISIANA expected to increase to more company, which has operated
in Grayson County, Ky., with than 2,000. in Baton Rouge since 1952,
Lafayette lands helicopter
plans to create 105 jobs. will invest $22 million and
plant Louisiana lands $2.2
billion methanol complex add 128 jobs in the project.
Film manufacturer to In the winter quarter, Switzer-
expand in Kentucky, add land-based Kopter Group AG South Louisiana Methanol Energy services
30 jobs announced that it will assem- announced in January it will manufacturer adding jobs
RKW North America plans ble its new SH09 helicopter in build a $2.2 billion methanol in Louisiana
to expand its facility in Simp- Lafayette, La. The company, complex in St. James Parish. Bagwell Energy Services is
son County and add 30 jobs. which will lease a building at The complex will be built on investing $2.5 million at its
The German-owned man- the Lafayette Regional Air- a 1,500-acre site on the Mis- Port of Delcambre fabrication
ufacturer of industrial film port, will invest $4.2 million sissippi River. facility in Iberia Parish, La.
will invest $18 million in the and create 120 jobs with the Food manufacturer The company will create 150
project. project. Deliveries of the heli- adding capacity in new jobs.
copters should begin in 2021. St. Tammany Parish
Renewable energy project MISSISSIPPI
to put some former coal Epic Piping announces Diversified Foods and Sea-
miners to work in Eastern $40 million expansion sonings is investing $12 mil- Kohler Engines expanding
Kentucky Epic Piping has announced lion to expand and upgrade in Mississippi
Toyota, which has a large as- plans to invest up to $40 mil- its plant in Madisonville, La. Kohler Engines, a leading
sembly plant in Georgetown, lion to expand its facilities in The project is the result of manufacturer of industrial
Ky., is partnering to build a Baton Rouge, La. A demand moving a production line gasoline and diesel engines,
700-acre solar panel farm in for the company’s pipe spool from Nebraska to Louisiana. is expanding its manufactur-
Pike County, Ky. It is one of products is being driven by The deal will create 44 jobs. ing operations in Hattiesburg,
the largest renewable energy the number of large-scale Pipe manufacturer adding Miss. The company is making
projects in the Appalachian projects underway in the pet- jobs in Baton Rouge a significant investment and
region. The project will create rochemical sector along the Stupp Corp., a steel pipe man- is adding 250 jobs. Kohler is
200 construction jobs and 50 Gulf Coast. Epic’s employ- ufacturer, is upgrading its two consolidating a plant in Wis-
permanent jobs. ee count, currently at 900, is plants in Baton Rouge. The consin to Hattiesburg.
%JCTNQVVGDCUGF0WEQTRNCPUVQ
KPXGUVDKNNKQPKP-GPVWEM[
RNCPVETGCVKPILQDU
Charlotte-based steel manufacturer
Nucor Corp. will invest $1.3 billion
in a new facility in Brandenburg, Ky.
The mill will produce steel plates for
manufacturers of barges, bridges, rail
V>ÀÃ]ÀiwiÀÞÌ>Ã]Ã «Ã>`Ì iÀ
products. The new facility will house 400
workers that will earn an average of $45
«iÀ ÕÀVÕ`}LiiwÌð*VÌÕÀi`
are (l to r) Nucor CEO John Ferriola
and Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin at the
announcement.
28 SB&D WINTER 2019(QWTJWPFTGFLQDUEQOKPIVQ/KUUKUUKRRKEQWPV[
Corelle Brands, a maker of housewares brands including
Pyrex, Snapware and Corelle, announced in the winter
quarter it is moving part of its manufacturing and distribution
operations to Marshall County, Miss. The facilities will be
located in the Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park near Byhalia.
The $27 million project will create 400 jobs.
plant in Verona, Miss. The NORTH CAROLINA
bedding manufacturer is in-
Û>ÀÌÃÜi`wÀ
vesting $1.9 million and add-
chooses Durham over
ing 65 jobs.
Illinois or Ireland
Pharmaceutical plant AveXis, a gene therapy com-
adding jobs in Mississippi pany developing treatments
A maker of antacids sold in for rare neurological diseases,
Mississippi and Alabama will will invest $60 million to ex-
expand its facility in Gulf- pand its manufacturing cen-
port, Miss. Geri-Care Phar- ter in Durham County. The
maceuticals, which supplies company plans to hire 200
Walmart, Walgreens and associates.
ABB expanding in that manufactures ground CVS, will add 200 jobs in the / iÀÃ iÀ-ViÌwV
Mississippi engaging equipment for the deal. investing $150 million
Swiss company ABB is add- mining industry. The $15
MISSOURI Thermo Fisher Scientific
ing 200,000 square feet to its million deal will create 150
is investing $150 million
manufacturing facilities in high skill jobs. Purina to spend in its pharma business in
Senatobia, Miss., to increase Homestretch expanding $115 million on Greenville, N.C. The expan-
production of Tmax XT cir- in Mississippi Missouri expansion sion will add capacity for
cuit breakers. The $36 mil- HomeStretch, an upholstered Nestlé Purina PetCare an- the company’s sterile liquid
lion expansion will generate furniture manufacturer, will nounced the expansion of its products.
50 new jobs. The company is invest $500,000 and create 71 southeast Missouri factory
North Carolina Global
also filling the remaining 150 jobs in an expansion of its fa- where Tidy Cats brand cat
Transpark growing again
jobs of another expansion an- cility in Nettleton, Miss. litter is made. The pet prod-
Jetstream Aviation is setting
nounced in 2016. ucts company will spend
Entergy adding jobs up a new paint facility at the
$115 million on the project
Illinois medical equipment in Mississippi nuclear Global Transpark in Kinston,
and expects to add about 30
maker expanding in operations N.C., and will add 145 jobs.
jobs. The $10.5 million public/
Mississippi The power company En-
Baxter International is ex- tergy is adding jobs at its Manufacturer to open private partnership will break
panding a Mississippi Delta nuclear power division new plant in Missouri ground this spring.
plant, with plans to add 50 headquarters in Jackson, Central States Manufactur- Aetna’s expansion to
to 100 new employees. The Miss., and also at its nu- ing is opening a new plant in create 300 new jobs
company has begun con- clear power plant in Grand St. Peters, Mo. The $6 mil- Aetna, a subsidiary of CVS
struction on the addition to Gulf, Miss. New Orleans- lion project will create 88 new Health since November, ex-
the plant, which is one of the based Entergy is adding 250 jobs. pects to hire 300 new em-
largest industrial employers jobs in Jackson and 70 at its ployees by the end of 2020 for
Praxair expands Missouri
in Cleveland, Miss. Baxter is nuclear plant in Grand Gulf. customer service and clini-
plant
investing $100 million. cal care jobs. The company
Bedding manufacturer Praxair will expand its air
Scotland-based company expanding in Northeast separation plant in Neosho, will spend $2.5 million on a
expanding Mississippi Mississippi Mo. The expansion will dou- 16,000-square-foot expan-
foundry sion of its High Point facility
Specialty foam manufactur- ble capacity for the company’s
to support the new jobs.
The Weir Group is expanding er Elite Comfort Solutions liquid oxygen and nitrogen
its Newton, Miss., foundry is increasing capacity at its customers. CONTINUED
WINTER 2019 SB&D 29RELOCATIONS
& EXPANSIONS
+EGGNGCXKPI%CNKHQTPKCHQT/KFFNG6GPPGUUGG
/KFFNG6GPPGUUGG
The iconic frozen beverage maker, The Icee Co., is relocating its corporate
porate headquarters
from California to La Vergne, Tenn., about 20 miles southeast of Nashville.
shville. The company
revealed it would invest $10.3 million to make the move, creating more than 200 jobs in
,ÕÌ iÀvÀ` ÕÌÞÛiÀÌ
ÀÌ iiÝÌwÛiÞi>Àð
>ViÀÀiÃi>ÀV wÀ puter numerical control) industry. The expansion is
hiring 200 in North machining specialists who expectedd to create 105 new
Carolina make aircraft parts for cli- ent jobs and 500 con-
permanent
A clinical-stage biopharma- ents such as Spirit AeroSys- n jobs.
struction
ceutical company plans to tems, Boeing, Gulfstream,
Ortec expands
xpands South
hire 200 workers as it locates Lockheed Martin and Tri-
Carolina a plant
a commercial-scale immu- umph Aerostructures.
Ortec, a biomaterial and
notherapies plant in Wake Tube manufacturer to polymer technology compa-
County, N.C. Cellectis will locate plant, headquarters ny, will invest $20 million to
develop gene-edited immu- in Oklahoma expand itst facilities
f iliti by b 50,000
50 000
notherapies to fight cancer. Salem Tube, a subsidiary of square feet and increase its
Furniture startup to bring Spain-based Tubacex Group, production capacity in Pend- The company will invest $2.1
200 jobs to Hickory, N.C. is establishing its headquar- leton, S.C. The company also million and create 85 jobs in
Design Foundry, a new up- ters and manufacturing facili- invested $20 million and add- the project.
holstered furniture compa- ty in Durant, Okla. The com- ed 60 jobs in 2016.
ny, announced it will begin pany makes stainless steel TENNESSEE
Sealed Air to spend
manufacturing in a former and nickel alloy tubes. The SmileDirectClub to add
$24 million to
furniture plant in Hickory. $40 million project will create 2,000 jobs in Nashville
upgrade its facility in
The project will create 200 140 jobs. region
Simpsonville, S.C.
jobs. ABB creating jobs in Orthodontic services pro-
Sealed Air has entered into a
OKLAHOMA Oklahoma joint venture with Japanese vider SmileDirectClub will
In the winter quarter, ABB firm Kuraray to produce expand in the Nashville area
Kimberly-Clark is investing announced it will consoli- plant-based food packaging. with 2,000 new jobs. The
$120 million in Oklahoma date all of its North American Sealed Air will invest $24 company will invest $217
mill process gas chromatograph million to upgrade its Simp- million in the expansion.
Irving, Texas-based Kim- analyzer manufacturing to its sonville facility and will use
berly-Clark Corp. is invest- facility in Bartlesville, Okla. Silicon Valley recruiting
Kuraray’s plant-based resin
ing $120 million in its Jenks, The project will add 90 jobs. wÀÛiÃ+Ì
and post-consumer plastic.
Okla., mill that produces Nashville
Cottonelle and Scott bath SOUTH CAROLINA Frontier Communications After a year of fast growth
tissue. The company will add opens call center in in Nashville, recruiting firm
Swiss company continues
270,000 square feet to begin Myrtle Beach IQTalent Partners is doubling
to invest in South Carolina
production on Kleenex fold- Frontier Communications, a the size of its footprint and
Swiss Krono Group contin-
ed tissue products. The proj- provider of broadband, vid- officially naming Music City
ues to invest in rural Barn-
ect will create 50 jobs. eo, photo and data services, as its headquarters, which
well, S.C. The company is
will open a new call center in means moving its central op-
MST Manufacturing adding 250,000 square feet
Myrtle Beach, S.C. The deal erations from Silicon Valley
locating in Claremore to its existing manufacturing
calls for 70 jobs. to Nashville. The company
MST Manufacturing will facility there, which will allow
invest at least $5 million to them to produce the board it InvestiNet to invest $2.1 grew its Nashville office from
relocate its operations to currently purchases to man- million and create 85 Jobs 90 to 150 employees in 2018,
Claremore. The company ufacture laminate flooring. in Greenville, S.C. and plans to hire additional
will transform three build- Swiss Krono will source wood Accounts receivable firm In- workers this year, although
ings totaling 52,000 square products locally, which will vestiNet is expanding its facil- the exact number has not
feet to house 100 CNC (com- also bolster the local timber ities in downtown Greenville. been announced.
30 SB&D WINTER 2019F
FreightWaves bringing are developing an eight-story ployment rate, according to Hundreds of high-wage
new jobs to Chattanooga
n office building and 250-room the company’s application for bio-science jobs for San
FreightWaves expects to
F hotel across from the Gibsonn government incentives. Antonio
bring 300 jobs to Chatta-
br Guitar Factory building. GenCure, a new company
TEXAS
nooga in the next two years
n BAE Systems redesigns that focuses on cell-based
w
with the launch of its truck- Kingsport, Tenn., facility Exxon, Qatar to expand therapies and regenerative
in
ing freight futures program. BAE Systems received a $74.7 LNG export in Texas medicine, is setting up its
The new program will allow
T million U.S. Army contract to Exxon and Qatar Petroleum headquarters in a historic
trucking and logistics compa-
tr design, construct and com- announced recently that they building that used to house
nies to trade freight moving
n mission a new facility that will go ahead with a $10 bil- an ice and cold storage busi-
costs, helping alleviate some
co will improve production at lion project to export lique- ness on the East Side. The
ri
risk. its manufacturing complex in fied natural gas from a plant building on East Houston
Kingsport. Construction of on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Street has been renamed Ve-
L
Logistics company adding
the new facility at the Holston companies said construction locity Texas, and is part of a
500 jobs in Chattanooga
5
Army Ammunition Plant will at the Golden Pass plant in planned innovation district
Arrive Logistics is expanding
A
play a vital part in the man- Sabine Pass, Texas, would that’s expected to create more
its facilities in Chattanooga,
it
ufacturing process of several start before April, and the ex- than 600 good-paying tech
Tenn. The company will in-
T
products that support the port operation is expected to jobs.
vest $3.6 million and add 500
ve
military, and is one of sever- begin running in 2024. The $120 million
jobs in the deal.
jo
al multi-year Army-driven project will create 9,000 jobs manufacturing plant
FedEx Logistics modernization requirements during the five years of con- serves up 500 new jobs in
announces headquarters for the installation. struction and more than 200 San Antonio
move in Memphis permanent jobs once the fa- Cuisine Solutions is cook-
FedEx Logistics will move its JNJ Express relocates cility is operational. ing up 500 jobs in San An-
global headquarters to the to expanded campus in
Asurion adding 430 jobs tonio with the opening of a
former Gibson Guitar fac- Memphis
in Houston $120 million plant that will
tory building in downtown Transportation company JNJ
Nashville-based tech care make refrigerated food. Con-
Memphis. The Memphis Express will invest $83.6 mil-
company Asurion plans to struction has begun on the
company says it’s making a lion to expand its operations,
double its number of Hous- 290,000-square-foot manu-
$48 million investment, and creating 610 new jobs over the
ton employees and is moving facturing plant, and is expect-
will consolidate multiple lo- next five years. The company
into a bigger office to house ed to open in mid-2020.
cations, bringing almost 700 will establish a new corporate
employees to the location headquarters and operations them. The company will cre- Cognizant expands to
over the next several years. campus at a Southeast Mem- ate 430 new jobs by the end of Plano, Texas, with 500
As a result of the FedEx Lo- phis shopping center that has the year. jobs
gistics announcement, a been vacant for more than a BNSF to invest $405 A New Jersey-based IT ser-
New York developer and the decade. The area surrounding million in Texas vices firm that already has
Orgel family of Memphis it has a 23.6 percent unem- Fort Worth-based BNSF Rail- a large operation in Irving
way, which is part of Warren is adding more workers in
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Plano. Plano’s economic de-
will invest $405 million in velopment corporation has
Texas this year to fund ex- agreed to provide a $273,000
pansion and take care of reg- grant to Cognizant, which
ular maintenance. BNSF has must create up to 500 jobs in
a new office to be constructed
nearly 5,000 miles of track to
near Legacy business park.
maintain just in its home state
of Texas. CONTINUED
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manufacturing operations in Research Triangle Park. The
company is investing about $45 million and adding 100 jobs
to add capacity at its single use cell culture manufacturing
trains.
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