Growth In Electric Vehicle And Sustainability Ecosystems In Georgia Are Key Drivers Of Jobs
Tremendous growth in electric vehicle and sustainability ecosystems in Georgia is a key driver behind the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s announcement of 35,400 new jobs and $12.9 billion in investment for the state so far this fiscal year- numbers that already surpass the last year-end totals.
Gov. Brian Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, announced Thursday that through the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021-March 31), job creation and investments resulting from economic development projects have already surpassed Fiscal Year 2021’s year-end totals. These 251 project locations supported by GDEcD’s Global Commerce team will result in the creation of more than 35,400 new jobs and $12.9 billion in investment for the state.
“I’m grateful to all job creators who choose to locate or expand their operations in the Peach State, bringing opportunity to hard-working Georgians and investing in our communities across the entire state. We are excited to see such a variety of homegrown and global companies recognize the benefit of our strong partnership and pro-business approach, and I will continue to work hard every single day to strengthen Georgia’s reputation as the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Kemp said in a news release.
Key industry sectors include automotive, advanced manufacturing, logistics and distribution, software and technology, and food processing. Over the past year, Georgia’s electric vehicle (EV) and sustainability ecosystems have grown tremendously. Georgia is continuing to recruit the entire EV supply chain to ensure an effective, efficient and affordable environment for EV production.
In addition to the ongoing plans by Rivian to develop a $5 billion campus at Stanton Springs North and an electric vehicle service center in Atlanta that also will provide training on EVs, SK Battery America also has partnered with American lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered materials startup Ascend Elements to recycle both cell and module lithium-ion battery manufacturing scrap from SK’s Jackson County facility.
Ascend announced its first commercial-scale battery recycling plant in Covington in January. Aurubis, one of the leading recyclers of copper, precious metals, and non-ferrous materials worldwide, will invest $340 million in a “first-of-its-kind in the U.S.” state-of-the-art recycling and secondary smelting facility for multimetal recycling in Augusta. Recycling operations and partnerships like these are vital for the future of electric mobility.
In southeast Georgia, electrification solutions and sustainability leader Aspen Aerogels recently announced plans to locate its new 500,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Statesboro. The company will produce PyroThin materials, which provide thermal management, mechanical stability, and fire protection properties to EV battery systems, at their new home in the state.
“A drive to create hope and opportunities for Georgia communities is at the heart of the Department of Economic Development’s mission,” GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson said. “From targeting new strategic industries for growth to supporting existing businesses’ expansions, we are dedicated to proving that Georgia is where companies want to be. Our state, regional, local, and community partners make these projects possible. We look forward to maintaining our current momentum through the end of the year, and we are excited to see what records we surpass next.”
This article has been shortened and adapted from: KPVI, “Three-quarters through fiscal year, Georgia surpasses 2021 job creation“
