Deal announces 300 new jobs
By: Carolyn Mathews
Cherokee Ledger-News
Gov. Nathan Deal announced Monday that Inalfa Roof Systems, a global supplier of vehicle roofing systems, will open a manufacturing plant in Cherokee County. The plant represents a $17.1 million investment and 300 jobs for Georgians.
“Inalfa joins the dynamic auto industry Georgia has cultivated for more than 100 years,” Deal said. “Our central location in the Southeast, deep workforce resources and logistics infrastructure have attracted well over 300 companies and continue to give the state a competitive advantage in this manufacturing sector.”
Inalfa Roof Systems supplies sunroofs and open roofing systems for automotive manufacturers.
Those manufacturers include Hyundai Kia, Ford, General Motors, Volvo, Chrysler Group and BMW Group. The facility will be located just east of Interstate 75 at Cherokee 75 Corporate Park and is in close proximity to automotive manufacturers located throughout the Southeast.
“Inalfa’s management has been a great partner through this process. Projects like this don’t happen without a great team,” said Misti Martin, president of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development (OED).
Vice President of North American Operations for Inalfa Roof Systems Danny Colaris said after a four-year search for a location in the South, what his firm found in Cherokee County was “ideal.”
“The state and local economic development teams, as well as Georgia Power, have all been extremely helpful in introducing us to this strategic location and the advantages of doing business in Georgia,” Colaris said.
The 100-acre corporate/industrial park, Cherokee 75 Corporate Park, in Acworth, was developed by the OED in order to attract jobs to Cherokee County.
The land is strategically located in that it is less than two miles from Interstate 75, is already zoned for light industrial and is part of a new state-designated Southwest Cherokee Corners Opportunity Zone, which provides tax credits for employers creating jobs in the area. Within the state jobs tax credit program, opportunity zones assist local governments that use revitalization powers to encourage economic development within or adjacent to areas with 15 percent or greater poverty rates. Under the designation, any business that creates two or more new jobs in the zone can receive a $3,500 per job in tax credits for each year up to five years.
The new plant will occupy about 17 acres in the park, with about 83 more being marketed for further economic development.
“We are excited to have Inalfa Roof Systems as our first business to locate in the Cherokee 75 Corporate Park,” said OED Chairman Marshall Day. “The teamwork displayed in this project is remarkable, and we thank our partners at CBRE, Rooker, GDEcD and Georgia Power as well as our leadership and staff for their work in making this vision a reality. The new investment and jobs created will have a significant impact on Cherokee and the northwest
Atlanta region.”
Steve Holcomb, vice chairman of the Cherokee OED, said officials are excited Inalfa chose Cherokee to expand their worldwide business. “It’s a great compliment to the community and the state of Georgia,” he said.
This facility will be the fourth in the United States and the first in the Southeast for Inalfa, which has its global headquarters based in Venray, The Netherlands, and a global workforce of 3,000 employees. Inalfa’s North American headquarters is located in Michigan and operates a total of four plants in Michigan and Mexico. Worldwide, Inalfa has facilities in Slovakia, South Korea, China, Brazil and Japan, and is expanding its footprint in Poland.
Building plans and preparation for construction for the Cherokee County facility have begun, and the plant is projected to begin operating in January 2014. The new Inalfa facility in Georgia will provide a wide range of job opportunities, including engineering, operations and supply chain, purchasing and manufacturing associates. Hiring for these positions will begin in fourth quarter this year and continue through second quarter 2015 until all lines are installed and the plant is
fully operational.
Cherokee Commission Chairman Buzz Ahrens said, “Having a world-class company locate in our community is a testament to our pro-business atmosphere and our attractiveness to international corporations.”
Jason Nelms, District 4 commissioner, said, “Having an anchor of that caliber in our development will spawn more businesses in the area. As the economic landscape continues to improve, we are thankful for the jobs that will be created, the increased tax base, and the positive impact it will make to our community
as a whole.”
Wylly Harrison is the project manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, which partnered with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development in the project location.
“As we continue to market Georgia around the world, the commitment made by top-notch businesses like Inalfa helps other investors understand how we can help them become successful in the U.S. market,” said Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development
Chris Cummiskey.
Click here for original article.