During the past year, Georgia was fortunate to see many new and expanding businesses despite the nation’s lagging economy.

One of the state’s major announcements was NCR Corporation’s (www.NCR.com) decision to relocate its corporate headquarters from Ohio to metro Atlanta, bringing 1,250 new jobs. NCR becomes the 15th Fortune 500 company headquartered in Georgia.

NCR also announced it will build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Columbus, Georgia, employing 870 people over the next five years. These announcements represent an investment of $30 million and come on the heels of the company’s decision in October 2008 to establish a global Center of Excellence in Peachtree City, creating 916 jobs.

The coastal region of Georgia experienced success as well. Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas (www.mpshq.com) announced it will build a new manufacturing plant outside of Savannah, where it will produce advanced steam and gas turbines. The three phases of this project will bring 500 new jobs to the region and represents an investment of $325 million.

Another big win for Georgia was Verizon Wireless’s (www.verizonwireless.com) decision to open a customer service center in Alpharetta. The company currently has a 395,000-square-foot campus in Alpharetta, in addition to two nearby offices. Verizon has invested nearly $1 billion in Georgia since 2003. The new customer service center adds 600 new jobs to the company’s nearly 4,000 existing employees in Georgia, and represents an investment of $27 million.

If you are considering a new or expanding facility in the state – no matter how large or small – we can help. Contact us at econdevga@southernco.com.