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Above: Inside General Dynamic's Gulfstream G650 manufacturing facility in Savanah, Georgia, the state's largest manufacturing company by number of employees (source: General Dynamics)
Over the past decade, Georgia’s industrial sector has grown steadily, attracting a variety of enterprises, from auto companies to aeronautics firms.
This article will examine Georgia's largest manufacturing plants. But first, let's take a look at some key facts and statistics on the Peach State.
According to MNI, compiler and publisher of the industrial data that powers IndustrySelect, Georgia is currently home to 7,916 manufacturing companies employing 475,127 workers.
MNI reports there are 33,691 executive contacts among Georgia’s manufacturing companies, including 4,045 presidents, 2,656 owners and partners; 2,655 vice-presidents and 2,914 sales, marketing and purchasing executives.
1% percent of Georgia’s manufacturing companies are women-owned, according to MNI, while another 1% are minority-owned.
Looking to do business with Georgia manufacturers? Access comprehensive profiles of 10,000+ Georgia manufacturers and 33,000+ executives with MNI's Georgia database. Looking for other states, regions, or industries? IndustrySelect gives you live access to detailed information on 460,000 U.S. industrial companies and one million executives. Click here to try out a free demo of IndustrySelect (see a sample profile here).
Other facts to know about Georgia manufacturers, based on advanced criteria available to IndustrySelect subscribers:
• 12% are publicly owned companies
• 12% import raw materials
• 25% distribute their products internationally
Georgia’s top industry remains food processing, with 524 food products manufacturers and 72,452 workers.
Transportation equipment is another powerful industry in the state, employing 53,035. Other top industries in Georgia include textiles/apparel (45,144 employees); industrial machinery (43,123 employees); fabricated metals (32,916 employees); and rubber/plastics (31,786 employees).
Atlanta is the state’s largest industrial city, home to 669 manufacturers and 47,559 workers. Dalton ranks second with 222 factories and 22,245 workers. Other top cities in Georgia include:
• Savannah (16,463 workers)
• Gainesville (14,440 workers)
• Marietta (13,079 workers)
• Alpharetta (12,753 workers)
• Columbus (12,83 workers)
Georgia’s top manufacturers are representative of the state’s powerful industrial sector, home to major aeronautics firms, auto manufacturers and food processing companies. Next, we’ll take a look at the state’s top companies.
| Company | Employees | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. | 9,638 | Savannah | GA |
| Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. | 5,000 | Marietta | GA |
| The Coca-Cola Co. | 4,750 | Atlanta | GA |
| Mohawk Industries, Inc., Aladdin Div. | 3,255 | Dalton | GA |
| Georgia-Pacific, LLC | 3,200 | Atlanta | GA |
| Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. | 3,000 | West Point | GA |
| Pratt & Whitney Engine Services, Inc. | 2,400 | Columbus | GA |
| Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing, Inc. | 2,150 | White | GA |
| Blue Bird Corp. | 2,000 | Fort Valley | GA |
| Perdue Farms, Inc. | 2,000 | Perry | GA |
1. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. (Savannah, GA)
A subsidiary of General Dynamics, Gulfstream Aerospace is a major manufacturer of business jets, used by private corporations and 35 distinct governments to transport heads of state.
The company ranks as the state’s top industrial employer, employing 9,638 at its facility in Savannah.
2. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (Marietta, GA)
Another major aeronautics company, Lockheed Martin is a major defense contractor, building military aircraft for the U.S. and 70 other countries. It most recently was awarded a $9.6 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to provide C-5 aircraft sustainment engineering services. The company is a major industrial employer in the state of Georgia, with 5,000 employees at its Marietta campus.
3. Coca-Cola (Atlanta, GA)
A household name for more than a century, Coca-Cola is one of the world’s most powerful companies and dominates the soft drink market.
Coca-Cola’s company headquarters ranks as Georgia’s third-largest industrial employer, home to 4,750 employees.
4. Mohawk Industries, Inc., Aladdin Div. (Dalton, GA)
Mohawk Industries is a major manufacturer of carpeting and flooring solutions. In the 1990s, the company merged with Dalton-based Aladdin Mills, Inc and has since grown to be a global flooring leader, producing residential and commercial carpeting; laminate flooring; wood flooring and more.
Its plant in Dalton employs 3,255.
5. Georgia-Pacific, LLC (Atlanta, GA)
Georgia-Pacific is the world’s leading manufacturer of tissue, paper, pulp building products and related chemicals, occupying 180 locations in North America that employ more than 35,000 people. This location employs 3,200 in Atlanta, ranking it fifth in the state for number of jobs.
6. Kia Motors Mfg. Georgia, Inc. (West Point, GA)
Kia Motors’ West Point plant is a major operation, encompassing 2,200 acres and representing an investment of $1.1 billion.
The facility is home to 3,000 employees who assemble the Telluride CUV; Sorrento CUV and the Optima sedan, producing 340,000 vehicles per year.
7. Pratt & Whitney (Columbus, GA)
Pratt & Whitney Engine Services, Inc., located in Columbus, Georgia, is a renowned name in the field of engine manufacturing. Growing from a small manufacturing facility to a large, state-of-the-art manufacturing and overhaul center, employing 2,400 employees, this industrial site is committed to delivering dependable engines, propulsion systems, parts, and services
8. Toyo Tire North American Manufacturing, Inc. (White, GA)
Eighth on our list is Toyo Tire North American Manufacturing, Inc. Toyo Tires, Inc is a multi-national tire and rubber products company based in Japan. The company’s Georgia location serves as its North American base, established in 2004. Employing 2,150 workers in the town of White, this facility focuses on the production of automotive tires.
9. Blue Bird Corp., (Fort Valley, GA)
Blue Bird is a familiar company for many, producing the big yellow schoolbuses that transport students to and from school each day.
Bluebird was an early leader in electric vehicle technology and was the first to market electric school buses in 1994. It Fort Valley facility employs 2,000.
10. Purdue Farms (Perry, GA)
Perdue Farms, located in Perry, Georgia, is a significant player in the poultry industry with over a decade of established presence. The company has made substantial economic contributions, creating more than 900 jobs, modernizing facilities, and supporting over 140 local farmers. A recent $42 million investment expanded the cooking operation, adding 125 new jobs and a third cooking line to meet the demand for no-antibiotics-ever and organic products. Emphasizing sustainable growth and community development, Perdue Farms values diversity and inclusion, aiming to build a brighter future for the company, associates, and the communities they serve. It continues to play a vital role in Georgia's agribusiness.
For those looking to do business with industrial companies, IndustrySelect’s database of 500,000 U.S. industrial companies is a top resource for both developing and researching sales leads in the manufacturing sector.
An IndustrySelect subscription can put you on a first-name basis with Georgia’s 10,000+ industrial companies and 52,000 executives or with the nation at large. Subscribers can select up to 30 data points on any manufacturing company in the U.S. to help identify or pre-qualify leads.
Company profiles also include the contact information for hard-to-find executive decision-makers. Try a free demo today!
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Editor's note: This post was originally published in August of 2020. It is updated annually to reflect new statistics and trends.
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