50 Jobs Created As Inalfa Expands In Cherokee
Add another 50 jobs to Cherokee County’s burgeoning workforce. Inalfa Roof Systems, already one of Cherokee’s largest employers, has announced plans to expand its operation in the Cherokee 75 Corporate Park with the construction of a new 52,500 square-foot building. This marks Inalfa’s second major expansion in less than a year. The company, a global manufacturer of high-end vehicle sun roofs and roofing systems, was the first tenant to move into Cherokee 75 Corporate Park. It had barely opened its new 165,000 square foot facility, when Inalfa announced plans to expand by another 45,000 square feet. Now, months later, Inalfa continues to grow. This time, Inalfa will construct an entirely new building, which is expected to generate at least $8 million in new investment costs and will answer the company’s ultimate goal of creating a corporate campus in the SW corner of Cherokee County.
In addition, Inalfa’s expansion will create new jobs. Lots of them. Inalfa plans to hire at least 50 new workers in 2016. There’s also a strong possibility Inalfa will increase its workforce substantially within the next three years. “When we came to Cherokee, the community rolled up their sleeves and went to work on the challenges and hurdles we faced. And in a very short period of time we were able to go from a piece of property with trees on it to a finished facility where we are producing product for the automotive industry,” said Ron Rouse, Inalfa Senior Director.
All of this speaks to COED’s goal of keeping Cherokee County’s highly-educated population working in the same community where they live. “Almost half of the county’s adult population has earned an advanced degree,” COED President Misti Martin pointed out. “In the past, I think Cherokee has been viewed as a bedroom community of Atlanta. That’s just not the case anymore – and corporations like Inalfa and MSK are proving that.”
Inalfa’s plans to expand comes on the heels of MSK Covertech-Group announcement it’s moving its North American Headquarters to Cherokee 75 Corporate Park. This $3.8 million endeavor is expected to bring at least 30 high-paying, white collar careers to Cherokee County, with the promise of continued expansion. MSK Covertech-Group is a world leader in the manufacturing of packaging and logistics systems for pallet load units and large containers. The corporation is based in Kleve, on the Lower Rhine in Germany. However, many of its North American customers are companies headquartered in Georgia, such as Coca-Cola, Shaw, Quikrete and Georgia Pacific.
Another sign Cherokee is emerging strong from a tough economy is the announcement of the county’s first speculative building in eight years. Atlanta based industrial real estate developer, John Rooker, broke ground this week on a new 304,000 square foot facility, which will be built on a 25 acre tract of land, located in Cherokee 75 Corporate Park. Rooker knows the area well. His company built Inalfa’s regional headquarters, which opened last year.