Georgia Overview 2015

Transcription

GEORGIA OVERVIEW
GEORGIA: THE TOP STATE FOR BUSINESS
Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
IN THIS STUDY
CLICK TO GO TO SECTION
Why Companies
Move to Georgia
International
Climate
Labor and
Economy
Georgia’s
Tax Structure
Research and
Development
Communications
and Utilities
Transportation
Infrastructure
Quality
of Life
As a Georgia
Power Customer
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Why Companies Move To Georgia
GEORGIA’S BUSINESS CLIMATE AND QUALITY OF LIFE MAKE IT THE PERFECT CHOICE
Georgia’s location and demographic strengths appeal to businesses of
all types. Since 2010, new and expanding businesses in Georgia have
created more than 66,100 jobs. Manufacturing companies accounted
for 52 percent of those new jobs, with the remainder spread among a
diversified field of business types.
Jobs Created by Business Type 2011 - 2014
34,073
Manufacturing
8,718
Headquarters/Office
6,885
Warehouse/Distribution
4,726
Contact Center
4,227
IT/R&D
Economic and Business Location
Drivers for Georgia:
Bioscience
• Quality workforce, growing economy, pro-business climate
Healthcare
770
Energy
698
3,490
1,890
Other
• Excellent education programs
• Extensive transportation infrastructure, easy access to the
North American, global markets
• Favorable tax structure for business growth
Tourism
301
Green Jobs
282
Manufacturing
businesses account for
52 percent of new jobs
created in Georgia
over the past five years.
60
Data Center
0
5,000
10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000
Source: Georgia Power Community & Economic Development, 2015
• Pro-business incentives that encourage growth
• World-renowned research scientists, institutions, facilities
• Reliable, abundant utility and communications infrastructure
• Unparalleled quality of life
RECENT MANUFACTURING LOCATIONS
• Robust international climate
SITE SELECTION
MAGAZINE
AREA DEVELOPMENT
CNBC
“Top US Business
Climates”
“Top States for
Doing Business”
“America’s Top
States for Business”
1. GEORGIA
2 Louisiana
2 Texas
2 Texas
3 North Carolina
3 South Carolina
3 Utah
4 Texas
4 Alabama
4 Nebraska
5 Ohio
5 Tennessee
5 North Carolina
6 South Carolina
6 Louisiana
6 Minnesota
7 Tennessee
7 Indiana
7 Washington
8 Kentucky
8 North Carolina
8 Colorado
9 Alabama
9 Ohio
10 Virginia
10 Mississippi
Source: Site Selection
Magazine,11.2014
Source: Area Development,
9.10.2014
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. will open a manufacturing facility in
Douglas County, creating approximately 550 new jobs and investing
$337 million over the next five years.
“Keurig Cold is an exciting new multi-brand platform
for our company, and ensuring beverage pod production
capacity and efficiency are key to its success. The
Douglas County region offers a diverse and skilled
employee base as well as many geographic and economic
benefits, making it a great location for our new facility.”
Brian Kelly, President and CEO, Keurig
“Keurig to Create 550 New Jobs in Douglas County,” Press Release,
Office of the Governor, 6.19.2014
9 Virginia
10 North Dakota
Source: CNBC, 6.24.2014
1 Why Companies Move To Georgia GEORGIA POWER COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – YOUR PARTNER IN BUSINESS © GEORGIA POWER, SEPTEMBER 2015
Recent manufacturing locations pick Georgia.
RECENT MANUFACTURING LOCATIONS
RECENT ENERGY LOCATIONS
Germany-Based Häring to Create 800 Jobs in Hart County
Eco-Energy Develops Ethanol Unit Train Facility in Augusta
December 2014: Germany-based Häring, a leading global manufacturer
of precision components and subassemblies for the automotive
industry, will locate its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Hartwell,
creating 800 jobs by 2025 and investing $54 million into the project
over the next five years.
September 2014: Eco-Energy, a leading biofuel supply chain company, is
pleased to annouce the development of an ethanol unloading, storage,
and outbound truck loading facility in Augusta, GA.
“During the site selection process, it became very clear
that Georgia was the best choice for us to locate our
first U.S. facility. We believe that Georgia’s workforce
and pro-business climate will provide the tools
necessary for Häring to succeed in the U.S.”
Andreas Lehnhofer, Häring, Managing Director
Governor’s Office Press Release, 12.10.2014
“Eco-Energy is excited to be opening this facility in
the Augusta metropolitan area, as we feel the
industry will benefit from a unit train operation in
this growing market. As we continue to invest in
ethanol distribution infrastructure, our focus is on
lowering supply chain costs for our customers, and
this facility accomplishes that goal.”
Chadwick Conn, Eco-Energy,
Vice President of Distribution
Eco-Energy Press Release, 9.3.2014
Belgian Textile Company to Create 350 Jobs in Bartow
July 2014: Belgium-based Beaulieu International Group (B.I.G.) will
establish its U.S. headquarters and create 350 jobs in Cartersville over
the next five years. In the first phase, the B.I.G. manufacturing campus
will design and produce 47 million square yards of vinyl for commercial
and residential application.
“Our new plant in Cartersville will significantly
increase our production and enable us to better
supply the U.S. market.”
Geert Roelens, Beaulieu International Group, CEO
GE Thrives in Georgia
April 2010: GE Energy, a world-leading supplier of power generation and
energy delivery technologies, announced it would open its Smart Grid
Technology Center of Excellence near the company’s existing Marietta
headquarters. The Center develops smart grid technology for markets
around the world, managing the research and development of new
technology for power plant automation, monitoring electrical grids and
full integration of an “energy internet.” As part of the venture, GE Energy
has formed a partnership with Georgia Tech to develop its workforce,
as well as to conduct research and development related to smart grid
technology. The project brings 400 new jobs and capital investment of
$15 million.
Hyundai Dymos To Open Facility in Georgia
September 2013: Hyundai Dymos, an automobile parts supplier,
announced plans to open a facility in West Point, GA by July 2014 with
production expected to start in November 2014. The company plans to
invest $35 million and create 350 manufacturing jobs to support the
production of seats for the new Kia Sorento.
“We chose West Point because of the proximity to our
customer base, but also because of the extraordinary
support and interest by the local communities. The City
of West Point and Troup County worked very closely
with us to resolve any start-up issues. They truly are
committed to building a business-friendly environment,
and we feel that we have become good partners.”
Jun Mo Yoon, Hyundai Dymos, Representative Director
2 Why Companies Move To Georgia
GEORGIA POWER COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – YOUR PARTNER IN BUSINESS © GEORGIA POWER, SEPTEMBER 2015
Warehouse operations call Georgia home.
RECENT WAREHOUSE/DIST. LOCATIONS
Gordon Food Service Breaks Ground on its Newest
Distribution Center Near Atlanta
Gordon Food Service broke ground on its new 445,000-square-foot
distribution center in Douglasville, GA. The distribution center is
projected to be operational in the winter of 2015, and will employ
approximately 200 within three years.
“The introduction of a Gordon Food Service
distribution center in the greater Atlanta area is
monumental for our company, and we are thrilled
to be a part of this community.”
Jim Gordon, Gordon Food Service,
Chief Executive Officer
New Building Products Distribution
Center Opens in Georgia
C.H. Briggs Company, a distributor of interior and specialty building
products, opened a new 28,000 square-foot warehouse and distribution
center in Norcross, GA.
“Our decision to expand is the result of continued strong
growth in the Georgia and eastern Tennessee markets.
The addition of the new warehouse enables us to increase
local inventory levels of key products so that orders can
be fulfilled faster to meet our customers’ needs for quick
turnaround. In addition to exceeding our customers’
delivery expectations, we think they’re also going to value
having the option of convenient, local pickup.”
Don Schalk, President and Chief Operating Officer
Modern Distribution Management, 6.3.2013
Gordon Food Service Press Release, 2.27.2014
Atlanta: Among the Least Expensive Cities for
Warehousing Projects
Atlanta's warehousing industry benefits from an abundance of industrial
buildings, an ample supply of skilled workers with relatively low wages,
and a tax-friendly business environment, making the city one of the
nation's most attractive destinations for warehousing projects.
City
The deepwater Port of Savannah is
the largest single container terminal in
North America and the second-busiest
U.S. container exporter.
Source: Georgia Ports Authority website, 2014
Total Annual Operating Costs
Meadowlands/Northern, NJ
$22,223,804
Chicago, IL
$19,682,301
Riverside/San Bernandino, CA
$19,312,685
Lehigh Valley, PA
$19,152,519
Phoenix, AZ
$18,230,611
Columbus, OH
$17,774,780
St. Louis, MO
$17,122,556
Orlando, FL
$16,850,239
Kansas, MO
$16,597,343
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
$16,172,986
Atlanta, GA
$15,902,179
Charlotte, NC
$15,813,648
Indianapolis, IN
$15,793,726
Source: BizCosts.com, 2014; CSCMP’S Supply Chain Quarterly, “Think Globally, Site Locally,”
Special Issue 2014; Boyd & Company.
Regional and Global Headquarters want to be in Georgia.
Kimberly Clark Spin-Off to Locate
Global Headquarters in Alpharetta
RECENT HEADQUARTERS LOCATIONS
Atlanta is the New Home of Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA will relocate its headquarters to Atlanta, creating
at least 800 jobs and investing approximately $74 million. MercedesBenz USA, currently headquartered in Montvale, N.J., is responsible for
the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz
products in the United States.
“Atlanta is a premier city which provides the perfect
foundation to write the next chapter of our success
story here in the U.S.”
Stephen Cannon, Mercedes-Benz,
USA President and CEO
Halyard Health, a health care company spin-off of Kimberly-Clark
Corporate, is expected to locate its global headquarters in Alpharetta,
creating approximately 150-200 new jobs over the next two years. The
new 174,000-square-foot facility in Alpharetta will house corporate
offices and various corporate functions including finance, IT, procurement,
engineering and quality.
“We are proud to remain strongly rooted in north
Fulton and look forward to growing and investing in
Georgia in the years to come.”
Robert E. Abernathy, Halyard Health,
Future Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
PulteGroup Relocates Corporate
Headquarters to Atlanta
The FORTUNE 500 Company and one of the nation’s
leading homebuilding companies will relocate its
corporate headquarters from Michigan to Georgia,
investing $10 million and creating 310 high-paying
new jobs.
“PulteGroup has been building homes in Atlanta for more than 40 years, so we
truly appreciate the warm reception and know that Atlanta will give us invaluable
access to our communities and customers in the future. The area’s amenities and
access to a talented and growing workforce makes Atlanta the right choice for us.”
Richard J. Dugas, PulteGroup, President and Chief Executive Officer
PulteGroup Press Release, August 15, 2013; Governor’s Office Press Release, May 31, 2013
States with the Most
FORTUNE 500 Headquarters
Rank State
1 California
New York
No. of HQ
54
54
2
Texas
52
3
Illinois
33
4
Ohio
25
5
Virginia
22
6
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
21
21
7
Michigan
20
8
Minnesota
18
9
GEORGIA
17
Florida
16
10
Source: FORTUNE magazine, 6.2.2014
Technology companies choose Georgia’s state-of-the-art infrastructure.
RECENT TECHNOLOGY LOCATIONS
Unisys, Global Fortune 1000 Information Technology
Company to Locate Service Center in Augusta
November 2014: Unisys, a $3.5 billion global provider of information
technology and services, plans to locate a new service center in Augusta,
creating up to 700 jobs over the next five years. Unisys will initially use
the center to provide services to the U.S. Army, which recently selected
Unisys for the Army Enterprise Service Desk, a single point of contact for
Army personnel who need help desk or other end user IT support services.
“A smart, motivated workforce and the vibrant local
community make Augusta an ideal location for our
new service center. We look forward to having our new
service personnel deliver the exceptional IT services that
our clients around the world have come to expect
from Unisys.”
RECENT DATA CENTER LOCATIONS
Peak 10 Opens Third Data Center in Greater Atlanta
August 2014: As greater Atlanta positions itself as a leading
technology hub, national IT infrastructure and cloud services provider,
Peak 10, Inc., announces the opening of its third data center facility in
the market, responding to the sustained demand for Peak 10’s cloud
and data center services to support the region’s prospering business
and technology communities.
“With the Atlanta market, we are witnessing a
remarkable shift as the region becomes a magnet for
technology and innovation driven by advancements
in data-centric sectors from finance and mobility
to logistics, retail and healthcare IT. As the region
continues to expand, we will remain deeply interested
and invested in their success.”
Ron Frankenfield, Unisys, Enterprise Services President
David Jones, Peak 10, Chairman & CEO
Peak 10 Press Release, 8.28.2014
Acuity Brands Will Invest in New Engineering and
Technology Center
October 2014: As part of a plan to create a workplace that will drive
collaboration, innovation and technological advances, Acuity Brands will
build a world-class engineering and technology center.
“We have great people who drive our success and have
helped make us an industry leader. Our goal with these
investments is to provide our people with the best work
environment possible and the tools and technologies
necessary to drive our future success.”
T5 Partners Opens New Data Center in Georgia
February 2011: T5 Partners announced plans to open a new data center
in Alpharetta. The 103,000-square-foot data center, opened in November
2011, is among the five largest in the region. The project brings 20 new
jobs and represents capital investment of $75 million. Headquartered
in Atlanta, T5 Partners LLC is a data center developer focused on the
mission critical industry. Facility types include powered shells, wholesale
data centers and build-to-suit data centers.
Vernon J. Nigel, Acuity Brands, President, Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer
EY Opens Global IT Center in Metro Atlanta
August 2013: Ernst & Young will create 400 high-paying jobs in the metro
Atlanta area with its new global IT center.
“Tech and IT services are critical to serving our clients
and enable our people in our day to day work. EY is
thrilled to be establishing a global IT center in the
state of Georgia, and we are excited about the positive
impacts of these highly skilled jobs in our firm and
our community.”
Susan Bell, Atlanta Office Managing Partner,
Ernst & Young LLP
Metro Atlanta Chamber, 8.2.2013
Contact centers love Georgia’s connectivity.
RECENT BACK OFFICE/CALL CENTER LOCATIONS
RECENT BIO LOCATIONS
Chime Solutions Will Bring More Than 1,120 Jobs to
Clayton County
Baxter International Announces New
Bio-Manufacturing Facility
June 2014: Chime Solutions Inc, an outsourcing firm for business
processes that specializes in contractor staffing solutions and contact
center services, will create more than 1,120 jobs at a call center
operation in Morrow.
April 2012: Baxter International announced plans to build a $1 billion biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility east of Atlanta. When completed,
the location will employ 1,500 across the state, with potential for
hundreds more. Baxter’s new Georgia facility will manufacture plasmabased therapies that treat chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The
new facility will be located in Stanton Springs, a business park that
spans Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties. The operation
will also include warehouse and distribution facilities. In addition to the
manufacturing facility, Baxter will locate plasma centers in a number of
communities around the state.
“We are very excited for the grand opening of our
contemporary, 1,000-seat contact center in Morrow and
the building of a capable and experienced workforce to
meet our clients’ staffing and contact center needs.”
Shelly Wilson, CEO of Chime Solutions
“Chime Solutions Will Bring More Than 1,120 Jobs to Clayton County,”
State Farm Creates 500 Call Center Jobs
June 2012: StateFarm, a leading car insurance provider in U.S. and
Canada, created 500 jobs at a new facility in the Atlanta area. This
facility will provide sales, service and claims services to customers.
“The manufacture of high-quality biologic medicines
is critical for serving the needs of patients around the
world. We’re pleased to partner with the people of
Georgia to support Baxter’s core mission of saving and
sustaining lives.”
Robert L. Parkinson, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Baxter
“Baxter International selects Georgia for $1 Billion Bio-Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing Investment,” Press Release, 4.19.2012, Office of
the Governor
“This expansion is just another way State Farm
continues to adjust to meet the changing needs and
preferences of our customers. We will continue to
make business decisions focused on how we can best
serve our customers.”
Tim McFadden, State Farm, Senior Vice President
Georgia’s Quick Start Key Factor in State’s Training Efforts
For the fourth year in a row, leading site location consultants have chosen Georgia as the No. 1 state for
workforce development programs. In its Summer 2014 issue, Area Development magazine published the
results of its fifth annual survey and credits Quick Start as the key factor in that top ranking.
AREA DEVELOPMENT
“Leading Workforce Development Programs”
1 GEORGIA
2 Louisiana
3 South Carolina
4 Alabama
5 North Carolina
Source: “Top States for Doing Business 2014,” Site
Consultant Survey, Area Development, 9.10.2014
Labor and Economy
GEORGIA IS AMONG TOP U.S. STATES FOR EMPLOYMENT GROWTH
Strong Workforce
Top States for Annual Job Growth
Job growth in Georgia averaged 1.2 percent annually from 1990 to 2014,
compared to the U.S. which averaged 0.9 percent for the same period.
Rank
Georgia is the 11th largest job market in the U.S. in the number of
nonfarm workers. Between 2015 and 2025, Moody’s expects Georgia’s
workforce to grow at approximately 1.5 percent annually, outpacing
the U.S. by 0.6 percent. The growing workforce is fueled by strong net
migration year after year. Over the past ten years, Georgia has added
more than 648,000 new residents.
Georgia
U.S.
1.3
2025
Employed*
2015 to 2025
C.A.G.R.
1
Arizona
2,917.91
3,656.59
2.28%
2
Florida
9,232.46
11,123.99
1.88%
3
Alaska
352.03
412.16
1.59%
4
GEORGIA
4,491.24
5,179.33
1.44%
5
Texas
12,573.07
14,363.49
1.34%
6
Utah
1,412.17
1,598.29
1.25%
7
North Carolina
4,409.63
4,966.69
1.20%
8
Colorado
2,727.16
3,038.04
1.09%
9
California
17,643.37
19,502.88
1.01%
10
Alabama
2,015.56
2,222.81
0.98%
Georgia’s Top 10 Employers*
Source: Moody’s Economy.com, 2014
Georgia’s diverse employer base provides
growing opportunities for new Georgia
residents. Industry segments ranging from
retail to finance to heavy manufacturing
employ thousands of Georgians.
1 Labor and Economy
2024
2020
2022
2018
2016
2014
2010
2012
2008
2006
2004
2000
2002
1998
1994
1996
1990
1.1
0.9
2015
Employed*
* In thousands; includes retail locations
1.5
1992
Employment Index, 1990 = 1
1.7
State
Company
Industry
No. of Employees
in Georgia
Delta Air Lines
Airlines
31,237
The Home Depot
Retail
24,145
AT&T Inc.
Telecommunications
18,233
WellStar Health System
Hospitals/Doctor's Offices
13,500
Southern Company
Electric Utility
9,738
The Coca-Cola Company
Soft Drinks
9,079
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp
Aircraft Manufacturing
8,750
Piedmont Healthcare
Healthcare Services
8,707
Pilgrim’s
Chicken Processing
7,670
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Healthcare Services
7,452
Source: Business Wise, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Power Database 2015
*Non-governmental, non-university, including retail locations
Georgia has a diverse business community.
Georgia’s workforce is employed in a variety of industries. More than
thirteen percent of Georgia’s 3.9 million workers are employed in the
professional and financial services industries, including businesses
related to information technology, scientific research, insurance and real
estate. Health services accounts for 12.4 percent of employment, and
manufacturing industries employ 9.1 percent of Georgia’s workers.
Percent of Georgia’s Workforce by Industry
18.3% Government
17.2% Other
10.8% Retail Trade
10.2% Health Care and Social Assistance
8.9% Accommodation and Food Services
8.5% Manufacturing
Georgia’s Top Manufacturing Employers
Company
7.1% Administrative and Support and Waste
Management and Remediation Services
Employment Industry
Coca-Cola Co.
9,079
Soft drinks
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp
8,750
Aircraft
Pilgrim's
7,670
Processed Chicken
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
7,540
Aircraft
Shaw Industries Inc.
7,497
Carpet
Georgia-Pacific LLC
6,315
Forest Products
Mohawk Industries Inc.
4,995
Carpet
Fieldale Farms Corp.
4,350
Processed Chicken
Kia Motors Manufacturing Goods Inc.
3,000
Automobiles
Southwire Co.
3,000
Wire
Tyson Foods Inc.
2,613
Processed Chicken
Equity Group - Georgia Division
2,500
Processed Chicken
International Paper Co.
2,282
Forest Products
Mount Vernon Mills Inc.
2,010
Forest Products
Husqvarna Outdoor Products
1,935
Tools, Lawn Equipment
Perdue Farms Inc.
1,827
Processed Chicken
Milliken & Co.
1,687
Chemicals
Rock-Tenn Co.
1,686
Forest Products
Sanderson Farms Inc
1,550
Processed Chicken
Blue Bird Corp.
1,500
Buses
6.0% Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
4.9% Wholesale Trade
4.1% Transportation and Warehousing
4.0% Finance and Insurance
Source: EMSI, 4Q2014
High-Tech:
Georgia ranks 11th in high-tech
employment overall with 198,100
positions in technology fields
The state ranks seventh for the largest
growth between 2013 and 2014.
Georgia is the fourth ranked state in
terms of telecommunication services, with
49,900 workers.
Source: Business Wise, Georgia Power Community & Economic Development, 2015
Source: Cyberstates, 2015
Georgia’s Top Manufacturing Segments
Manufacturing Sector
Estimated No. of
Workers in 2014
Food Processing
62,116
Transportation Equipment
45,322
Fabricated Metal Products
26,725
Textile Product Mills
25,849
Chemical
20,467
Source: EMSI, 4Q2014
2 Labor and Economy
Georgia is currently home to 17 Fortune 500 companies.
Georgia’s 17 Fortune 500 companies are also major employers in the state. In 2009, NCR and First Data announced headquarters relocations. Previously on
2013 FORTUNE 1000, metro Atlanta-based Asbury Automotive Group is now a 2014 FORTUNE 500 company ranked No. 472. In 2014, FORTUNE 500 PulteGroup
was added to Atlanta’s powerful corporate line-up, although not in time for FORTUNE magazine’s data collection cut-off, thus it is shown as coming next year.
Georgia-based companies, ARRIS Group and Ocwen Financial Corporation are new 2014 FORTUNE 1000, further solidifying Georgia’s global financial standing.
As firms take note of Georgia’s key advantages – technical and professional talent, transportation and market accessibility, coupled with moderate cost of
business and attractive business climate – more move to the state
Georgia’s Fortune 500 Headquarters Companies
Georgia’s Fortune 1000 Headquarters Companies
Location
Atlanta
Company
Fortune Rank
Revenues
(000)
18. Axiall
524
$4,666
Milton
$55,438
Atlanta
19. AGL Resources
532
$4,617
Atlanta
58
$46,854
Atlanta
81
$37,773
Atlanta
20. Graphic Packaging
547
$4,478
Atlanta
5. Aflac
125
$23,939
Columbus
21. Flowers Foods
625
$3,751
Thomasville
6. Southern Company
170
$17,087
Atlanta
22. ARRIS Group
644
$3,621
Suwanee
7. Genuine Parts
205
$14,078
Atlanta
23. Exide Technologies
732
$2,972
Milton
8. First Data
261
$10,809
Atlanta
24. Carter’s
798
$2,639
Atlanta
9. AGCO
262
$10,787
Duluth
25. Global Payments
867
$2,376
Atlanta
10. RockTenn
293
$9,545
Atlanta
26. Equifax
883
$2,313
Atlanta
11. SunTrust
314
$8,602
Atlanta
27. Aaron’s
907
$2,235
Atlanta
12. HD Supply
317
$8,569
Atlanta
28. BlueLinx Holdings
931
$2,152
Atlanta
13. Coca-Cola Enterprises
348
$7,657
Atlanta
14. Mohawk
357
$7,349
Calhoun
29. Total Systems Services (TSYS)
940
$2,132
Columbus
15. NCR
423
$6,123
Duluth
30. Acuity Brands
951
$2,089
Atlanta
16. Newell Rubbermaid
436
$5,887
Atlanta
31. Ocwen Financial
955
$2,061
Atlanta
17. Asbury Automotive Group
472
$4,754
Duluth
Fortune Rank
33
Revenues
(000)
$78,812
2. United Parcel Service
50
3. The Coca-Cola Co.
4. Delta Air Lines
Company
1. Home Depot
Source: Fortune 500 Magazine, June 2014
Georgia: 17 Fortune 500 Company Headquarters, Southeastern Economic Power House
NC
13
TN
10
SC
1
MS
0
AL
1
Georgia
17
FL
16
Fortune 500 Rankings
1-100
101-199
200-299
33
50
58
81
125
170
205
261
262
293
314
317
348
357
423
436
472
Home Depot
United Parcel Service
Coca-Cola
Delta Airlines
Aflac
Southern
Genuine Parts
First Data
AGCO
Rock-Tenn
SunTrust Banks
HD Supply Holdings
Coca-Cola Enterprises
Mohawk Industires
NCR
Newell Rubbermaid
Asbury Automotive Group
300-399
400-500
3 Labor and Economy
Source: Fortune 500 Magazine, June 2014
Location
Georgia’s wage rates are low and business climate is favorable.
Georgia’s average hourly manufacturing wage in 2013 is estimated to
be $22.21, placing Georgia far below the national average. The average
manufacturing employer’s contribution for benefits in Georgia is 28
percent of employee wages. Both hourly and salaried manufacturing
employees, on average, are given eight paid holidays annually.
Highly Competitive Manufacturing Wage Rates
$35
Average Wage per Hour
• Workers will not be forced to join a union by employers or other union
members.
• Employees working for a company with a union presence may decide
for themselves whether or not to join a union.
• Workers also cannot be forced to join a strike.
$30
$25
Georgia has been a right-to-work state since 1947. Fewer than half of the
states in the U.S. grant workers this protection. Right-to-work legislation
assures that:
GA
$22.21
US
$24.35
• Interference with an employer’s lawful business through violence or
mass picketing will not be allowed.
$20
Right-to-Work States
$15
WA
$10
MT
OR
$5
ME
ND
MN
ID
SD
WI
WY
$0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013 Annual Average
UT
CA
AZ
PA
IL
CO
KS
WV
VA
NC
TN
AR
TX
NJ
MD DE
KY
SC
MS
Georgia’s manufacturing union membership rate of 3.4 percent is the
seventh lowest in the country and below the national average. The U.S.
average is 10.1 percent.
OH
IN
MO
OK
NM
MI
IA
NE
NV
VT
NH
NY MA
CT RI
AL
GA
LA
FL
Right-to-Work States
Source: The National Right to Work Committee, 2014
More than half of Georgia’s 159 counties
do not have a union presence. Historically,
union activity has been low in Georgia, and
organizing activity very minimal. Where
collective bargaining does exist, management/
union relations are typically constructive.
Manufacturing Unionization by State
24.2%
8.8%
7.5%
17.2%
8.7%
8.7%
5.2%
15.3%
7.5%
17.7%
5.5%
5.1%
8.3%
3.2%
6.2%
9.8%
15.7%
8.4%
3.3%
12.8% 13.3%
11.8%
6.9%
4.3%
12.5%
14.5%
17.1%
9.3%
9.4%
9.3%
20% 10.8%
2.3%
6.4%
5.1%
3.9%
7.5% 13.8%
5.7%
4.2%
1.5%
16.2% 5.1%
9.9%
9.9%
3.4%
9%
2.2%
Source: Union Membership and Earnings Data Book, Bureau of National Affairs Inc., 2014
4 Labor and Economy
Georgia’s economy is the seventh fastest growing in the U.S.
5
Montana
$42.37
$55.59
2.75%
6
Alabama
$189.99
$246.25
2.63%
7
GEORGIA
$441.92
$565.71
2.50%
8
Colorado
$291.23
$371.98
2.48%
9
Connecticut
$244.64
$311.82
2.46%
10
Alaska
$55.32
$70.05
2.39%
$16,629.89
$20,752.20
2.24%
United States
Georgia’s GDP Growth Compared to U.S.
U.S.
*in billions, real 2000 dollars
Georgia
3
2.5
2
1.5
If Georgia were a country, it would
rank 30th in the world in GDP.
1
0.5
(The World Bank and Moody’s Economy.com)
2024
2.80%
2020
2.98%
$72.70
2022
$2,015.82
$54.78
2018
$1,502.59
2016
North Dakota
2014
Texas
4
2010
3
Between 1990 and 2014, Georgia’s real gross state product grew at a
rate of 3.81 percent per year. Moody’s still expects the state’s output to
increase by two and a half percent annually through 2025 in adjusted
2000 dollars (or real 2000 dollars), making Georgia’s economy the
seventh-fastest growing in the nation overall.
2012
3.15%
2008
3.63%
$634.60
2006
$402.46
$465.48
2004
$281.79
North Carolina
2000
Arizona
2002
2
1998
1
Strong GDP Growth
1996
2015 - 2025
C.A.G.R.
1994
2025 GSP*
1990
2015 GSP*
1992
Geography
GDP Growth, 1990 = 1
Growth
Rank
Georgia is among most diverse states in the nation.
The diversity of Georgia’s residents is increasing, due largely to growing Asian and Hispanic communities. In 2014, Georgia’s ESRI diversity index was 64.0,
making it one of the most diverse states in the nation. An estimated 9.9 percent of Georgians report that they are of Hispanic origin.
U.S. Diversity Index*
54.9
Black, 30.6%
54.9
25.8
47.2
Other Race, 4.5%
Asian or Pacific Islander, 3.7%
Two or More Races, 2.4%
Native American, 0.3%
39
82.2
74.9
23.7
31.6
31.6
34.3
34.3
74.9
82.2
23.7
25.8
39
47.2
41
45.2
41
57
45.2
45.2
45.2
57
70.2
70.2
76.8
57.8
57.8
76.8
White, 58.5%
36.1
36.1
27.3
27.3
36.3
36.3
62.4 38.6 35.935.9
62.4 38.6
15.3
15.3
58.7
58.7
29.1
29.1
44.7
44.7
48.3
48.3
74.1
74.1
56.2
56.2
13.1
13.1
13.313.3
19 19
68.768.7
49 49
50.850.8
56.156.1
41.641.6 67.4
67.4
65.8
65.8
58.2
58.2
42.7
42.7
35.8
35.8
42.742.7
58.5
58.5
54.9
54.9
55
55
52
52
64.0
64.0
63.7
63.7
Source: ESRI, 2014
Source: ESRI, 2014
*ESRI’s Diversity Index represents the likelihood that two people, chosen
at random from the same area belong to different race or ethnicity groups
5 Labor and Economy
x
rsity Inde
Dive
Diversity
Index
- 30
13.1
13.1 - 30
- 50
30.1
30.1 - 50
70
50.1 -- 70
50.1
82.6
70.1--82.6
70.1
Georgia’s population is young and well-educated.
With a median age of 35.8, Georgia is the sixth youngest state in the
nation. The U.S. median age is 37.2 years. The Atlanta area is even
younger with a median age of 36. Nearly 90 percent of Georgia’s
population is under the age of 65, ensuring an abundant workforce for
the future.
U.S. Median Age
37.8
37.8
39.1
39.1
35.1
40.5
40.5
38
36.9
29.8
35.6
36.5
36.5
37.3
36.6 36.6
29.8
35.6 36.9
43.9
43.9
42.5 42.2
39.1 39.1
42.5
38.5
39.7 39.7
39.7 42.2
38.5
40.8 40.2
39.7
38.5 38.5
40.8 40.2
40.8
39.6
40.8
39.5
38.6 39.5 39.6
39.5
37.237.237.637.6
38.6
42.3
39.5
42.338.1
38.438.4
38.8
38.1
38.8
37.9 37.9
37.3
40.8
40.8
36.436.4
37.2
37.2
Atlanta consistently attracts young, well-educated workers. Atlanta
ranks ninth in the number of young professionals (age 25-34) in the
nation with a bachelor’s degree or more. Nearly 119,000 young, educated
professionals live in metro Atlanta (2008-2012 American Community Survey, U.S.
Census Bureau).
37.3
37.3
35.1
38
Georgia leads its neighbors in the number of residents 25 and older who
have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Atlanta is one of the country’s top
educational hubs.
36.836.8
34.2
34.2
38 38
36
State
GEORGIA
38.1
38.1
38.6
38.6
38.838.8
36.6
36.6 37.7
37.7
Percent with At Least a Bachelor’s Degree
36
36.4
36.4
29.8 - 32
29.8
32.1- -3236
41.7
41.7
32.1
36.1- -36
40
36.1
40.1--40
44
40.1 - 44
% with at least a
Bachelors’s (25 years +)
28.1%
North Carolina
27.1%
Florida
26.5%
South Carolina
24.7%
Tennessee
23.7%
Alabama
22.5%
Source: ESRI, 2014
Source: ESRI, 2014
Youngest State in the Southeast
Rank
State
Median Age
1
GEORGIA
36.0
2
Louisiana
36.4
3
Mississippi
36.6
4
Alabama
37.7
5
North Carolina
38.1
6
South Carolina
38.6
7
Tennessee
38.8
8
Florida
41.7
The Atlanta MSA ranks as one of the nation’s top pipelines of engineers
in the nation. Georgia not only attracts highly-educated workers, but the
state grows its own.
Engineering and Engineering Technologies
Bachelor’s Degrees
No. of Degrees
Awarded
Rank
City
1
Los Angeles
3,564
2
New York
3,383
3
ATLANTA
2,237
3 (t)
Boston
2,237
4
Philadelphia
1,702
5
Chicago
1,471
7
San Diego
161,021
Source: 2011 data; Metro Atlanta’s Future: Educate. Innovate. Collaborate.,
Metro Atlanta Chamber/Business Higher Education Council (BHC), and the
Human Capital Research Corporation (hcrc), November 2013
6 Labor and Economy
Research & Development
GEORGIA’S RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITIES
Georgia Research Alliance (GRA)
Georgia is a top R&D center and home to:
Founded in 1990, GRA is a partnership among Georgia’s research
universities, the business community and state government.
• top research universities and institutions driving R&D in the Southeast
University members in the consortium include the University of Georgia,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Health Sciences University, Emory
University, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
• leading state-supported incubators and partnerships such as GRA
providing state-of-the-art facilities and attracting the world’s premier
patent-producing scientists and
• a synergistic business-university partnership that connects Georgia’s
scientists with needs of businesses.
Source: 2013 Annual Report, Georgia Research Alliance
The mission of GRA is to create science and technology-driven economic
development and to stimulate growth in the state. In fact, the state of
Georgia has invested $600 million through the GRA. These investments
have played a major role in bringing an additional $3.8 billion in federal
and private funding, a return of $5 for every $1 invested (Source: GRA Website).
• a critical mass of college students spurring innovation and
entrepreneurship
The Alliance investment strategy incorporates three major programs:
Eminent Scholars, Research Centers and Commercialization. Through
VentureLab grants, GRA’s Commercialization program helps launch new
companies with promising products and technologies. Georgia is home to
university inventions and discoveries that GRA investments have fostered.
Source: Georgia Research Alliance
“By driving the state’s strategy to attract top scientific talent
and commercialize university research, the Georgia Research
Alliance (GRA) plays a distinct role in Georgia’s overall economic
development vision. To date, GRA has helped launch more than
300 companies, created more than 6,000 highly skilled science and
technology jobs, and strengthened the overall university start-up
ecosystem in Georgia.”
Michael Cassidy, President and CEO, Georgia Research Alliance
November 2013
Dr. Ralph A. Tripp, Eminent Scholar
1 Research & Development
The Georgia Research Alliance attracts world-renowned scholars to
head ground-breaking research efforts throughout the state.
Source: Georgia Research Alliance
With more than 60 participating scientists, GRA’s
world-renowned Eminent Scholars Program
brings experts to Georgia to lead extraordinary
programs of research and development.
Dr. Robert K. Yu, Eminent Scholar
Georgia’s Eminent Scholars and Their Fields of Expertise
Scholar
Field of Expertise
Agricultural Science and Genomics
Jeffrey Bennetzen, Ph.D.
Molecular Biology and Functional Genomics
Scott Jackson, Ph.D.
Crop Genomics
Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
C. Ross Ethier, Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering
Don P. Giddens, Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering
Steven L. Stice, Ph.D.
Animal Reproductive Physiology
Younan Xia, Ph.D.
Nanomedicine
Robert K. Yu, Ph.D., Med.Sc.D.
Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology
Business and Economics
James C. Cox, Ph.D.
Experimental Economics
Lars Mathiassen, Ph.D.
Business Process Innovation
Cancer and Human Genomics
Esteban Cells, M.D, Ph.D
Cancer Immunology
Walter J. Curran, Jr., M.D.
Cancer
Stephen Dalton, Ph.D.
Molecular Cell biology
William S. Dynan, Ph.D.
Molecular Biology
Shafiq Khan, Ph.D.
Cellular Biology of Cancer
Vasu Nair, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Drug Discovery
Jin-Xiong She, Ph.D
Genomic Medicine
Binghe Wang, Ph.D.
Computing / Networks
John A. Copeland, Ph.D.
Edward J. Coyle, Ph.D.
James D. Foley, Ph.D.
Michael J. Hannafin, Ph.D.
Biing H. Juang, Ph.D.
Max A. Stachura, M.D.
Electronics and Optics
Jean-Luc Brédas, Ph.D.
Gee-Kung Chang, Ph.D.
Russell Dean Dupuis, Ph.D.
Jiri (Art) Janata, Ph.D.
Rick P. Trebino, Ph.D.
Rao R. Tummala, Ph.D.
Marilyn Wolf, Ph.D.
Drug Discovery and New Diagnostics
Technology Transfer
Integration of Research and Education
Telecommunications
Technology Enhanced Learning
Advanced Communications
Telemedicine
Molecular Design
Optical Networking
Electro-Optical Systems
Sensors and Instrumentation
Ultrafast Optical Physics
Electronic and Bio-electronic Ultraminiaturized Systems by System-on-Package
Embedded Computer Systems
Scholar
Field of Expertise
Energy and Environmental Engineering
M. Bruce Beck, Ph.D.
Water Quality and Environmental Systems
John C. Crittenden, Ph.D.
Sustainable Systems
William J. Koros, Ph.D.
Membrane Science and Technology
Ajeet Rohatgi, Ph.D.
Photovoltaics
David Sholl, Ph.D.
Energy Sustainability
Chung-Jui (C.J.) Tsai, Ph.D.
Forest Biotechnology
Immunology and Vaccines
Rafi Ahmed, Ph.D.
Vaccine Development
Max D. Cooper, M.D.
Immunology
Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and
Roberto Docampo, M.D., Ph.D.
Cellular Biology
Julia Hilliard, Ph.D.
Molecular Biology
Eric Hunter, Ph.D.
Retroviral Molecular Biology
Jian-Dong Li, Ph.D.
Inflammation and Immunity
Robert J. Maier, Ph.D.
Microbial physiology
Andrew Mellor, Ph.D.
Molecular Immunogenetics
Ignacio Sanz, M.D.
Human Immunology
Guido Silvestri, M.D.
Experimental Pathology
Samuel H. Speck, Ph.D.
Molecular Pathogenesis
Ralph A. Tripp, Ph.D.
Vaccine and Therapeutic Development
Informatics and Systems Biology
Xiaodong Cheng, Ph.D.
Structural Biology
Xiaoping Hu, Ph.D.
Biomedical Imaging
James Prestegard, Ph.D.
NMR Spectroscopy
Jeffrey Skolnick, Ph.D.
Computational Systems Biology
Eberhard O. Voit, Ph.D.
Systems Biology
Bi-Cheng Wang, Ph.D.
Structural Biology
Peng George Wang, Ph.D.
Chemical Glycobiology
Ying Xu, Ph.D.
Bioinformatics
Neuroscience
Ami Klin, Ph.D.
Autism and Related Disorders
Michael J. Kuhar, Ph.D.
Neuropharmacology
Lin Mei, Ph.D.
Neuroscience
Joe Z. Tsien, Ph.D.
Cognitive and Systems Neurobiology
Personalized and Precision Medicine
Neal Weintraub, M.D.
Cardiology
Georgia’s research community promotes commercialization, bringing
exceptional ideas to the market place.
Eminent
Scholars
Research
Centers
Commercialization
GRA FUNDING:
GRA Eminent Scholars:
identifies and brings world-class
scientists to Georgia’s research
universities to lead extraordinary
R&D programs.
GRA Centers for Research Excellence:
serves as the backbone of Georgia’s
research enterprise.
GRA Recruitments/Collaborations
By connecting entrepreneurs with Georgia’s research centers, eminent
scholars, commercialization-promoting labs and investment dollars,
the GRA has helped hundreds of companies secure funding for
developmental research and eventually take exceptional ideas to market.
A few prominent examples follow.
GRA Commercialization Programs:
seeks university innovations and
provides support for taking the next
step toward commercialization.
• NeurOp, a GRA sponsored drug development company, secured
financing from Bristol-Myers Squibb for continued research into
treatments for depression and neuropathic pain.
• CardioMEMS is a medical device company that has developed and
is commercializing a proprietary wireless sensing and communication
technology for the human body.
• CIBA Vision has worked with Georgia Tech on the development of a
new method of manufacturing lenses and on polymer characterization
for lenses through a GRA Technology Partnership.
Research grants from top national institutions more than doubled
in the last 10 years.
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech):
Top Research School
National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National
Science Foundation (NSF)
The Georgia Institute of Technology is located in the heart of midtown
Atlanta. The school is internationally known for producing world-class
engineers in a variety of disciplines.
The NIH supports medical and behavioral research in academia and
private industry. The dollar amount of Georgia’s NIH awards increased
95 percent between 2000 to 2014. For FY 2014, Georgia received $460
million in NIH awards.
Research and development at Georgia Tech is thriving. Engineering
research dollars have increased more than 30 percent over the past
five years at the nation’s top five engineering research schools. Georgia
Tech alone has seen funding increase by 33 percent, with engineering
research dollars reaching $503,466 million in 2013, the second-highest
university funding level in the U.S. for engineering fields.
According to the National Science Foundation, research expenditures
at Georgia’s colleges and universities increased by 29 percent between
2007 and 2012, growing from $1.44 billion to $1.86 billion for the period.
Academic Research Centers
Types of Engineering R&D Funding at Georgia Tech
40% Electrical Engineering
17% Mechanical Engineering
11% Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
As the nonprofit research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology,
the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is a $100 million per year
sponsor-oriented applied research organization focused on research,
education and economic development programs to improve the global
competitiveness of Georgia, the Southeast and nation.
7% Engineering, NEC
7% Chemical Engineering
7% Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
6% Civil Engineering
5% Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Source: National Science Foundation, FY 2013 data
Georgia’s public and private universities
spent nearly $2 billion on research and
development in fiscal year 2013, according
to the National Science Foundation.
Georgia NIH Awards Increased 95% from 2000 - 2014
$500
Funding Growth at Top Engineering R&D Schools in the Country
$450
$1,000
MIT
$500
Texas A&M
$400
$350
.6%
Penn State
$600
Millions
GA Tech
$700
$ Millions
$400
Johns Hopkins
$800
94
$900
$300
$300
$200
$250
$100
$0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
$200
2000
2014
Source: National Science Foundation, FY 2006 - 2013 data
Source: National Institutes of Health Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools, 2014
State-of-the-art research facilities improve Georgia’s
global competitiveness.
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is an internationally-recognized
applied research and development organization. With more than 1,700
scientists, engineers and other professionals, GTRI helps industries solve
problems with a diverse base of research labs.
GTRI Facts
In FY2014, GTRI’s contract awards reached
$363 million. The institute employs more than
1,700, including 300 student researchers.
Source: GTRI Annual Report, 2014
Major Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Laboratories
GTRI Laboratory
Focus
Advanced Concepts Laboratory (ACL)
Electromagnetic effects & devices
Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems (ATAS)
Aerospace, transportation & advanced systems
Electronic Systems (ELSYS)
Electronic defense
Electro-Optical Systems (EOSL)
EO modeling & analysis
Applied Systems Laboratory (ASL)
Air defense R&D
Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory (CTISL)
Information systems & network security
Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL)
Information processing, storage, representation & exchange
Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications (SEAL)
Traditional radar technologies
Other University-Anchored Research Centers
University Research Center
School
Focus
Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) (formerly MARC)
Georgia Tech
Manufacturing
Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN) (formerly MIRC)
Georgia Tech
Electronics & Nanotechnology
Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience
Georgia Tech
Healthcare
Food Processing Technology Division
Georgia Tech
Food Processing
Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center
Emory University
Research on various diseases, including AIDS & Parkinson’s.
Institute for Biomedical Science (open in January 2014)
Georgia State University
Biomedicine
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC)
University of Georgia
Complex carbohydrate of plants, microbes & animals
Internationally-Renowned Research Operations
Other Georgia Research Centers
Highlights
Georgia Cancer Coalition (GCC): www.gacancercoalition.com
The State of Georgia has contributed over $264 million from FY 2001 to FY 2007 through the state’s
Tobacco Fund.
Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC): www.gedcenter.org
The GEDC attracts funding support from both federal laboratories and industry partners, including
48 member companies, research partners and affiliates.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov
Headquartered in Atlanta near Emory University, the CDC creates a fertile environment for
health-based start-up companies.
Business incubators and accelerators abound in Georgia.
Georgia Centers of Innovation
The Georgia Centers of Innovation program is designed to enhance
long-term economic opportunities for Georgians, nourish the state’s
homegrown industries and encourage new companies to invest and build
in the state.
The Advanced Technology Development Center
(ATDC)
Working in cooperation with the Georgia Research Alliance, the
Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) promotes the
development of advanced technology-based companies. Formed in 1980,
the center offers technical and business management services to help
entrepreneurs build and successfully operate a new business. More than
150 companies have emerged from ATDC, including publicly-traded firms
such as EarthLink (formerly MindSpring).
Tifton
Focus
Agricultural and natural
resources technology
Aerospace Innovation Center
Eastman
Aerospace
Energy Innovation Center
Atlanta
Renewal energy technologies
Life Sciences Innovation Center
Augusta
Life sciences
Logistics Innovation Center
Savannah
Logistics and security
Manufacturing
Additional Business Incubators Across the State
In 2010, collaboration between the University of Georgia and Georgia
Tech enabled the launch of ATDC Gwinnett. Housed on the Gwinnett
campus of the University of Georgia, the new ATDC location puts
technology incubation resources close to a heavy concentration of
existing technology companies and at the heart of one of the country’s
fastest growing counties.
The Columbus Technology Incubator and Innovation Center and the
Middle Georgia Technology Development Center in Warner Robins
are available to help foster growth of technology companies in their
respective areas.
Source: ATDC Gwinnett website
ATDC is recognized by BusinessWeek,
Inc. and Forbes magazines as one of the
nation’s top nonprofit incubators.
Location
Agribusiness Innovation Center
Manufacturing Innovation Center Gainesville
ATDC in Savannah serves a diverse technology community that includes
educational institutions such as the Savannah College of Art and Design,
established companies and a growing community of start-ups.
ATDC Gwinnett, University of Georgia Duluth Campus
Centers of Innovation
Other Incubators
Albany State University Community Development
Corporation Business Assistance Center
Location
Arthur K. Williams MicroBusiness Enterprise Center
Albany
Augusta BioBusiness Center
Augusta
Augusta-Richmond County Small Business Incubator
Augusta
Business Expansion Center at South Georgia Technical College
Americus
Business Expansion Center at Georgia Northwestern
Technical College
Rome
Carroll Tomorrow, the Burson Center
Carrollton
CollabTech
Atlanta
Columbus Regional Technical Incubator
Columbus
Coosa Valley Technical College Business Expansion Center
Rome
The Edge Connection
Kennesaw
Fort Valley State University Entrepreneur Center
Fort Valley
Georgia BioBusiness Center and New Media Synergy Center
Athens
Georgia Center for Innovation in Agribusiness
Tifton
Gwinnett Innovation Park
Norcross
Hispanic American Center for Economic Development (HACED)
Atlanta
The Innovation Factory
Atlanta
Lanier Tech Manufacturing Development Center
Gainesville
Life Sciences Business Development Center at Medical
College of Georgia
Augusta
Savannah Entrepreneurial Center
Savannah
South DeKalb Business Incubator
Atlanta
Southwest Georgia Business Development Center
Vienna
West Georgia Technical College
LaGrange
Albany
Transportation Infrastructure
WORLD-CLASS SYSTEMS PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL ACCESS TO MARKETS
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is
Georgia’s Global Connection
With nearly 9,000 flights weekly, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport connects the southeastern U.S. to the world. The airport is
served by 30 passenger carriers, including 23 domestic carriers and 7
foreign flag carriers. An additional 13 all-cargo airlines (including 4
charter airlines) operate out of Hartsfield. (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport website, 2014)
80% of the U.S. Market is Within a Two-Hour Flight Time of Atlanta
Edmonton
Vancouver
Seattle
Minneapolis
3 Hours
San Francisco
Los Angeles
More than 80 percent of the U.S. market is within a two-hour flight time
of Atlanta.
Montreal
4 Hours
Toronto
Boston
New York
Chicago
Washington D.C.
Denver
St. Louis
2 Hours
San Diego Phoenix
Atlanta
Dallas
Houston
80% of U.S.
Market
1 Hour
New Orleans
400 Miles
The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) offers rail service to
the airport, with an average travel time of 15 minutes from downtown to
the main airport terminal.
Miami
800 Miles
1,600 Miles
2,400 Miles
The World’s Top Airports -- Passenger Volume in Millions
Atlanta
96.2 million passengers traveled through
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in 2014
Beijing
London
Tokyo
Chicago
Los Angeles
Dubai
A Transportation Infrastructure Second to None:
Paris
Dallas/Fort Worth
Jakarta
• World-class international airport
Hong Kong
• Extensive regional airport system
Frankfurt
• Fast growing, state-of-the-art sea ports
Singapore
Amsterdam
• Well-maintained interstate and highway connectivity to major markets
Denver
0
20
40
60
80
100
• Extensive rail systems and service providers
• Public transportation alternatives
Source: Passenger Travel 2013 Final (last updated in December 2014),
Airports Council International
1 Transportation Infrastructure GEORGIA POWER COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – YOUR PARTNER IN BUSINESS © GEORGIA POWER, SEPTEMBER 2015
Airline Consolidation and Hartsfield’s Market Reach
In October of 2008, Delta and Northwest Airlines merged to form the
world’s largest airline group. Atlanta remains home to the combined entity.
In 2011, Southwest Airlines merged with Airtran Airlines, a growing
domestic carrier with an extensive presence in Atlanta. Like the marriage
of Delta and Northwest two years earlier, the merger brings additional
service to destinations all over the U.S.
Increased market reach and the potential for more competitive air fares
strengthen Hartsfield’s position as the world’s premier passenger airport.
Atlanta is the most connected city to domestic
and international non-stop markets and fifth in
international non-stop markets served.
Top International Airports in the U.S.,
Intl
Non-Stop Markets
Served
Domestic & Intl
Non-Stop Markets
Served
1 Atlanta (ATL)
72
218
2 Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
88
279
3 Los Angeles (LAX)
115
189
4 Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
60
188
5 New York John F Kennedy (JFK)
172
119
6 Denver (DEN)
25
255
Airport
218
Number of domestic markets served out of
Hartsfield-Jackson
740
Sorted by Total Markets Served
Source: April 2015 SH&E/OAG Schedule, InterVISTAS Consulting LLC
Number of non-stop weekly flights to
international destinations
72
Number of non-stop international
destinations served out of Hartsfield-Jackson
Weekly International Non-Stop Flights
by Region
Region
Central America
Caribbean
Europe
Canada
South America
Number of Weekly
Departures
228
159
153
99
66
Africa/Middle East
21
Asia
14
Source: April 2015 SH&E/OAG Schedule, InterVISTAS
Consulting LLC
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport Rankings
World’s Busiest Airport
(2014)
World’s Most Efficient Airport
(2014)
Best U.S. Airports for
Connecting Flights
(2013)
Source: Travel Leaders Group, 2014; Air Transport Research Society,
2014; Airports Council International (2011 data, last updated July 2013)
2 Transportation Infrastructure
Hartsfield-Jackson is the country’s 10th largest air cargo center,
handling more than 616,000 metric tons of cargo in 2013.
Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Expansions
Air Cargo Facilities
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is continuously evaluating
and improving its facilities and services. Recent and upcoming
projects include:
Hartsfield’s air cargo facilities are extensive:
• 2009: Completion of the consolidated rental car complex (CONRAC)
and Automated People Mover extension to CONRAC by way of the
Georgia International Convention Center
• May 2012: Completion of Maynard H. Jackson, Jr. International
Terminal. This terminal has recently won several design awards: Best
in Atlanta Real Estate Design Award, American Graphic Design and
Advertising Award, Project of the Year: Architectural Category by the
American Association of Airport Executives.
• Projected for 2015: Completion of South Gate Complex
A fifth runway opened in May of 2006 and has been called the most
important runway in America. The runway averages 100,000 landings
and takeoffs per year and saves the industry hundreds of millions in
delay costs annually.
• Three main air cargo complexes with 2 million square feet of
warehouse space. South and North Complexes have independent
refueling and support systems which allow quick turnaround.
• Home to the U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved Perishables
Complex, the only one of its kind in the Southeast U.S. The
Perishables Complex features on-site distribution and transport
capabilities, USDA inspection services and a USDA-approved
fumigation chamber.
• Adjoins a 250-acre Georgia Foreign Trade Zone which facilitates
trade and increases the global competitiveness of companies doing
business in Georgia. More than 100 licensed customs brokers and 200
domestic and international freight forwarders operate here.
Top North American Air Cargo Cities
City
Memphis, TN
Total Cargo
4,137,801
Air Cargo at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Anchorage, AK
2,421,145
Hartsfield-Jackson recently earned Air Cargo
World magazine’s Award of Excellence for
the best North American cargo operations in
its category (airports that handle 500,000
to 999,999 tons per year). The award
was based on four areas of excellence,
performance, value, facilities and operations.
Louisville, KY
2,216,079
Miami, FL
1,945,012
Los Angeles, CA
1,747,284
New York, NY
1,295,473
Chicago, IL
1,228,791
Indianapolis, IN
991,953
Newark, NJ
717,099
Atlanta, GA
616,364
Source: Airports Council International, 2014;
Airport websites, 2014
Regional airports throughout the state provide superior accessibility.
Georgia’s Regional Airports
Public Use Airports in Georgia
Georgia’s Airports
Covering most of the state, Georgia’s 104 public airports, 242
private-use airports, 120 private heliports and six military airports
offer superior accessibility.
Commercial
General Aviation
International/Commercial
104
Number of public airports in Georgia
7
Number of airports in addition to Hartsfield-Jackson
offering scheduled commercial service
Regional Airports Providing Scheduled Commercial Service by City
Airport
Southwest Regional
City
Albany
Runway Lengths (in Feet)
6,600 and 5,219
Arrivals
3
Departures
3
Augusta Regional at Bush Field
Augusta
8,000 and 6,001
Brunswick Golden Isles
Brunswick
Columbus Metropolitan
Columbus
Middle Georgia Regional
Macon
6,501 and 5,000
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
Savannah
9,351 and 7,001
Valdosta Regional
Valdosta
8002, 5596 and 3636
3
4
Major Airlines
Delta Connection
13
13
8,000
3
3
Delta Connection
6,997 and 3,997
4
4
Delta Connection
3
3
Silver Airways, AirTran
42
42
Delta Connection, US Airways Express
American Airlines, Delta, jetBlue, United, US Airways
Delta Connection, ExpressJet
Source: 2011-2012 Georgia Airport Directory, airport websites, 2014
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK)
PDK, only 8 miles from downtown Atlanta, is the
state’s second busiest general aviation airport. PDK
averages about 228,000 take-offs and landings
per year and serves largely corporate clients.
The airport is home to 590 aircrafts, four fixed base
operators and 125 aviation-related tenants.
No. of Flights: 40 nonstop daily flights
Markets:
Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Chicago,
Detroit, New York, Washington D.C., Houston,
Newark, Philadelphia
June 2015, Savannah will add 3 more non-stop
destinations - Cincinnati, Akron, and Columbus, Ohio
Source: Savannah Hilton Head International
Georgia’s ports are among the fastest growing in the world.
Shipping
Georgia is home to the fastest-growing port in the United States, the
Port of Savannah. Established in 1945, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA)
operates modern and efficient deepwater facilities and provides valueadded marine terminal services in Savannah and Brunswick, as well as
inland barge terminals in Bainbridge and Columbus.
Georgia’s ports are major economic engines, generating 352,146 full- and
part-time jobs, creating $66.9 billion in sales and accounting for $32.4
billion in Georgia’s Gross State Product. (Georgia Ports Authority, 2014)
Georgia’s Intermodal Facilities Make it Happen
Georgia’s world-class intermodal facilities strategically located around
the state enable importers and exporters to quickly and efficiently move
products from ocean carrier to rail to truck. Georgia’s intermodal facilities
have some of the fastest transition times in the United States. Major
intermodal facilities in Georgia include:
• CSX Hulsey Rail Yard, Atlanta
• Norfolk Southern Inman Rail Yard, Atlanta
• CSX Savannah Yard, Savannah
• Norfolk Southern James D. Mason ICTF, Garden City
Growing Imports and Exports , FY 2002 to FY 2014
• CSX Fairburn Industry Yard, Fairburn (Metro Atlanta)
Exports
• Norfolk Southern Whitaker Rail Yard, Austell (Metro Atlanta)
Imports
1700
• CSX Chatham ICTF, Garden City (Near Savannah)
• Norfolk Southern Savannah
1500
Savannah’s Import & Export Trade is Balanced
The Port of Savannah consistently maintains a balanced import and
export container volume. In FY 2014, Savannah’s trade ratio was 53
percent exports, 47 percent imports.
Between 1995 and 2009, U.S. international maritime container traffic
increased by 87.5 percent. Savannah’s annual traffic for the same period
increased by 328.6 percent. The amazing growth levels in Savannah’s
port traffic are largely a result of trade expansion with Latin American
countries and changes in the location of freight logistics and distribution
and service centers.
Thousands of TEUs
1300
1100
900
700
500
2002 2003
2004 2005
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Source: Georgia Ports Authority, 2014
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative
Technology Administration, America’s Container Ports, Linking Markets at
Home and Abroad, January 2011
2011 2012 2013
2014
The Port of Savannah is the second largest on the East Coast and the
fourth largest in the nation.
The Port of Savannah
Port of Savannah’s Top 10 Export Trade Lanes
Traffic increases of 328 percent since 1995 make Savannah the fastest
growing port in the nation. The port is ideally positioned for trade with
both Asian and European markets. Asian transit time is as low as 22
days. Express service to and from European markets is nine days.
The port location offers immediate access to I-95 and I-16 and proximity
to the James C. Mason Intermodal Container Transfer Facility.
The port plans $1.2 billion in expansion projects including 25 new cranes
and deepening of the Savannah River Channel. By 2020, the Port of
Savannah estimates that it will process 6.5 million TEUs annually.
Port of Savannah’s Two Terminals:
Garden City
• North America’s busiest single-terminal container facility
• Fourth largest container port in the U.S. -- averages 7,000
gate moves daily
Top Ten Trade Lanes
Northeast Asia
2014 YTD
Loaded TEUs
436,890
Mediterranean
174,017
5%
Southeast Asia
142,784
41%
North Europe
112,045
1%
Middle East
88,955
28%
Southern Asia/India
61,279
39%
East Coast South America
49,312
12%
Africa
47,948
120%
Eastern Europe
32,772
61%
West Coast South America
30,444
20%
Other*
61,867
-33%
1,238,312
13%
Total
*Central America, Caribbean, Oceania, North America, and Puerto Rico
Source: Georgia Ports Authority 2014, last updated October 22, 2014
• 1,200 acres
• 9 berths/9,693 linear feet
• Two class 1 rail carriers (CSX and Norfolk Southern) and
more than 100 trucking companies
• Serves a growing number of area distribution centers and
other industries
Ocean
• Primarily ro-ro and breakbulk facility
• 200.4 acres
• 9 berths, 5,768 linear feet
• Two rail servers, CSX and Norfolk Southern
• Serves a variety of industries
• 1.4 million square feet covered storage (76 acres), 80 acres
of open storage with plans for future expansion
Exports
(5 -Year Percent
Change 2010 - 2014)
9%
The Port of Brunswick
Brunswick is the top auto port in the nation for new auto imports. Three
modern deepwater terminals – Colonel’s Island Terminal, Mayor’s Point
Terminal and Marine Port Terminal – comprise port operations.
Colonel’s Island
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Secured ro-ro facility with automotive/machinery focus
1,700 acres
3 berths
4 on-terminal auto processors
900 additional acres available for expansion
674,000 auto/machinery units processed in FY2014
71.2 acre agri-bulk facility with storage capacity of 64,800 short tons
Mayor’s Point Terminal
• Break-bulk facility
• Best known as a distribution center for forest and wood products
• 22 acres; 1,750 linear feet of berthing
Marine Port Terminal
•
•
•
•
•
•
Operated by Logistec USA
Handles general cargo and bulk commodities
145 acres; 2,415 feet of berthing space
491,000 square feet covered storage
15 acres open storage
Two class 1 rail carriers, CSX and Norfolk Southern
Automobile and Machinery Shipments Up:
For FY2014, the Port of Brunswick moved
674,000 automobiles and machinery, an
increase of 10 percent over FY2013.
Inland Ports
The ports of Bainbridge and Columbus provide easy inland access for
companies shipping bulk cargo, gases and liquids.
Georgia’s Inland Ports
Ports
Port of Bainbridge
Railroads
• Located on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Waterway,
or Tri-Rivers System
• 107 acres
• Handles a variety of bulk cargoes via barge traffic
• 93,000 square feet (9,292 square meters) of covered storage
• CSX Transportation provides Class 1 rail service
• Primary cargoes transiting Bainbridge include: nitrogen solution,
gypsum, ammonium sulfate, urea, cottonseed and cypress bark mulch
Port of Columbus
• Located on the Chattahoochee River with convenient access to the
U.S. Gulf via the Tri-Rivers System (Apalachicola-ChattahoocheeFlint Waterway)
• Dedicated liquid bulk facility
• 14 acres
• Norfolk Southern Railroad provides Class 1 rail service
Cordele Inland Port is a 20-acre tract located
less than one mile from I-75. The port is
part of the Crisp County Industrial Park and
is surrounded by available warehouse and
industrial space. The site is served by Heart of
Georgia Railroad. (Anchorage, Summer 2011)
Georgia’s highway system is one of the best maintained in the country.
Highway Accessibility
Trucking
Interstate highway access from Georgia to the rest of the U.S. is
outstanding. Four major interstates (I-20, I-75, I-85 and I-95) cross the
state with three of these intersecting near downtown Atlanta. Within
two drive-time days, businesses can reach 79 percent of the nation’s
largest consumer markets.
Bolstered by the state’s superb interstate connections and continued port
expansions, Georgia has become one of the nation’s major trucking hubs.
Trucking plays a vital role in moving goods from the ports in Savannah
and Brunswick to the growing number of major distribution centers
throughout the state. Georgia is home to 32 distribution centers with
warehouse space of 1 million square feet or more.
Georgia’s extensive road system is recognized as one of the best
maintained in the country. The Reason Foundation’s 21st Annual
Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems, released in
September 2014, ranked Georgia’s state highway system 13th in overall
performance.
Southeastern United States Highway System
From those centers, carriers can quickly reach the country’s major
consumer and industrial markets. The Georgia Motor Trucking
Association represents more than 400 for-hire carriers, 400 private
carriers and 300 associate members.
Companies located in Georgia are within
two travel days of 80 percent of the U.S.
consumer market.
The excellent condition of Georgia’s roads is a major factor in the
continued growth of the state’s economy. According to the U.S. Bureau
of Transportation Statistics, 94 percent of the $356 billion in products
shipped from Georgia manufacturers to U.S. destinations is transported,
entirely or in part, on Georgia’s highways and interstates.
Georgia’s extensive rail system serves businesses all over the state.
Rail Service in Georgia
• Georgia’s 5,000-mile rail system, which provides direct rail service
to approximately 500 Georgia communities, is the most extensive in
the Southeast and keeps Georgia manufacturers connected to major
markets across the nation.
• Two of the country’s largest Class 1 rail systems, CSX and NorfolkSouthern, provide the majority of rail freight service in Georgia. Each
operates more than 80 freight trains in and out of Atlanta daily,
serving locations east of the Mississippi.
• The combination of Georgia’s large and efficient train-to-truck
transfer locations, converging interstate highways and easily
accessible port facilities make Georgia one of the nation’s global
cargo-handling powerhouses.
Norfolk-Southern in Georgia
• Operates more than 20,000 route miles of track in 22 states
• Operates two intermodal facilities in Atlanta and Austell and three
major rail classification yards. Serves a variety of industries and
every major port on the East Coast between New York City and
Jacksonville and multiple private terminals, including the Gulf ports
of Mobile, New Orleans and St. Bernard; Great Lakes ports; and
numerous river ports.
CSX in Georgia
Light Density Lines
• Georgia has 23 short line freight rail companies that operate 1,410
track miles in the state.
• CSX and Norfolk Southern systems include another 242 and 851
miles of light density tract, respectively.
• Operates and maintains 21,000 miles of track system-wide and more
than 2,700 miles of track in Georgia
• Serves 70 ports and 166 intermodal terminals in 23 states
• Handles more than 1.8 million carloads of freight in Georgia as
of 2012
• Maintains state-of-the-art rail systems – in 2012 invested more than
$114 million for upgrades and maintenance projects in Georgia
• Operates three major intermodal facilities, two in the Atlanta area
and one in Savannah
• TRANSFLO terminals in Atlanta, Augusta, Dalton and Savannah
• Automotive distribution center in Lawrenceville
Public transportation systems in Georgia provide affordable, efficient
alternatives to Georgia residents.
Public Transportation
• Fourteen major urban public transportation systems operate in
Georgia. More than 100 local area transit authorities throughout the
state provide Georgia citizens public transportation options.
• In the Atlanta area, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
(MARTA) serves Fulton and DeKalb counties and the City of Atlanta
with bus and rail services. MARTA is the ninth largest transit system
in the country. The system consists of 38 stations interconnecting
with 91 bus routes and 48 miles of track. The system transports
around 500,000 passengers daily.
• Xpress is a public transportation service partnership between the
Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) and 12 metro
Atlanta counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas,
Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale. Xpress
provides bus service to member counties and is popular with
metro commuters.
Major Public Transportation
Systems in Georgia
Rome
Canton
Cobb County
Atlanta
Hall County
Gwinnett County
Metro Systems
Local Systems
Athens
MARTA
Augusta
Macon
Columbus
Savannah
Albany
International Climate
FOREIGN-OWNED COMPANIES THRIVE IN GEORGIA
EUROPE
Georgia is a pro-business state. An aggressive incentives
9.3% program,
favorable tax rates, favorable conditions for employers, and programs
LATIN AMERICA
to accelerate the permitting and development process make Georgia
53.5%
the right place to start and grow a business. Georgia’s current corporate
income tax is 6 percent, ranking it among the top ASIA
ten states with the
27.0%income tax is
lowest corporate income tax rate. Georgia’s corporate
based on a single-factor apportionment, weighted solely on sales
receipts in Georgia. More than 3,000AFRICA
foreign-owned facilities are
currently thriving in Georgia. These facilities
8.1% represent 57 nations and
employ nearly 175,000 workers.
LATIN
AMERICA
53.5%
25
Trade and investment agencies
42
Top Foreign Employers in Georgia by Country
Total Employees
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
70
Career and honorary consulates
Bi-national chambers of commerce
Total Facilities
25,000
30,000
Japan
International investment in Georgia in
past five years: $8.1 billion
Germany
United Kingdom
Fiscal
Year
Canada
Projects
Jobs Created
Total Project
Investment
Netherlands
2014
72
6,348
$1.13 billion
France
2013
62
5,423
$1.75 billion
Ireland
2012
117
6,566
$2.82 billion
Sweden
2011
88
4,593
$1.64 billion
Switzerland
2010
72
4,519
$747 million
Brazil
Source: Georgia Department of Economic Development, June 2015
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Source: GeorgiaFacts.org, June 2015
Stefanini, a global information technology provider based in Brazil, will
expand its Atlanta office with 400 additional jobs by 2016. Stefanini has
been in Georgia for ten years.
“We are thrilled to expand operations in Georgia. We have
experienced companywide success, benefiting from a strong network
of talent and customers. We look forward to growing our business
globally with this newest expansion.”
Marco Stefanini, President and CEO
Source: “Brazilian IT Service Provider to Create 400 Jobs in Atlanta,” State of Georgia Press
Release, June 17, 2015
1 International Climate
Foreign Trade Zones in Georgia
Georgia is home to three major Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs). FTZs allow
international companies flexibility when importing and exporting raw
materials or final manufactured products. FTZs in Georgia include:
Atlanta FTZ 26
Savannah FTZ 104
Brunswick FTZ 144
For more information about Foreign Trade Zones as well as other
incentives in Georgia, see the Business Incentives publication at http://
selectgeorgia.com/georgia-info/publications.cshtml.
Georgia’s population is increasingly diverse.
In 1990, 2.7 percent of Georgia’s population was foreign born. According
to the 2013 American Community Survey, Georgia is home to more than
950,000 foreign-born residents representing almost 10 percent of the
state’s population. This increase makes Georgia one of the nation’s top
growth states for foreign-born residents.
Georgia’s Foreign-Born by Region of Birth
EUROPE
9.3%
LATIN AMERICA
Top Ten States Based on Number of Foreign-Born
53.5%
State
California
Number of
Foreign Born
10,175,839
New York
4,314,703
22.1%
Texas
4,187,930
16.3%
Florida
3,698,746
19.4%
New Jersey
1,868,812
21.2%
Illinois
ASIA
Percent of ForegnBorn Population
27.0%
1,774,726
13.8%
Massachusetts
991,708
15.0%
GEORGIA
950,670
9.7%
Virginia
917,554
11.3%
Washington
898,091
13.2%
Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey
27.0%
AFRICA
8.1%
950,670
Total Employees
0
Japan
Total Facilities
5,000 born
10,000 residing
15,000 in20,000
25,000
Foreign
Georgia.
30,000
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American
Community Survey 5-Year Estimates)
Germany
United Kingdom
Note: Regions with largest shares included only.
Canada
Netherlands
France
German-based Häring, a leading global automotive components
manufacturer, recently announced the location of its first U.S.
manufacturing in Georgia, creating 800 jobs by 2025 and investing $54
million over the next five years.
Ireland
39.3%
Sweden
Switzerland
Georgia’s foreign-born increase
between 2000 and 2013
Brazil
0
“During the site selection process, it became very clear that Georgia
was the best choice for us to locate our first U.S. facility. I want to
thank the state of Georgia and Hart County for their outstanding
support and commitment. We believe that Georgia’s workforce and
pro-business climate will provide the tools necessary for Häring to
succeed in the U.S.”
100
200
13th
400
Ranking among top states on
foreign born percent increase
Andreas Lehnhofer, Managing Director
Source: “Germany-based Häring to Create 800 Jobs in Hart County,” State of Georgia Press
Release, December 10, 2014
2 International Climate
300
500
600
Georgia’s Tax Structure
GEORGIA’S TAX STRUCTURE IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND PRO-BUSINESS
Georgia’s Tax Climate is the 8th Best in the U.S.
Georgia’s Tax Structure & Financing
Georgia’s tax structure makes the state one of the most cost competitive
in the country.
Moody’s Economy.com State Cost of Doing Business Index for 2014 ranks
Georgia’s tax burden as one of the lowest at 33rd (the 1st place and least
desirable ranking goes to New York). (Moody’s Economy.com May 2014).
SD
WY
MI
1
10
1
NV
1
The Tax Foundation’s 2015 State Business Tax Climate Index ranks
Georgia as the 36th most favorable overall business tax climate and the
8th most favorable in terms of corporate income tax structure.
UT
5
VA
MO
6
4
OK
7
GA
8
1 = Best
1 - 10
11 - 25
26 - 50
HI
9
Source: Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index- Corporate Tax Component FY 2015
Summary of Business Taxes in Georgia
Tax
Type of Tax
Rate
Who Collects
6 percent (based solely on sales in
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia)
Local millage rate applied to assessed
Local governments
value (40 percent of fair market value)
4 percent statewide, with an additional Georgia Department of Revenue
1 to 4 percent for county and city
and local governments
Exemptions or Credits Available
Corporate Net Income
Income
Real and Personal Property Tax
Property
Sales and Use Tax
Sales and Use
Corporate Net Worth (Franchise Tax) License
Graduated, maximum tax $5,000
None
Workers’ Compensation
Insurance
Georgia has some of the lowest rates
in the nation
Businesses may self-insure or
purchase a policy through private
insurance companies.
7.5 percent credit for companies with
Certified Drug Free Workforce
Personal Income Tax
Income
Federal income tax credits where
applicable
Unemployment Insurance
Insurance
Georgia Department of Labor
None. Rate is evaluated after
36 months
Payroll taxes
Payroll Withholding Georgia’s rate for withholding is
(Federal and State) graduated between 0 and 6 percent
and U.S. Internal Revenue Service
Exemptions are available for state
withholding, depending on company’s
ability to qualify for state incentives
1 Georgia’s Tax Structure
Graduated from 1 percent (net income
not more than $750) to 6 percent (net
income more than $7,000)
Initially, 2.93 percent on each
employee’s first $9,500 in earnings
Yes, through state incentive programs
and local tax exemptions
and statutory tax exemptions
Georgia ranks highly for both corporate income tax and sales tax rates.
Low Corporate Income Tax,
Single Factor Apportionment
Georgia’s moderate corporate income tax rate (6 percent) has not
changed since 1969. This tax is based solely on gross sales in Georgia.
Tax Foundation Ranking of States Based
on Favorable Corporate Income Tax
1(t) Nevada
1(t) South Dakota
Low State and Local Sales Tax
Georgia imposes a four percent statewide sales tax.
The statewide tax applies to purchases (other than real estate) delivered
or stored in Georgia to be used or consumed in the business (not for
resale). Taxable items include: natural gas, oil, gasoline, telephone,
artificial gas, steam, electricity, and rentals.
In order to reduce property taxes, all Georgia counties have adopted an
additional local one percent sales tax. Some local jurisdictions levy an
additional special purpose sales tax of up to four percent.
1(t) Wyoming
4 Missouri
5 Utah
17th best
6 Virginia
7 Oklahoma
Georgia’s sales tax ranking among all states
8 GEORGIA
6%
9 Hawaii
Source: Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate IndexCorporate Tax Component FY 2015
Georgia’s corporate income tax rate, unchanged since 1969
Source: The Tax Foundation’s 2015 State Business Tax Climate
Real and Personal Property (Ad Valorem Taxes)
Vary by Location
Taxes on real and tangible personal property are levied by the city,
county, school district and the state.
These taxes are stated in terms of millage rates, the dollars of taxes to
be paid for each $1,000 of the real property’s assessed valuation. The
assessed valuation rate, in most cases, is 40 percent of the property’s fair
market value.
All rates are set at the local level, except the state portion of the tax,
which is fixed by Georgia law. The effective rate is 10 cents for each
$1,000 of fair market value. Beginning in 2014, there is no state levy for
property tax.
Georgia Offers a Variety of Sales Tax Exemptions
• Items purchased for resale
• Electricity used in the manufacturing operations
• Machinery or equipment necessary and integral to the manufacturing
process in either a new or existing facility
• Raw materials that will become a component of a finished product
• Machinery or equipment used for pollution control
• Solar energy systems machinery for heating/cooling/drying
• Computer hardware and software (for purchases totaling over $15
million per year). -- Applies to purchase or lease expenses
• Cleanroom equipment
19 lowest
th
Georgia’s property tax ranking among all states
• Primary material handling equipment
• Materials used for packaging tangible personal property for shipment
or resale
Source: The Tax Foundation 2015, Property Tax Per Capita
Doing business in Georgia is easy and profitable.
Corporate Net Worth Tax from $10 to $5,000
Average Statutory Benefit Provisions Workers’ Comp
The annual tax based on net worth (capital stock plus retained earnings)
is called a license or occupation tax in Georgia. Most states refer to
the tax on net worth either as a franchise or a privilege tax. Domestic
operations are taxed on 100 percent of net worth. Foreign (out-ofstate) corporations are taxed only on net worth apportioned to Georgia,
determined by the formula below:
The total cost of workers’ compensation wage replacement benefits are
the product of two components – frequency of claims and the average
cost of claims. Georgia has the 10th lowest cost in the country based on
these factors.
Net Worth in Georgia
Net Worth
in Georgia
Annual Tax
$22,000,000 +
$5,000
$12,000,000
$2,000
$4,000,000
$1,000
$100,000
$100
< $10,000
$10
=
Total Net
Worth
x
Property & Sales
in Georgia
Total Property &
Sales
Highly Competitive Worker’s Comp Rates
Georgia law requires that employers with three or more full or part- time
employees carry workers’ compensation insurance.
Workers’ compensation coverage may be obtained through an
independent Georgia-licensed insurance company, through membership
in a group self-insurance fund licensed in Georgia or through programs
offered by licensed life and health insurers. Some companies may also be
eligible to self-insure.
For additional information on Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation, visit
http://sbwc.georgia.gov/.
For additional information on Georgia’s Workers Compensation rates
by industry type, visit http://www.oci.ga.gov/ConsumerService/
WorkersCompensationConsumers.aspx.
19th lowest
Georgia’s ranking in cost of worker’s
compensation insurance
10th lowest
Georgia’s ranking in worker’s compensation
average statutory benefit provisions
Sources: Department of Consumer and Business Services,
October 2014; Actuarial & Technical Services Inc., 2009
Worker’s Comp Average Statutory
Benefit Provisions 10 Lowest Cost States
Because of the many choices employers have when selecting an insurer
and level of coverage, workers’ compensation rates in Georgia vary and
are highly competitive. Independent insurers offer rates based on job
classifications, industry, location and level of benefit coverage.
Source: Actuarial & Technical Solutions, Inc., 2009
Georgia is a top state for business.
Graduated Personal Income Tax (1 - 6%)
Payroll or Employment
Individual personal income tax rates are graduated from 1 percent (net
income not over $750) to 6 percent (net income over $7,000).
Payroll taxes are levied at the federal and state levels.
Income calculations and deductions generally follow federal regulations.
If a company has employees, it is responsible for several taxes that must
be withheld from an employee’s paycheck. Taxes include:
• Federal income tax withholding
• State income tax withholding
13 lowest
th
Georgia’s corporate income tax ranking among all states
Source: The Tax Foundation’s 2015 State Business Tax Climate Index
• Social Security and Medicare taxes
For more information on employment or payroll taxes at the federal level,
visit http://www.irs.gov/businesses/.
For more information on employment or payroll taxes at the state level,
visit https://etax.dor.ga.gov/Withholding_Tax_forms.aspx.
Unemployment Insurance
Georgia is a Top State for Business
The National Social Security Act requires each state to administer an
unemployment insurance program.
Georgia’s competitive tax structure and pro-business climate make it a
top destination for businesses.
Beginning in January 2007, the majority of Georgia’s employers
benefited from a $100 million unemployment insurance tax cut. The
average employer realized a 13 percent reduction in unemployment
insurance costs.
Currently, Georgia’s tax rate for employers newly operating in the state
is 2.93 percent of each employee’s first $9,500 of earnings.
After an employment record is established in Georgia (36 months), a
new rate based on employee separations is developed, currently at
2.55%. (Source: U.I. Data Summary Book, Georgia Department of Labor, Q12014)
CNBC
“America’s Top States
for Business”
SITE SELECTION
MAGAZINE
“2014 Top US Business
Climates”
1 GEORGIA
1 GEORGIA
1 GEORGIA
2 Texas
2 Texas
2 Louisiana
3 Utah
3 South Carolina
3 North Carolina
4 Nebraska
4 Alabama
4 Texas
5 North Carolina
5 Tennessee
5 Ohio
6 Minnesota
6 Louisiana
6 South Carolina
7 Washington
7 Indiana
7 Tennessee
8 Colorado
8 North Carolina
8 Kentucky
9 Virginia
9 Ohio
9 Alabama
10 North Dakota
Source: CNBC, 6.24.2014
AREA DEVELOPMENT
“Top States for Doing
Business 2014”
10 Mississippi
Source: Area Development,
9.10.2014
10 Virginia
Source: Site Selection
Magazine, 11.2014
Georgia offers competitive financial resources.
Businesses coming to Georgia have access to a variety of financial resources, from top domestic and international banks to an extensive network of state,
regional and local development authorities and the availability of government backed grants and loans. For more detailed information, please
visit: http://www.dca.state.ga.us/economic/TaxCredits/programs/financingPacket.asp
Summary of Financing Options in Georgia
Program
Administered Through
Type of Program
Limit
Tax Exempt Industrial Development Bonds
Local development authorities/counties
Bond
Typically $10 million per project
Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds
Local development authorities/counties
Bond
No set limit
Employment Incentive Program
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Grant or loan
$500,000 per project
Redevelopment Fund
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Loan
Georgia Appalachian Region Business Revolving Loan Program
Appalachian Regional Commission
Loan
Local Revolving Loan Funds
Communities and Georgia Department of
Community Affairs
Loan
Varies
Economic Development Administration Revolving
Loan Programs
State’s Regional Development Centers and
U.S. Department of Commerce
Loan
$300,000
Sources: Georgia Power Community and Economic Development, 2014
Communications & Utilities
GEORGIA HAS ABUNDANT, RELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITY SERVICES.
Telecommunications
Georgia’s telecommunications services are deregulated and highly
competitive.
Georgia is regional headquarters for AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and
a host of other FORTUNE 500 telecom companies. Sixteen of the nation’s
21 largest telecommunications companies have a presence in Georgia.
Atlanta is the major interconnection point on the Eastern seaboard
between New York and Miami, and on to South America. Metro Atlanta
ranks in the top five U.S. markets for total bandwidth and fiber access.
Two of the country’s largest fiber routes – North/South and East/West –
cross in metro Atlanta.
The Southeast’s largest concentration of telecommunications companies
sits in the heart of downtown Atlanta.
Georgia’s world-class, reliable utility
infrastructure enables businesses to thrive.
Georgia is home to:
AT&T invested more than $4.95 billion in its best-in-class wireless
and wired networks in Georgia between 2011 and 2013. As part of its
Project Velocity IP, AT&T made 1,508 network upgrades in Georgia in
2013, including new cell sites, addition of wireless and wired capacity,
and new broadband network connections.
AT&T also expanded its U-verse Internet and video services to more
than 39,000 new customer locations and provided powerful fiber-optic
connections to 16,161 business locations at 641 multi-tenant business
buildings and business parks.
Source: “AT&T Invests Nearly $5 Billion over Three-Year Period to Enhance Local Networks
in Georgia,” AT&T Press Release, 3.7.2014
AT&T Foundry Opens in Atlanta
The AT&T Foundry innovation centers are fast-paced and collaborative
environments where AT&T and technology providers team with
developers to deliver the latest applications and services into the hands
of customers more quickly than ever before.
Atlanta’s AT&T Foundry, which opened in 2013 in Georgia Tech’s
Technology Square, is one of four facilities in the nation.
Source: att.com, 2014
• international telecommunications hubs and
state-of-the-art broadband and fiber networks,
• abundant and reliable electricity generation and
• a highly competitive natural gas market.
Google Fiber Selects Atlanta
Google announced in January 2015 that Atlanta and eight other cities in
the metro area, including Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, and College Park,
will be receiving Google’s ultra high-speed broadband service. Google
will deliver “gigabit” internet service which is 100 times faster than
basic broadband.
Fiber Optics Network
Virtually every major international and North American fiber provider
possesses a core interconnection point in Atlanta.
AT&T alone accounts for more than 965,000 miles of fiber optics
throughout the state.
Atlanta is home to more than 20 fiber networks from multiple carriers.
Atlanta is one of 5 metro areas in the nation that will receive Google
Fiber in this first round of expansion.
Source: fiber.google.com, 2015
1 Communications & Utilities
Abundant and reliable communications and utility services.
Rich Market Environment for Telecom Companies
Metro Atlanta is one of the most concentrated areas of telecommunications and broadband activity in the world.
Major metropolitan and long-haul providers find that a presence in Georgia is imperative to their success. Companies
doing business in Georgia include:
AmeriMex Communications Corp.
Host.net
Telepacific Communications
AT&T
Hurricane Electric Internet Services
TeliaSonera
Broadvox LLC
Level 3 Communications LLC
Telx (Form. Atlanta Internet Exchange)
BT Global Services
Masergy
Transtelco
CenturyLink Inc.
MegaPath
Verizon Business
Charter Business
Net2Atlanta.com LLC
Windstream Communications
Cogent Communications Group Inc.
NTT America Inc.
XO Communications
Cox Business
PointOne.com
Zayo Group LLC
EarthLink Carrier
Reliance Globalcom
Verizon Business
FiberLight LLC
SAGO Networks
Windstream Communications (KDL)
Orange
Southern Telecom Inc.*
XO Communications
Georgia Public Web Inc.
Sprint
Zayo Fiber Solutions LLC
GTT
T-CUBED
(Norkfork Southern Corp. subsidiary)
Zayo Group LLC
Hibernia Atlantic
Source: Company websites and research by Georgia Power Community & Economic Development
*Southern Telecom Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southern Company, provides metro dark fiber that can deliver last-mile service to ensure fast connections between you and your customers in the
Southeast. (www.southern-telecom.com)
Georgia is home to many of the world’s top telecom companies.
Telecommunications Company*
Type of Operation
Type of Location
Alcatel-Lucent
Wireless and other communications services
Branch
AT&T (11)
Telephone service
Regional Headquarters
AT&T Mobility
Wireless phone service
Headquarters
Cbeyond
Voice and broadband Internet service provider
Headquarters
Charter Communications (459)
Television, broadband and telephone services
Comcast (44)
Cable, telecommunications, broadband
DISH Network (204)
Cable, telecommunications, broadband
EarthLink
Internet service, web hosting
Headquarters
InComm (U.S. South)
Inter-exchange long distance carrier
Headquarters
Level 3 Communications (413)
Telecom and broadband services
Branch
MetroPCS
SouthernLINC
Headquarters
Sprint
Telecom services, wireless services
TMobile
Verizon Wireless (16)
Source: Business Wise, 2014, FORTUNE 500, May 2014
* number indicates FORTUNE 500 ranking
Georgia’s electricity suppliers keep Georgia businesses running by
ensuring abundant, reliable and affordable energy.
Electricity Services
Electricity is supplied to the state by Georgia Power, MEAG and
Georgia Electric Membership Corporation. These electric providers
plan jointly for the total area which they serve.
The Georgia Territorial Electric Service Act provides for a statewide
interconnected transmission system. This agreement eliminated the
need for duplicate transmission delivery systems and created an
efficient, dependable system for supplying power to business and
residential customers all over the state.
Customers constructing new facilities with an initial connected load
of 900 kW or greater, in most cases, may choose which supplier in the
state will provide the needed electricity. This is a one-time decision by
the customer and cannot be changed later.
Georgia’s electricity prices for large customers compare very favorably
with rates in other states.
Average Cost of Electricity to Industrial Customers, 2014
• Georgia Power is the state’s largest utility with a net plant investment
of $19.2 billion at the end of 2013.
12.1
Massachusettes
California
10.71
New Jersey
10.69
Florida
7.86
South Carolina
6.27
Alabama
6.08
Georgia
6.02
0
1
Georgia Power
• The company serves 2.4 million customers, including more than
316,000 businesses.
• Company service is available in 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties.
• Georgia Power’s generating capacity totals 16,587 megawatts.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11 12 13
Cents per kWh
Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Average Industrial Retail Price of
Electricity, August 2014
Georgia Power currently has reliable generation with adequate reserve
margins to meet the demands of its customers. A diverse mix of fuel
sources allows the company to maintain operating flexibility and,
therefore, keep rates stable while ensuring high reliability.
Georgia Power is committed to identifying and acquiring cost efficient
energy alternatives. By 2016, the company’s renewable energy portfolio
will reach 2,280 MW and will include increased hydro, wind, solar and
biomass sources. Georgia Power is a subsidiary of Southern Company,
one of the largest investor-owned utility groups in the nation. Southern
Company is also the parent company of Alabama Power, Gulf Power,
Mississippi Power, and other service and special purpose subsidiaries.
Source: Georgia Power Facts & Figures, 2014
Large electricity users have a choice of electricity provider.
Customers constructing new facilities with an
initial connected load of 900 kW or greater
may select their electricity supplier.
Other Electricity Providers in Georgia...
Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG)
• MEAG includes 49 city-owned electric systems.
• MEAG is an electricity wholesaler, supplying its individual member
systems which are then responsible for retail customer service.
Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (GEMC)
• GEMC serves 41 electric membership cooperatives across Georgia.
• GEMC acts as the cooperatives’ agent in power plant purchases and
in obtaining their additional electricity needs from Georgia Power or
other suppliers.
• GEMC is a wholesaler of electricity, supplying its individual member
systems which are then responsible for retail customer service.
Natural Gas
• Georgia is served by four interstate natural gas pipelines which
make gas available to a large portion of the state. In November
1998, Georgia began deregulating natural gas services in parts of
the state. Customers now have options when it comes to choosing a
natural gas supplier.
Water
• Georgia has approximately 20,000 miles of streams, 417,730 acres of
public lakes and reservoirs, 594 miles of estuaries and 100 miles of
coastline.
• North Georgia’s water supply comes primarily from the many rivers
in the region. Large aquifers provide an abundant water supply for
middle and south Georgia.
• Georgia’s water needs are served by municipal-owned water
treatment plants throughout the state.
• Regulations that govern the licensing and operation of the plants
are derived from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and
its Georgia counterpart, the Environmental Protection Division of the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
• Georgia continues to work closely with Alabama, Florida and
Tennessee to ensure adequate water supply for businesses and
residents in each state. Additionally, Georgia’s regional water
planning councils have prepared recommended water development
and conservation plans that promote sustainable use of the state’s
water resources. Georgia’s 10 regional water planning councils are
currently working on plans for their regions.
• Georgia is blessed with an abundance of lakes, rivers and coastline.
Lake Burton (right) is one of the many reservoirs across the state.
Almost all lakes in Georgia are reservoirs. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency inventory of dams identifies 4,435 dams higher
than six feet in Georgia, the greatest density in the Southeast.
Source: University of Georgia River Basin Science and Policy Center, Reservoirs in Georgia:
Meeting Water Supply Needs While Minimizing Impacts
• Natural gas distribution is handled by Atlanta Gas Light Company,
Atmos Energy and 84 municipal gas companies throughout the state.
Quality of Life
GEORGIA OFFERS A HIGH-QUALITY STANDARD OF LIVING
When it comes to quality of life, Georgia has it all:
Cost of Living
• Low cost of living and housing
Georgia cities are among the lowest cost of living in the nation.
• Moderate climate
• Cutting-edge healthcare
• Wide array of cultural events and professional sports
Climate
Georgia’s moderate climate offers year-round activities and contributes
to an active lifestyle, making Georgia one of the most desirable places
to relocate.
Georgia’s Mild Climate – Average Temps.
Winter: 40.5°F Spring: 79.1°F Summer: 79.1°F Fall: 64.1°F
Source: Georgia Department of Economic Development
Home Prices
Among the most populous states, Georgia’s median home price is also
one of the lowest. Home prices are expected to remain low in the next
five years (Source: Wells Fargo NAHB Housing Opportunity Index).
Median Home Price
$500,000
Cost of Living in Georgia’s Cities
Below U.S. Average
New York, NY
222.6
San Francisco, CA
167.5
San Diego, CA
135.4
Seattle, WA
126.9
Portland, OR
125.1
Philadelphia, PA
119.5
Chicago, IL
116.7
Baltimore, MD
109.5
Denver, CO
107.5
Orlando, FL
100.0
Atlanta, GA
99.6
Phoenix, AZ
96.2
Valdosta, GA
95.3
Albany, GA
92.5
Savannah, GA
91.5
Dalton, GA
90.4
Augusta, GA
87.2
U.S. Average = 100
Source: C2ER Cost of Living Index, 2014 Annual (The
C2ER Cost of Living Index takes into consideration
grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, health
care, and miscellaneous goods and services).
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
Lo
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Source: Wells Fargo NAHB Housing Opportunity Index, 1Q2014
1 Quality of Life
GEORGIA POWER COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – YOUR PARTNER IN BUSINESS © GEORGIA POWER, SEPTEMBER 2015 SEPTEMBER 2015
Georgia’s healthcare facilities are among the best in the nation.
Cutting-Edge Healthcare
Atlanta is home to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), Emory University Hospital, the Shepherd Center and Children’s
Healthcare of Atlanta, some of the most advanced care facilities in the
Southeast. Other top Georgia facilities include:
• Joseph M. Still Burn Center, in Augusta, is nationally recognized as a
leader in burn research and treatment.
Georgia is increasing the supply of physicians to handle the state’s health
care needs. Georgia’s medical schools experienced a 60 percent increase
in enrollment from 2001 to 2012. Enrollment will increase an additional
35 percent by 2020. Many of these graduates also practice in Georgia.
The average retention rate from Georgia’s medical schools is 46.3
percent, well above the national retention rate of 38.6 percent. (Fact Sheet
on Georgia’s Medical Schools, Georgia Board of Physician Workforce, January 2012)
• Emory University won the designation as a National Cancer Institute in
2009, which opens opportunity for millions of dollars in research.
• Hughston Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, in Columbus, attracts
athletes with injuries from all over the U.S., with its focus on superior
orthopedic and rehabilitation care. Additionally, the center recently
received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for its inpatient
stroke rehabilitation program.
• Augusta’s Georgia Regents University Medical College of Georgia,
one of the nation’s first medical schools, is a national leader in
cancer, cardiovascular and diabetes research. New breakthroughs
and discoveries are coming out of the school daily, supported by
unprecedented research funding.
• Rome’s Floyd Medical Center is an award-winning healthcare system.
This facility is No. 1 among Georgia facilities in surgical infection
prevention with centers of excellence in stroke, bariatric surgery and
hip and knee replacement.
• St. Joseph’s Hospital, Atlanta’s oldest hospital, is one of only two adult
heart transplant centers in Georgia and the first in the Southeast to
perform an open-heart surgery, develop a cardiac catheterization lab
and provide angioplasty as an alternative to bypass surgery.
• Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital has one of the top trauma and burn
centers in the nation.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
nationally ranked in 10 specialties including:
#4 Cardiology
#11 Cancer, Nephrology
#12 Orthopedics
#14 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
Emory University Hospital
nationally ranked in 10 specialties, High-performing
in 3 specialties, national rankings include:
#15 Neurology & Neurosurgery
#16 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
Highly-Performing Hospitals in Georgia:
Hospital
Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta
Number of Nationally
Ranked Specialities
11
Emory University Hospital, Atlanta
10
St. Joseph’s Candler, Savannah
8
Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens
6
Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta
5
Kennestone Hospital, Marietta
3
Northside Hospital, Atlanta
3
Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville
2
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Atlanta
2
WellStar Cobb Hospital, Austell
2
Floyd Medical Center, Rome
1
MCG Health, Augusta
1
Doctors Hospital, Augusta
1
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany
1
WellStar Douglas Hospital, Douglasville
1
Medical Center of Central Georgia
nationally ranked in 1 specialty, High-performing in 10 specialties,
national rankings include:
#45 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
Shepherd Center
nationally ranked in 1 specialty:
Source: U.S. News and World Report, 2014 - 2015 Hospital Rankings
2 Quality of Life
#9 Rehabilitation
Georgia has excellent K-12 education opportunities.
Access to Good Schools
Georgia’s continuing commitment to education is leading to
excellent results.
About Georgia’s Schools:
Georgia Schools Earn National Blue
Ribbon Status in 2014
School
School System
Big A Elementary School
Stephens County
• In 2014, enrollment at Georgia’s public schools reached more than 1.72
million at 2,264 schools in 197 school systems throughout the state.
Blessed Trinity Catholic High School
Archdiocese of Atlanta
Centralhatchee Elementary School
Heard County
• There are 1,015 private schools throughout the state. (Georgia Department
Elite Scholars Academy Charter School
Clayton County
Lake Oconee Academy
Greene County
Medlock Bridge Elementary School
Fulton County
Pinecrest Academy Inc
Archdiocese of Atlanta
Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic School
Cobb County
Savannah Christian Preparatory School Middle School
Chatham County
South Forsyth Middle School
Forsyth County
Stallings Island Middle School
Columbia County
Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers
DeKalb County
of Education, listing of private schools)
• Georgia is home to 116 charter schools and 80 magnet schools
specializing in international studies, math, science, fine arts, and a
variety of other disciplines. (Georgia Department of Education, listing of approved
charter schools)
• Georgia’s graduation rate continues to improve, increasing by almost
14% points over a five-year period, from 58.6 percent in 2009 to 72.5
percent in 2013. (Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, Report Card)
• 53 percent of Georgia’s Advanced Placement (AP) test takers scored a 3
or higher on their exams. (Source: Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, Class
of 2013).
• Established in 1993, Georgia’s state-funded Pre-Kindergarten Program
for four-year-old children provides learning experiences to prepare for
kindergarten. In 2013, more than 84,000 students were enrolled in
the program.
Note: The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high
schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student
achievement to high levels.
Sources: National Blue Ribbon Schools website, October 2014
• The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is offered in 77 schools
across Georgia. Administered by the International Baccalaureate
Organization, the program provides a globally-recognized curriculum
that prepares students for future studies anywhere in the world. For
additional information, visit ibo.org
Public K-12 Schools in Georgia
2,264
schools
1.86
million students
111.1
thousand teachers
15:1
student/teacher ratio
89,499
graduates in 2014
3 Quality of Life
Georgia offers opportunities for recreation.
Wide Array of Cultural Events and Professional
Sports Teams
World-class performing and visual arts are showcased in Atlanta, as
well as in other Georgia cities. Small communities offer local galleries,
playhouses, dinner theaters and historic dramas. Outdoor amphitheaters
feature varied programs of popular music, alternative rock, authentic
jazz, hip-hop and R&B, while performing arts festivals promote the old
fashioned “country” sound.
The mainstay of Atlanta’s arts is the Woodruff Arts Center, including
High Museum of Art, Atlanta Symphony, Alliance Theater, and
Imagine it! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
Traveling Broadway shows, as well as big name entertainers, perform at
Atlanta’s fabulous Fox Theater. The newly-opened Verizon Wireless
Amphitheater, located north of Atlanta, hosts spectacular concerts.
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, located in Northwest
Atlanta, hosts opera, concerts, Broadway shows as well as corporate
meetings and events, contributing to Atlanta’s repertoire of arts and
entertainment. The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Gwinnett County
hosts concerts by internationally-known entertainers, ice skating shows
and a variety of other events.
Atlanta’s Philips Arena, the Georgia Dome, Turner Field (Atlanta
Braves) and Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood (formerly Lakewood
Amphitheater) are also among Georgia’s world-class concert and
sporting venues.
The arts are an important part of most Georgia communities. Madison
has restored an old school as a cultural arts center, while Augusta
transformed a church into the magnificent Sacred Heart Cultural
Center. Douglas residents support the Coffee Theater Company, which
uses a historic downtown building and includes a dinner theater, and
Hiawassee stages The Reach of Song, Georgia’s official historic drama,
during the summer months.
Multicultural Events
Georgia also offers various multicultural annual events including:
• Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
• Atlanta Greek Festival
• Indian Festival and Pow-Wow
• Peachtree Latino Festival
• Pan African Festival of Georgia
• St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival
Visit www.GlobalAtlantaWorks.com for more information on the various
multicultural communities in Georgia.
Major Sporting Events in Recent Years
• 1996 Centennial Olympic Games
• 2000 Super Bowl XXXIV
• 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
• 2004 U.S. Figure Skating
• 2005 Sugar Bowl
• 2011 PGA TOUR Championship
• Southeastern Conference Basketball Tournament (annual event)
• Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta (annual event)
• PGA Championship at Johns Creek
• Chick-fil-A Bowl (annual, one of six newly-designated college football
“playoff” games)
• NASCAR Labor Day Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (annual event)
• Petit Lemans Road Atlanta (annual event)
Georgia offers the sports enthusiast many opportunities to watch college
and professional sporting events. Both the University of Georgia and
Georgia Tech field teams in many NCAA Division I sports. There are four
major league teams in Georgia: the Atlanta Braves in baseball, the
Atlanta Falcons in football, the Atlanta Hawks in basketball, and the
Atlanta Silverbacks in soccer. Other professional teams include the
Atlanta Dream (WNBA), the Gwinnett Braves (affiliate of the Atlanta
Braves), the Gwinnett Gladiators (affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres and
Phoenix Coyotes) and the Georgia Force (arena football).
4 Quality of Life
As a Georgia Power Customer
MEETING CUSTOMER NEEDS AT COMPETITIVE PRICES
Georgia Power Rates Low Compared to Competitors
Georgia Power is the state’s largest investor owned utility with a net
plant investment of more than $19 billion. The company’s commitment
to its 2.4 million customers and the economic vitality of the state is
clear as capital improvement projects guarantee abundant, reliable
energy supply for years to come.
12
Georgia Power customers enjoy consistent electrical service at some
of the lowest rates in the country. To help our customers remain
competitive in an increasingly global market place, Georgia Power
offers a number of rate structures to meet customers’ diverse needs.
One popular option is the Real-Time Pricing Program. Real Time
Pricing enables larger users to buy electricity real-time on the open
market at reduced rates. See page 4 for details on Real Time Pricing.
Georgia Power industrial customers paid an average of 5.72 cents per
kilowatt hour (kWh) in 2012 compared to the national average of 6.67
cents per kWh.
4
2.4 million
Residential, commercial and industrial
customers statewide
17,586 megawatts
Total generating capacity
5.72 cents per kWh
Average rate for industrial customers
73,130 miles
8.87
8.75
8.25
8
6.9
5.02
2
(TN
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gy
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rid
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C)
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(PA
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&
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Pa
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&
Ele
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ic
ht
(C
(FL
A)
)
0
Source: Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price 2012, Energy Information Administration
(EIA) (data released in 2013).
Georgia Power Industrial Rates are Below U.S. Rates
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
5
199
7
199
9
199
1
200
U.S.
3
200
5
200
7
200
9
200
1
201
Georgia Power
Source: Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price 2012, Energy Information Administration
(EIA) (data released in 2013).
Total distribution lines statewide
1 As a Georgia Power Customer
6.01
6
Cents per kWh (Industrial Sector)
Georgia Power Overview
10.49
10
er
Keeping Electricity Costs Low
Georgia Power offers green energy alternatives.
Offering Energy Alternatives for the 21st Century
Georgia Power’s Green Energy program allows residential and business
customers to purchase electricity produced in an environmentally-friendly
manner. Currently using landfill gas-to-energy generation and solar
facilities as the primary supply of Green Energy, the company offers
residential customers 100 kWh blocks for a 12-month period. Each block
represents roughly 10 percent of a the average monthly residential bill.
Georgia Power’s Green Energy Options
Program
Source
Cost
Standard
100% biomass
$3.50 per 100 kWh block
Premium
50% solar, 50% biomass
$5.00 per 100 kWh block
Large Volume
customer terms for purchase of 90,000 kWh per month
Special Event
one time purchase for convention, sporting event, etc.
Business customers may also buy blocks of Green Energy at $3.50 each
(plus tax). The minimum number of blocks purchased is based on the
amount of energy the customer has historically used. Today, commercial
and industrial customers may purchase large blocks of green energy at
a reduced cost after meeting an initial minimum purchase of 400 blocks
per month.
Source
MWs
Hydro
1,088
Wind
250
Solar
800
Biomass
Total
142
2,280
Georgia Power is committed to
identifying and acquiring cost
efficient energy alternatives. By
2016, the company’s renewable
energy portfolio will reach 2,280 MW
and will include increased hydro,
wind, solar, and biomass sources.
Source: Georgia Power Get the Facts, 2014
TOTO USA Expands its Green Energy Program
Georgia Power Green Facts
4,000
Number of customers purchasing green power
52 million
killowats of green energy sold in 2012
1,500 megawatts
Green energy portfolio by 2016
TOTO’s Morrow plant in Clayton County, Georgia recently increased its
Green Energy usage from 20 - 60 percent. In 2011, TOTO raised its Green
Energy profile by increasing its kilowatt-hours purchased to more than
2.2 million. This year, TOTO increased its kilowatt-hours purchased to
5.8 million.
“I want our company to be the largest user of Green Energy because
it is the right thing to do, and it fits what we strive to do every
day, which is to be a good, sustainable company. I think everyone
wants to do business with companies that are striving to be
environmentally friendly. That’s what makes Georgia Power’s Green
Energy program so great. It gives everyone an opportunity to make
a difference for the environment.”
Bill Strang, President of Operations, TOTO USA
Source: Georgia Power’s GREEN NEWS, Fall 2013
We provide state-of-the-art transmission and distribution.
Improving the Customer Experience:
Starting in 2013, all Georgia Power customers
became equipped with smart meters. The
meters improve customer service, enabling
quick response to customer inquiries and
increased accuracy in billing.
Meeting Future Demand
Through a net plant investment of $19 billion with more than 17,590
megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, Georgia Power currently has
reliable generation with adequate reserve margins to meet the demands
of its customers. A diverse mix of fuel sources allows the company to
maintain operating flexibility and, therefore, keep rates stable while
ensuring high reliability.
Ensuring Reliability
To ensure uninterrupted electricity supply, Georgia Power continuously
reevaluates the demands of the region. Georgia Power’s planned
generating reserve is 15 percent with a short-term planned generating
reserve of 13.5 percent over the company’s maximum peak load. These
reserves mean that Georgia Power’s 2.4 million customers can count on
steady, reliable power, even in extremely high-use periods.
Serving Mission-critical Electricity Needs
Georgia Power has the capability to provide several levels of redundancy,
including redundant capacity, multiple/redundant electrical feeds and
transformers. Enhanced power reliability services include network
underground in the downtown area of Atlanta as well as hi-reli dual feed
and concrete-encased circuits in several suburban Atlanta submarkets.
The company also provides technical expertise to assist with electrical
system design and coordination with utility systems.
Georgia Power recently completed the fuel conversion of Plant
McDonough-Atkinson in Cobb County from coal to natural gas. The fuel
conversion allowed Plant McDonough-Atkinson to reduce its emissions
of sulfur dioxide by 99 percent, nitrogen oxides by 95 percent and
mercury by 100 percent. The new units are capable of producing in
excess of 2,500 megawatts, enough energy to power approximately
625,000 homes.
Furthermore, Georgia Power works diligently to ensure that reliable,
affordable electricity is readily available in the future. The company
has contracted for 1,795 MW of capacity to meet current needs and is
seeking contracts for an additional 700 to 2,500 MW.
To ensure ample electricity supply to all Georgians, Georgia Power
continually upgrades and expands its infrastructure In 2011, the
company added 356 miles of overhead and underground distribution
lines and 19.15 miles of transmission lines. Two new nuclear generating
units at Plant Vogtle are scheduled to go on-line in 2016 and 2017. Plant
Vogtle’s expansion represents a major investment in Georgia’s electricity
supply and will be one of the first completed nuclear projects in the
nation in the past 30 years.
Georgia Power has one of the industry’s
best records for reliability and power quality.
Since 2004, Georgia Power ranks among
the top five electric utilities.
Customers and community are at the center of our business.
Meeting Customer Needs
Georgia Power’s Real-Time Pricing Program
New customers with a need of 900 kW connected load or greater have a
choice of electric suppliers. Georgia Power also understands that clean,
reliable power is more critical than ever before. Our staff of power
quality engineers can provide:
Georgia Power’s Real-Time pricing program offers a variety of
alternatives for commercial and industrial customers.
• Preconstruction engineering expertise
• Total turnkey uninterruptible power supply (UPS) solutions (including
battery and flywheel technology)
• Operation and maintenance of UPS systems
• Power quality forensic engineering
• Total turnkey surge suppression solution
Being Good Stewards of our Environment
• Real-Time Pricing, Day Ahead: Hourly prices are determined each
day based on projections of the hourly running cost on incremental
generation, provisions for losses, projections of hourly transmission
costs and reliability capacity costs for each day.
• Real-Time Pricing, Hour Ahead: Customers are notified each day
of forecasted electricity prices for each hour of the following day,
then prices are updated each hour, sixty minutes before becoming
effective. Prices are based on projections of the hourly running cost
of incremental generation, provisions for losses, projections of hourly
transmission costs and reliability capacity cost for each day.
Customers choosing real-time alternatives are typically large electricity
users who have flexibility to tailor production or work schedules based on
the most beneficial electricity pricing.
Georgia Power supports an array of environmental projects to make our
air and water cleaner and our land more beautiful.
Generating Clean Energy: Georgia Power is spending $7 billion
on environmental controls at coal-fired generating facilities. By 2015,
investments will have decreased emissions of sulfur dioxide by 93
percent, nitrogen oxides by 85 percent and mercury by 75 percent from
1990 levels.
Energy Efficiency: Georgia Power is committed to energy efficiency.
Through customer energy use audits and other programs designed to
promote demand-side initiatives, Georgia Power gives customers the
knowledge and tools they need to conserve energy.
In total Georgia Power expects to invest $600 million over the next 10
years on these energy-saving programs.

Georgia Overview 2015

Transcription

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