Caterpillar Breaks Ground on Georgia Plant Near Athens
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Updated: 2:21 PM Mar 17, 2012
Caterpillar Breaks Ground on Georgia Plant Near Athens
The $200 million Caterpillar manufacturing plant set to open in northeast Georgia next year is the latest in a string of economic development victories for Georgia officials.
Posted: 2:21 PM Mar 17, 2012
Reporter: Associated Press
Email Address: news@wctv.tv
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(Update) ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- March 17, 2012

Construction equipment maker Caterpillar is moving fast to build its $200 million manufacturing near Athens, having started construction exactly a month after the project was announced.

At a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, local Chamber of Commerce president Doc Eldridge called the project the biggest thing to come to Athens since Herschel Walker played football at the University of Georgia.

Eldridge may have been joking. But the plant has been welcome news as Georgia tries to claw out of the recession. Within five years Caterpillar expects to employ 800 people at the factory.

The Athens-Banner Herald reports (http://bit.ly/zm4ATo ) that plant manager Todd Henry says the first 250 workers or more will be hired by next summer. The Georgia plant will manufacture mini-excavators and small tractors.
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ATLANTA (AP) -- February 19, 2012

The $200 million Caterpillar manufacturing plant set to open in northeast Georgia next year is the latest in a string of economic development victories for Georgia officials.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Illinois-based heavy equipment maker's announcement on Friday is the latest sign Georgia is trying to position itself to compete amid a U.S. manufacturing resurgence.

Chris Cummiskey, the commissioner of the Department of Economic Development, told the newspaper (http://bit.ly/AkAoMd) Georgia has boosted its effort to attract manufacturers since KIA Motors opened its plant in West Point two years ago.

He says "our pipelines are as full as they've ever been."

Among the recent developments, Georgia landed a $350 million Toyota Industries Corp. in Pendergrass that would create 320 jobs and a new Home Depot call center in Cobb County.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Georgia Boy Location: Cairo on Feb 29, 2012 at 07:47 AM

Shortly after Obamacare passed into law Caterpillar announced it would cost them $1 million a year here. Then not long ago we read where they had opened several factories in China. Not only will companies move out of this country due to labor costs, and labor availability, which unions increase here with federal government assistance, they will move because of other federal laws and regulations, including taxes, that make them less competitive both here and outside the country. And by the way, most capital for large corporations comes from private investors who should be able to expect a reasonable return on their investment. Frankly, I think building anything in China and allowing it into this country should be stopped due to its lack of quality and safety control. We've seen tainted products come into this country and that should be stopped.
Posted by: Anon on Feb 20, 2012 at 06:41 PM

Get real. Caterpillar is locating to Georgia to escape Northern unions. Just like Boeing is now doing in South Carolina.
Posted by: mike Location: Tally on Feb 20, 2012 at 02:24 PM

The plant will be near Athens, GA Caterpillar announced it has selected land near Athens, Ga., as the location for a new facility that will build small track-type tractors and mini hydraulic excavators. The state-of-the-art, one-million-square foot facility is expected to directly employ 1,400 people once it is fully operational. The total investment for opening the new facility will be about $200 million. In addition to the 1,400 people working in the new facility, Caterpillar estimates another 2,800 full-time jobs will be created in the U.S. among suppliers and at other non-Caterpillar companies that will support the new facility. Caterpillar plans to break ground on the new facility in Athens in the first quarter of 2012. Initial production at the facility is expected to begin in late 2013, ramping up to full production over a five-year period. The company will use the website www.jointeamcaterpillar.com to fill the majority of open positions at the facility.
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