`The units in Iraq give perimeter security and force protection.`

Georgia Department of Technical andd Adult Education
WINTER 2004 • VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1
O
ut of the cotton fields of South Georgia has come one of the most
sophisticated, state-of-the-art security products on the market today.
Produced by New Heights Manufacturing in Ellaville, Sky Watch is a
crime deterrent and surveillance tool that has proved to be a success with
law enforcement and military agencies. Sky Watch units currently line U.S.
borders, tower above major cities and are protecting U.S. troops in Iraq.
And when a law officer or soldier needs to quickly operate Sky Watch,
they refer to a set of clear, concise operational instructions designed by Quick Start.
Sky Watch is a mobile, hydraulic lift that can rise from ground level to a height of more
than 24 feet in seconds.
‘The units in Iraq give Its rugged construction
allows it to be driven to
perimeter security
any location over rough
and force protection.’ terrain and, when raised to
its maximum height, allows
– Adam Strange,
New Heights president and CEO up to a seven-mile view
spanning 360 degrees.
Adam Strange points out the placement of
Bulletproof glass, infrared
instructional aids developed by Quick Start
cameras,
high-powered spotand used by Sky Watch operators.
lights and M-16-ready gunports
combine to make Sky Watch both an effective law-enforcement tool and crime deterrent. Sky Watch
customers have demonstrated that its mere presence has the effect of driving crime out of an area.
The unit’s effectiveness in surveillance has been so widely recognized that National Geographic
magazine featured Sky Watch in a full two-page photograph in its November 2003 issue.
President and CEO Adam Strange credits the
ingenious invention to his father Burt, who serves as
chairman of the privately held company’s board of
directors. Huntmaster, the hunting blind predecessor
to Sky Watch, began selling in 1992 and quickly
caught on with sportsmen. But it was the development of Sky Watch for the security industry that
propelled the company into the world market.
Not long after the launch of Huntmaster, says
Continued on page 10
QUICK START IS GEORGIA’S PREMIER SOURCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
Quick Notes
Jackie Rohosky
O
ne of the most satisfying parts of our job here at Quick Start is when we see one
of our business partners flourish and prosper. A great example of that is Ricoh
Electronics in Lawrenceville.
Ricoh was founded in California in 1973 and has since grown into a $14 billion
global corporation and leading supplier of advanced office automation equipment. In
1990, Ricoh opened its current facility in Lawrenceville where the company makes
toner for photocopiers, cartridges and thermal label stock. Since breaking ground in
Georgia, the facility has expanded three times, and Quick Start has been there from the
beginning to help provide workforce training for Ricoh’s employees.
To celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary recently —
and to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication
of their nearly 400 employees — Ricoh threw a party with
employees and dignitaries sharing barbecue, playing softball,
and testing their rock climbing and bull riding skills. During
the celebration, Frantz Pierre, Ricoh’s Technical Division
manager, praised Quick Start for contributing to the company’s ongoing success. “We are very appreciative of Quick
Start and all the work they have done with us,” said Pierre.
“Quick Start was instrumental in helping us with our initial
training and through all our expansions.”
Quick Start is also very appreciative of Ricoh and its commitment to
its manufacturing facility in Georgia. And we were very glad to join in
with the celebration to say, Happy Anniversary, Ricoh. May there be
many more in the future.
Quick Start
is very appreciative of
Ricoh and its
commitment
to its manufacturing
facility in
Georgia ...
Jackie Rohosky
Assistant Commissioner
Economic Development Programs
[email protected]
Top: Gathered at the anniversary party are,
from left, Sean Nakanishi, Ricoh Electronics
president; H. Takenaka, Ricoh Office Machine
Group executive VP/group manager; Jackie
Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner; Frantz
Pierre, Ricoh Technical Division manager; Jeff
Lynn, Quick Start director of Northern operations; and Jim Mathis, Quick Start training
coordinator. Center: Frantz Pierre tests his
bull riding skills, while others tried rock
climbing, softball and horseshoes. Bottom:
Ricoh employees paddled the lake in colorful
kayaks on Ricoh’s beautiful campus.
Table of Contents
8
3
8
Events Around the State
9
Partner’s Perspective:
Positioning a City for Success
By Jane Fryer
Home in LaGrange:
American Home Shield
11
11
Keeping Jobs in Doraville:
General Motors
12
16
2003 Year in Review
Quick Start Project
Announcements
Winter 2004 • Volume 6, Number 1 • Published quarterly by Georgia Quick Start • www.georgiaquickstart.org
Quick Start is a registered service mark of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education – Kenneth H. Breeden, Commissioner.
Address comments and questions to: Director of Communications • GA Quick Start • 1800 Century Place, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30345 • 404.679.2915
2
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
Events
Award-winning Homecoming
When the video Welcome to Riverside recently won the
Silver Telly Award – the highest honor in international video
competition – the celebration became a bit of a family affair.
Depicting the operations of the uniform
company Riverside Manufacturing, a major
employer in Moultrie, the video was written,
directed and edited by Ned Morgan, a sixyear video veteran at Quick Start, who grew
up in Moultrie, and whose father worked as a
vice president at Riverside for 20 years.
Quick Start’s award-winning media group had
already been recognized as a 1995 Telly Award finalist for their video Introduction to Riverside. In addition to
the 2003 Silver Telly, Quick Start’s latest video for Riverside also
won a gold Aurora Award.
Riverside’s President and CEO Jerry Vereen is very pleased with
the video. “Quick Start has done a tremendous amount for Riverside,”
he says. “We attribute the fact that we have successfully been able to
make our uniform products in Georgia to the help that Quick Start
has given us in making these recruiting and sales movies.”
Morgan credits the support and cooperation of the
company itself for making the video such a success.
“You can’t do it without help from the
company,” Morgan says.
Employment Boon to Waycross
The Simmons Company, the second largest bedding manufacturer in the country, recently broke ground in Waycross for a new
state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will bring more than
225 jobs to the area.
When fully operational, the new facility is expected to produce
more than 2,500 mattresses a day, according to Charlie Eitel,
Simmons Company chairman. Only three Simmons employees will
transfer to the Waycross plant. The remainder of the positions will
be filled with Georgians, who will be trained by Georgia Quick
Start and Okefenokee Technical College.
Attending the Simmons
Company groundbreaking
are, from left, Glen
Cornell, Georgia
Department of Industry,
Trade and Tourism commissioner; Mike Boggs,
state representative;
Charlie Eitel, Simmons
Company chairman; and
Ron Russell, Quick Start
training coordinator.
Quick Start’s award-winning video
Welcome to Riverside won another
prestigious award, the 2003 Silver Telly.
Pictured above with the awards are,
from left, producer Ned Morgan; Jerry
Vereen, Riverside Manufacturing president and CEO; and Dr. Kenneth Breeden,
DTAE commissioner.
Gov. Sonny Perdue and
a number of dignitaries
attended the groundbreaking ceremony of a
75,000-sq.-ft. Heckler &
Koch Inc. manufacturing
facility in Columbus that
will create 200 new jobs.
Taking Aim at Economic
Development in Columbus
Sterling, Va.-based Heckler & Koch Inc., the U.S.
affiliate of German gun maker Heckler & Koch GmbH,
broke ground in Columbus last fall for a 75,000-sq.-ft.
manufacturing facility that will create 200 new jobs. The
company will manufacture firearms for the U.S. military,
law enforcement and commercial markets at the new
facility, which is expected to be completed in late 2004.
Quick Start will provide the new employees training in
cold hammer forging of gun barrels, advanced polymer
molding and computerized machine tooling.
3
Events
Sweet Success in Savannah
Fuji Vegetable Oil will hire and train up to 20 new
employees at its expanded Savannah plant with the help
of Quick Start and Savannah Technical College.
The new jobs are part of a $42 million high-tech
expansion. Fuji’s Savannah Plant Manager Rick Baker was
enthusiastic about the three-way partnership. “We’re really looking forward
to working with Quick Start,” said Baker.
Fuji Vegetable Oil has been
operating its original Savannah
facility since 1991 manufacturing
oils used in a number of popular
foods, such as Maruchan Ramen
Noodle Soups. The expanded
plant will make a cocoa butter
alternative that will be used to
make popular treats like
From left, Tommy Riley, Fuji project
M&M candies and
engineer; Nick Baker, Fuji plant manager;
Snickers bars.
Marla Lowe, Quick Start executive
director of economic development programs; and Ron Russell, Quick Start
training coordinator.
Scientific Games’ Bill Behm, right, and Tony
Bartolone, left, demonstrate an Instant Ticket
Vending machine for Russell Vandiver, Lanier
Tech VP of economic development.
Good Bet for
Forsyth County
Scientific Games Corporation in
Alpharetta announced that they will partner with Quick Start and Lanier Technical
College to train 50 new employees.
Scientific Games is expanding its facilities
for assembling and distributing Extrema
300 terminals for wagering systems. The
Extrema 300 terminal and Scientific Games’
Instant Ticket Vending machines distribute
lottery tickets and are widely used by state
lottery systems, including the Georgia
Lottery. Quick Start will also train employees in key electronics assembly techniques
and procedures, as well as in safety.
Swimming in Opportunity in Willacoochee
Whether blackened, fried, grilled or sautéed, catfish is a venerable Southern staple that has
earned a permanent place on restaurant menus and in grocery stores nationwide. Until now
Georgia has remained out of the processing business on a large scale, but the opening of the new
Georgia Sweetwater Catfish processing plant in Willacoochee gives the state entrée to the market.
To help get the company off the ground, Quick Start and East Central Technical College will
train Georgia Sweetwater Catfish’s 70 new employees in policy and procedures.
“We’re a brand new company and there’s no road map for a lot of what we’re doing,” said
Sam Joyner, Georgia Sweetwater Catfish president. “That’s why we appreciated Quick Start,
because they have the staff and time and, in some instances, the expertise that we didn’t have.
They’ve brought us knowledge and experience, and they’ve encouraged us.”
At the grand opening ceremony are, from left, Lace Futch, Southeast Georgia Regional
Development Center executive director; Sam Joyner, Georgia Sweetwater Catfish president,
and his wife, Louise; and Frank Jackson, Coffee County Commission chairman.
4
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
Standing, from left, are Mike Patrick, Quick
Start training coordinator; John Robinson,
United Welding Services (UWS) plant manager;
Cade Jones, UWS operation manager; and
Jimmy Jiddens, UWS president. Seated, from
left, are Dr. Freida Hill, Southwest Georgia
Tech president; Richard Fountain, Quick Start
project operations manager; and Kenny Jones,
UWS owner.
Training in Thomasville
As part of a $2 million expansion, United Welding Services Inc.,
a well-known manufacturer of truck accessories, will create 50
new jobs in Thomasville. Quick Start will provide
training for the new employees and Southwest
Georgia Tech will help UWS with ongoing training.
Quick Start’s specific training will include instruction
in robotics, press brake operations, welding, CNC
operations and assembly work.
MBM Serves Up Jobs in Cordele
After inking a deal with
Captain D’s Seafood last
summer, MBM Corporation
hired 80 employees to staff
its new facility in Cordele,
and Quick Start and South
Georgia Technical College
provided customized preand post-hire training. The
company, headquartered
in Rocky Mount, N.C.,
From left, Sparky Reeves, South Georgia Tech VP of economic
has a nationwide network
development; Jim Piner, MBM Corporation regional HR
manager; Marla Lowe, Quick Start executive director of
of distribution centers,
economic development programs; Jan Odum, South Georgia
three of which are in
Tech director of economic programs; and Samuel Richardson,
Georgia — Cordele, Macon
MBM regional director of operations.
and LaGrange.
“It’s super to work with the most educated staff in the entire MBM
system,” said Samuel Richardson, MBM regional director of operations.
“Working with Quick Start has been a good experience. They did such a
thorough job. Logistically, Cordele is perfect for us. But the big benefit is
the community. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful, and working
with South Georgia Tech has been awesome.”
The company provides food and supplies to national restaurant chains,
including Chick-fil-A, Red Lobster and Olive Garden. The addition of
Captain D’s contract necessitated the Cordele warehouse. Within two
months, the facility was renovated, and the staff was hired and trained.
“It was the fastest turnaround on training we can do,” said Marla Lowe,
Quick Start executive director of economic development programs. “The
company’s new operation is a valuable addition to this community and
Quick Start is here to help get those jobs filled as fast as possible.”
Georgia’s Can-Do
Spirit Attracts Business
American Drill Bushing, maker of hoist
rings, tooling components and bushings, is
creating approximately 30 jobs at its new
operation in Valdosta and has partnered
with Quick Start and Valdosta Technical
College to train the new employees. The
company, which has been in operation since
1942, is relocating from Los Angeles to a
36,000-sq.-ft. facility in Valdosta’s
Perimeter Industrial Park.
Phil Stranahan, American Drill Bushing
vice president and general manager, said he
likes the can-do spirit here. “Since the initial
contact, everyone with Quick Start, Valdosta
Tech and the Valdosta community has been
nothing but friendly and helpful. Quick Start
has done a great job pulling the training all
together. It will serve us well for some time.”
The training, which began in the fall,
takes place in phases. The company will operate out of both California and Georgia during
a transition period, but will be 100 percent
Valdosta-based within two years. While some
California employees will be relocated, the
majority of the employees will be hired here.
American Drill Bushing is moving its operations from
Los Angeles to Valdosta. The company is partnering
with Quick Start and Valdosta Technical College to
train approximately 30 new employees from the
Valdosta area. Signing the training agreement are,
from left, Richard Fountain, Quick Start project
operations manager; Phil Stranahan, American Drill
Bushing vice president and general manager; and
James Bridges, Valdosta Tech president.
5
Events
Positioned
to Grow
Toccoa Metal Finishing, recently
named the largest metal finishing
company in the nation, is expanding
operations. Winner of the MAW
2001 Manufacturer of the Year
award (small company category),
Toccoa Metal Finishing is partnering
with Georgia Quick Start and North
Georgia Technical College on training
for the company’s 30 new employees.
“We’re committed to giving our
people training and getting bigger
and better with Quick Start’s help,”
said Dan Weaver, Toccoa Metal
Finishing CEO. “Quick Start is helping us to be more competitive not just
in the Southeast or in the U.S., but
with companies across the globe.”
“You may be the biggest company
in the country, but to us you’re the
best company in the world,” said Dr.
Ruth Nichols, North Georgia Tech
president. “Toccoa Metal Finishing
epitomizes what a partnership
between a business and a technical
college can be. We’re honored to be
working with you.”
Toccoa Metal Finishing, which has
expanded five times since its founding
in 1988, offers functional coatings for
such customers as Energizer Inc. and
Tyco International Ltd.
Expansion in
Franklin County
Kautex in Lavonia, a vertically
Standing, from left: Royce Glenn, Quick Start training
integrated washer system and fuel
coordinator; Phil Mellor, Franklin County director of economic development; Lyn Allen, Franklin County Chamber
tank supplier for the automotive
of Commerce executive secretary; David Walters, Kautex
industry, is expanding and creating
manufacturing engineer; Dr. Judy Taylor, North Georgia
55 new jobs in the Franklin County
Tech VP of economic development; and Ralph Hudgens,
area. Quick Start and North Georgia
state senator. Seated, from left: Jeff Lynn, Quick Start
director of Northern operations; Maria Spadaro, Kautex
Technical College are partnering to
human resources manager; and Dr. Ruth Nichols, North
provide training.
Georgia Tech president.
“We are committed to growth,”
Maria Spadaro, Kautex human resources manager, said at the training plan signing. “Key
to that growth is training. It’s critical for the long-term success of our company, and we
couldn’t do it without Quick Start and North Georgia Tech.”
Mining Operation Creates
Jobs in Southeast Georgia
Sixty new jobs were added recently at TE Consolidated’s mineral sands mine site in
Brantley County. Quick Start and Okefenokee Technical College have partnered with the
company to provide pre-employment
and job-specific training that includes
such core skills as new miner safety,
heavy equipment operation and team
skills training.
The company is mining titanium
minerals and zircon on the 2,500-acre
From left, Dr. John Pike, Okefenokee Tech president;
site. The materials are used in a myriad
Ken Boyd, Quick Start director of Eastern region; and
of paper products, plastics and paints
Chuck Stilson, TE Consolidated Georgia mine manager,
for industries including aerospace, the
signed an agreement between TE Consolidated, Georgia
Quick Start and Okefenokee Tech.
military and healthcare.
Austrians Tour Quick Start – Austrian executives visited Quick Start as part of an
From left, Jeff Lynn, Quick Start director of
Northern operations; Dan Weaver, Toccoa Metal
Finishing CEO; and Dr. Ruth Nichols, North
Georgia Tech president.
6
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
advanced management program through Austria’s Limak International Management Academy and
Emory’s Goizueta Business School. “We want to show them how government and business can cooperate
to achieve both sets of goals: company goals of being productive and profitable, and the state goal of
having a strong economy,” explained Dr. Al Hartgraves, Emory University Goizueta Business School
professor of accounting.
Rockmart Plant
Expands Its Workforce
Jefferson Southern Corporation
(JSC) in Rockmart, which produces
fabricated metal automobile parts,
has added a second production line
and hired 60 new employees. This
is the company’s first expansion in
three years of operation. Georgia
Quick Start and Coosa Valley
Technical College will provide training for the new employees.
The expansion is welcome news in
the county, said Karolyn Hutcheson,
Polk County Chamber of Commerce
president. “Polk County is so fortunate to have Jefferson Southern,” said
Hutcheson, who has worked closely
with JSC since the company chose to
locate in Rockmart. “The company is
an excellent corporate citizen, donating money to the fire department for
the purchase of new equipment,
donating money for a scholarship at
the high school, and adding more
jobs through this expansion. Quick
Start is an asset for Jefferson
Southern. The training Quick Start
provided exceeded their expectations.”
Top: After the training agreement signing ceremony, Mike de Graauw, right, JSC senior plant manager,
gave dignitaries a tour of the newly expanded plant. Center: At the training agreement signing, from
left, Craig McDaniels, Coosa Valley Tech president; Koichi Miyazaki, JSC president; Karolyn Hutcheson,
Polk County Chamber of Commerce president; and Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner.
Bottom: JSC is expanding operations and adding a second production line and 60 new employees.
East Meets West
– China’s Sichuan Administration Institute, under the direction of
associate professor Li Xin, sent a delegation to study the Georgia DTAE system and Georgia Quick Start.
The group toured the facilities in Atlanta and met with administration officials, gathering information
about Georgia’s technical colleges and the Quick Start operation.
With the expansion the company
has added two new machines: a
mash seam welder, which produces
parts with required strength yet
reduced weight, and a 3,000-ton
press. Quick Start is training the
new employees in several types of
training, including job-specific,
advanced technology, core skills and
productivity enhancement.
Jeff Lynn, left, Quick Start director of Northern
operations, and Mike Graham, Tractor Supply
Company director of logistics, at a training plan
signing at Lanier Tech.
Pulling Jobs
to Braselton
Tractor Supply Company, the largest
retail farm and ranch store chain in the
United States, is opening a regional distribution center in Braselton, bringing 120
new jobs to the area. Quick Start and Lanier
Technical College will provide training for
the new employees.
“Quick Start, Lanier Tech, the city of
Braselton and the state of Georgia have
been wonderful to work with and we’re
extremely pleased to be here,” said Mike
Graham, Tractor Supply Company director
of logistics.
“Quick Start is very excited to be
working with such an outstanding organization,” said Jeff Lynn, Quick Start
director of Northern operations. “We look
forward to providing training services to
their employees.”
7
Service Industry
Home in LaGrange
American Home Shield finds
a new home in one of the
world’s most intelligent cities.
T
his past spring, American Home
Shield, the nation’s leading home
warranty company, decided it needed
a call center in the Eastern time zone,
but didn’t know where to put it.
Company executives knew they
needed a hard-wired Southern
community with a sophisticated
telecommunications network and a
qualified workforce. A site selection
team put Georgia on the shortlist.
When Sean Boles, Development
Authority of LaGrange senior
development specialist, heard about
the company’s interest in Georgia,
he called the site selection team and
LaGrange quickly became the company’s top choice.
LaGrange boasts one of the most
sophisticated fiber-optics systems in
the world, a key selling point for
American Home Shield, which relies
on advanced technology to serve
its customers.
This winter American Home
Shield is moving into a 60,000-sq.-ft.
building in LaGrange
housing more than 400
employees. This monumental move marks the
culmination of an innovative
multi-effort development
initiative involving Quick
8
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
Start, West Georgia Technical College,
the Development Authority of
LaGrange, the LaGrange-Troup
County Chamber of Commerce, the
GDITT and the Department of Labor.
“Call centers are the lifeblood of
our company,” notes John Sylvester,
AHS LaGrange call center manager of
service operations. “The technology is
extremely important to us.”
The city’s state-of-the-art fiber
loop prompted the World Teleport
Association to name LaGrange
“Intelligent City of the Year” in 2000.
“I think that our telecommunications network really convinced
American Home Shield,” says Jane
Fryer, LaGrange-Troup County
Chamber of Commerce president.
While construction of the call
center got under way, Quick Start
team members were already at work
designing a training program to
address the company’s industryspecific needs.
When American Home Shield
executives heard about Quick Start’s
job-specific training program, “they
almost couldn’t believe it was true,”
says Sean McMillan, GDITT senior
project manager.
American Home Shield Executive
Vice President Rick Ascolese says,
“Our workforce’s ability to be
effective is a result of education and
training. Georgia Quick Start helped
us standardize our training programs
and add new programs to reinforce
our existing training plans. American
Home Shield has been more than
pleased with the quality and expertise in training services that the
Quick Start
program has
provided.”
Training For Peak Performance
American Home Shield founded the home warranty industry
more than 30 years ago and continues to be the industry
leader. Key to the company’s competitive edge is its call
center workforce, a highly skilled team of employees who:
American Home Shield
Executive Vice President
Rick Ascolese
• Apply technical knowledge about home appliances to better assist customers;
• Communicate effectively with customers to pinpoint problems, determine specific
warranty coverage and find solutions;
• Use sophisticated computer software to identify warranty coverage, order parts
and dispatch technicians nationwide;
• Create life-long customers and revenue streams through contract renewal.
With Quick Start’s assistance, employees of the new facility complete
15–20 days of rigorous training to learn job tasks and procedures,
computer applications, appliance technical knowledge and maintenance procedures, warranty coverage provisions, plus communications
and other interpersonal skills.
Partner’s Perspective
Positioning a City for Success
Editor’s Note: Economic development works best when the entire
community is involved. Quick Start
has been a part of Georgia’s team
working with the citizens and businesses of LaGrange for many years,
and has been impressed by their
dedication and commitment. For this
edition of Partner’s Perspective, we
asked Jane Fryer, LaGrange-Troup
County Chamber of Commerce and
the Development Authority of
LaGrange president, to share the
story of how one community came
together to prepare itself for business success in the 21st century.
L
aGrange has been successful in
attracting businesses to our
community since the turn of the
20th century when it was known for
the textile plants of Callaway Mills
and West Point Pepperell, which
employed more than 6,000. When
Callaway Mills was sold to Deering
Milliken in 1969, employment was
cut in half and approximately 2,500
people who had never worked anywhere else and had no education
were out of work with no prospects
of employment.
Compounding the problem was
the fact that high school graduates
were leaving LaGrange to continue
their education, but not coming
back to work. In 1973, the city took
action and created the Development
Authority of LaGrange and staffed it
with volunteers. Immediately they
went to work talking to experts at
the Georgia Department of Industry,
Trade and Tourism, CSX, the utility
companies and developers seeking
advice about how to attract industry.
They also went to local banks to
finance the purchase of approximately 350 acres for industrial
parks, using as collateral 150 acres
donated by the city and county.
Once the land was purchased and
infrastructure in place — roads,
water, sewer, gas — the Development
Authority let the world know
LaGrange was ready for business.
Today, the Authority owns two
industrial parks, the 1,600-acre
LaGrange Industrial Park, which is
nearly filled to capacity, and the
650-acre Jim Hamilton Industrial
Park (named for the Development
Authority’s first chairman), which
has approximately 500 acres
remaining. LaGrange is home to such
corporate giants as Exxon-Mobil,
Kimberly-Clark, Duracell, Dow
Jones, Caterpillar and a Wal-Mart
distribution center, as well as many
Japanese and German companies.
In the ’90s when telecommunications technology exploded, LaGrange
proactively formed a committee to
explore how LaGrange could position
itself to become a high-tech leader.
First, the technology committee asked
consultants at Federal Engineering
of Fairfax, Va., to conduct a study
determining the needs and desires of
LaGrange citizens. Then in 1998,
based on the results of the study, the
city funded a $9.6 million bond
issue to purchase and upgrade cable
transmission lines, then lease them
back to Charter Communications
with enough capacity to serve the
city with cable services.
Because of the city’s initiative,
LaGrange beat out New York,
London, Toronto and Chicago to be
named the “Intelligent City of the
Year” for 2000 by the World
Teleport Association. LaGrange also
contracted with Mercer University
to provide corporate education
shows on local cable channels and,
Jane Fryer, LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of
Commerce and the Development Authority of
LaGrange president. With approximately 26,000
residents, LaGrange is the seat of Troup County
and home to more Fortune 500 companies per
capita than any other city its size. Its fiber-optic
cables stretch over 200 miles.
through SONET, help local businesses access video and data. These
services help our industries, businesses, hospital and local government.
Our pro-business attitude and
telecommunications savvy have
attracted such businesses as
American Home Shield to locate in
LaGrange (see Home in LaGrange,
page 8). Georgia Quick Start has
been a significant asset in attracting
business and jobs to LaGrange as
well, helping such companies as
T-Mobile, Caterpillar, Wal-Mart and
Goody Products. With the help of
Georgia Quick Start and the city’s
leadership, LaGrange is poised to
usher in a new century of growth
and prosperity.
For more information about
LaGrange, visit the city’s Web site,
www.lagrange-ga.org, or visit the
Chamber of Commerce Web site,
www.lagrangechamber.com.
9
Cover Story
An example of the training aids
for Sky Watch developed by Quick Start.
Continued from page 1
Strange, “We started seeing applications in the security market.” The
company teamed up with a security
expert and in 1996 developed a prototype of the Sky Watch. When the
prototype hit the trade shows, says
Strange, they knew they had found a
niche and began manufacturing the
new units at the facility in Ellaville.
Soon afterward, Sky Watch piqued
the interest of the U.S. Border Patrol
and the military, and in 1998 New
Heights began selling the units to
the U.S. government. The
product continues to
evolve as Strange
and his associates
learn new markets.
“We’ve graduated
from hunting to
commercial
security to
border
10
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
patrol and military applications.”
Because of high demand, the
company expanded its manufacturing
operation in Ellaville and doubled
the staff, from 20 to 40 employees.
Quick Start and South Georgia
Technical College partnered to
train the new employees, but the
most effective aspect of Quick
Start’s work with New Heights
involved the development of
training aids to be used when
operating Sky Watch. In Iraq,
soldiers found they needed
instructions that they could
decipher at a glance. A combat
zone is no place for a cumbersome manual. In the end,
Quick Start’s creative integration
of illustrations with step-by-step
instructions solved the problem,
and today Quick Start’s training
aids are part of every Sky Watch
unit produced.
“Quick Start got our personnel
up to speed in no time,” says
Strange. “The training aids turned
out great and are working wonderfully for our customers. We’re very
pleased with Quick Start’s training.”
Sky Watch models used by the
military and police can be outfitted
with a number of high-tech features,
including bulletproofing, infrared
cameras, biological detection, radar
systems and thermal imaging,
which benefits the operator with
night vision.
Now four versions of Sky Watch
— Classic, Eagle, Sentinel and
Frontier — are used by the U.S.
Army, Navy, Air Force, Border
Patrol, police and sheriff departments, correction facilities, and even
universities and amusement parks.
The military is using Sky
Watch in Kuwait and there
are 20 units in Iraq.
“The units in Iraq
give perimeter
security,”
Top, from left: Dick Cate, New Heights plant manager; Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner;
Keith Miller, New Heights research and development;
and Adam Strange, New Heights president and CEO,
tour the Ellaville facility. Bottom: A New Heights
employee installs a panel in a Sky Watch cab.
says Strange. “They are used for
force protection because you can
see a threat miles away before it
ever approaches the troops.”
Following the success of Sky
Watch, New Heights is in the
process of developing additional
security and surveillance devices
that serve as “force multipliers,”
tools that allow a small number of
personnel to pack a bigger punch,
defending America on the front
lines of the war against terror.
Manufacturing Sector
Keeping Jobs in Doraville
Announcement of new line
good news in Doraville
T
he General Motors Doraville
Assembly plant faced a challenge
when GM headquarters in Detroit
announced that it is introducing in
2005 four new crossover sport van
models and phasing out some of its
older models, which were produced
at the Doraville plant. The new
models require new technology and
without it the Doraville plant can’t
compete. The future of the company,
one of Georgia’s largest employers,
was on the line.
GM decided to make the $150
million investment in the Doraville
plant to purchase the technology
necessary to produce the new
models, keeping jobs in Georgia.
But new equipment is only half the
equation. GM’s workforce skills
must be upgraded, too. Quick
Start and DeKalb Tech will partner
with GM to ensure that the employees are ready to produce the new
crossover sport van models.
Over the course of several months,
Quick Start will provide 3,600 GM
employees with technical and operations training for the new production
line. Some of the technical training
will be delivered by Quick Start’s
state-of-the-art
Programmable Logic
Controllers (PLC)
trainers. The training will benefit
both technical and non-technical jobs.
“We appreciate the opportunity
to work with the GM Doraville
plant,” says Dr. Kenneth Breeden,
DTAE commissioner. “Quick Start
believes in supporting existing
businesses in Georgia to help them
remain healthy so that the work stays
here and doesn’t go offshore. We
appreciate that you chose Georgia
and continue to choose Georgia.”
the marketplace. The skill set at
Quick Start is nothing short of
spectacular. They live up to their
stellar reputation.”
“This is a very exciting time for
us and we’re very pleased with this
partnership,” says GM Doraville
Assembly Plant Manager David
“ ... our people need to
know how to pull all
this technology together,
and we’re appreciative
that Quick Start and
DeKalb Tech are helping
us do that.”
– David Prange,
GM Doraville Assembly Plant Manager
“Quick Start’s training is very
hands-on and tailored to meet our
needs,” says Claude Willis III, UAW
Local 10 chairman. “When you
bring people into classes that are
sophisticated and professional, it’s
impressive, and it goes a long way to
making our members happy. This
training enables them to do a better
job and it makes us more viable in
GM Doraville Assembly Plant Manager David
Prange, left, welcomes Dr. Kenneth Breeden as
GM Doraville Assembly Plant Controller Ruth
Hairston looks on.
Prange. “When the membership is
happy it’s good for all of us. The
bottom line is our people need to
know how to pull all this technology
together, and we’re appreciative that
Quick Start and DeKalb Tech are
helping us do that.”
Far left and center: Quick
Start and DeKalb Tech are
training GM Doraville
Assembly plant employees
on a new production line.
Left: At the project signing
ceremony were Claude
Willis III, UAW Local 10
chairman; Dr. Kenneth
Breeden, DTAE commissioner;
and Jackie Rohosky, DTAE
assistant commissioner.
11
Year in Review
Quick Start Successes Keep Mounting
S
ince 1967, the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education’s Quick Start training
program has served as an economic development incentive for companies to locate or expand in
Georgia. From the beginning, Quick Start has grown steadily each year. In FY03, Quick Start provided training for 304 projects involving 42,145 trainees. To date, 4,319 companies and 473,946
people have benefited from Quick Start’s training services. Quick Start is recognized internationally
as one of the most effective, responsive and business-like training organizations in the country.
Projects Proliferate
Number of Trainees 1994 through 2003
Of the 304 Quick Start projects for FY03, 119
were new projects and 185 were expanding/existing projects. FY03 is the 12th consecutive year in
which the number of expanding/existing projects
exceeded new projects.
45,000
41,801
42,145
2002
2003
39,416
40,000
35,613
33,967
35,000
31,345
Number of Projects 1994 through 2003
315
304
296
Number of Trainees
27,545
350
300
29,393
30,000
25,000
21,158
20,000
17,341
279
15,000
266
250
240
248
243
251
Number of Projects
10,000
5,000
200
166
0
1994
150
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
Fiscal Year
100
Record Trainee Count
50
0
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Fiscal Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
The number of trainees for new and expanding/
existing companies increased this year, from
41,801 in FY02 to 42,145. This is a duplicated
training count. Due to the complexity of today’s
jobs, most employees require training in multiple
skill tracks. This year’s number of trainees set
another record for Quick Start.
“The Quick Start Program is truly a valuable and innovative
resource for companies hoping to maintain a presence in
or locate to Georgia. We recommend Quick Start to any
employer that has a training need.”
— Robert Mauney,
Chemical Products Corporation quality assurance manager, Cartersville
12
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
Geographic Distribution
Projects
Seventy percent of Quick Start’s projects were located
outside the Metro Atlanta area. Almost half of the Quick
Start trainees in FY03 were located in rural Georgia.
Rural MSAs
37.8% 62.2%
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Rural Areas
Albany
Athens
MSA
# of Projects
%
Albany
8
2.63
Athens
4
1.32
Atlanta
91
29.93
Augusta
18
5.92
Brunswick
2
.66
Chattanooga
8
2.63
12
3.95
Columbus
Atlanta
Augusta
Dalton
2
.66
Brunswick
Gainesville
10
3.28
Chattanooga
Hinesville
4
1.32
Columbus
Macon
5
1.64
Rome
8
2.63
Savannah
9
2.96
Macon
Valdosta
4
1.32
Rome
Warner Robins
4
1.32
Savannah
Rural
115
37.83
Valdosta
Total
304
100.0
MSA
# of Trainees
%
Albany
100
.24
Athens
0*
0.0*
Atlanta
12,067
28.63
Augusta
3,277
7.78
0*
0.0*
Chattanooga
1,496
3.55
Columbus
1,259
2.98
0*
0.0*
Gainesville
1,811
4.3
Hinesville
0*
0.0*
Macon
180
.43
Rome
564
1.33
Savannah
306
.73
Valdosta
90
.21
Warner Robins
0*
0.0*
Rural
20,995
49.82
Total
42,145
100.0
Dalton
Gainesville
Hinesville
Warner Robins
Rural
Metropolitan Atlanta –
91 Projects (29.93%)
Outside Metro Atlanta –
213 Projects (70.07%)
Trainees
Rural MSAs
49.8% 50.2%
Brunswick
Dalton
* Indicates a training project that is under development
13
Year in Review
Attracting International Firms
Approximately 24.3 percent of
Quick Start’s 304 projects in
FY03 were with international
companies. There were 74
international company projects
in FY03.
Number of International Companies 1994 - 2003
80
74
70
Number of International Companies
70
65
60
50
49
45
40
30
41
35
34
1996
1997
37
30
20
10
0
1994
1995
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Fiscal Year
“While the state of Georgia has much
in its favor when competing with other
locations for business, Quick Start
provides a real competitive edge.”
Economical Training
As the number of trainees has increased
over the years, the cost per trainee has
decreased. In FY03, Quick Start’s cost
per trainee was $312, and there was a
total of 42,145 trainees.
— Brian O’Boyle,
Merial Ltd. executive director of human resources, Duluth
Cost Per Trainee Versus Number of Trainees
45,000
41,801
40,000
42,145
39,416
35,613
35,000
33,967
31,345
Number of Trainees
30,000
29,393
27,545
25,000
21,158
20,000
17,341
15,000
$395
$389
$332
10,000
$323
$334
$320
$319
$321
$319
$312
Cost Per Trainee
5,000
0
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Fiscal Year
Trainees
14
QUICK START
•
WINTER 2004
Cost
2001
2002
2003
Creating New Jobs
Quick Start clients create jobs for Georgians, jobs
that cover a broad spectrum of industry types. In
FY03 there were 286 manufacturing and related
trade projects out of a total of 304. In addition,
there were 18 service operations projects, but
these service projects accounted for 26.6 percent
of the total new jobs created.
Service Operations
18 Projects = 2,332 Jobs
Industry
Service Operations*
2,332
Warehousing and Storage
1,314
Food Manufacturing
952
Transportation Equipment**
915
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
699
Machinery Manufacturing
542
Textile Product Mills
368
Primary Metal Manufacturing
333
Electrical Equipment, Appliance
and Component Manufacturing
309
Paper Manufacturing
200
Mineral Products
174
Miscellaneous Manufacturing
166
Repair and Maintenance
132
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
130
Chemical Manufacturing
65
Textile Mills
58
Wood Product Manufacturing
48
Printing and Related Support Activities
41
Total
Manufacturing Industry
286 Projects = 6,446 Jobs
New Jobs
8,778
* The Service Operations category includes technical support and customer service
centers as well as business service operations such as corporate headquarters
and billing remittance centers.
** The Transportation Equipment category is predominantly automotive and aviation
component manufacturers.
“I credit the program with the fact that when we opened,
our new employees ‘hit the ground running.’ It was the
most successful startup of a new facility I have ever
experienced — and I’ve done a few.”
—Barton E. Good,
Tanimura & Antle Southeast general manager, Jackson
15
DELIVERY
Kenneth H. Breeden, Commissioner
Georgia Department of Technical
and Adult Education
www.georgiaquickstart.org
SYSTEM
34 Technical Colleges With Multiple Campuses
4 University System Colleges With Technical Divisions
Quick Start Project Announcements
... Serving communities throughout Georgia
Adairsville: Daiki, manufacturer of industrial vehicle parts, will be
adding an additional 20 employees.
Carrollton: Wal-Mart.com is expanding its fulfillment center and
adding another 40 new jobs.
Cartersville: SSJS is starting up a new operation and adding 18 jobs.
Columbus: Heckler & Koch, manufacturers of technologically
advanced firearms for defense and law enforcement, is building
a manufacturing facility and hiring 200 employees.
Cordele: Heartland Building Systems LLC, which manufactures modular
homes, is opening a new facility and hiring 46 employees.
Covington: Nyloboard LLC, makers of construction material made from
recycled carpet, is building a 400,000-sq.-ft. facility and will create 30
new jobs.
Dublin: Botkin Lumber Company Inc., which processes and regrades
lumber, is hiring 50 new employees for its new operation.
Homerville: Blueberry Farms, which packages and ships fruit, is building
a new facility and creating 35 new jobs.
Lavonia: Metal fabrication manufacturer Fanello Industries is expanding
and will be hiring 24 employees from the area.
Lawrenceville: Danfoss-Maneurop, manufacturers of scroll compressors,
is expanding and creating 72 new jobs.
Lithia Springs: Reflek, manufacturer of custom light reflectors, is starting
up a new operation and adding 50 new positions.
Tucker: Frozen desert manufacturer Schwan’s Bakery Inc. is expanding
and adding 105 new employees.
McDonough: IFCO Systems, which cleans and recycles plastic produce
containers, is starting up operations and hiring 60 new employees.
Villa Rica: SAF Inc., makers of custom aluminum window frames,
is expanding operations and adding 25 new jobs.
Statesboro: Glass manufacturer Viracon is expanding operations and
adding 75 jobs.
Waycross: General Housing, which builds manufactured homes, is
expanding operations and adding 25 jobs.
Thomson: Shaw Industry, which manufactures yarn for carpets, is
expanding operations and adding 50 jobs.
Wrens: Glit/Microtron, makers of cleaning supplies such as floor and
hand pads, is expanding operations and adding 80 jobs.
Georgia Quick Start
16
•
1800 Century Place
•
Suite 300
•
Atlanta, GA 30345
•
404.679.2915