Above: Inside General Dynamic's Gulfstream G650 manufacturing facility in Savannah, Georgia, the state's largest manufacturing company by number of employees (source: General Dynamics)
Stretching from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Atlantic coast, Georgia offers manufacturers something rare: a central location, a deep labor pool, and a business climate that has drawn some of the world's most recognized industrial names.
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.
Key Facts on Georgia Manufacturing Companies
According to MNI, compiler and publisher of the industrial data that powers IndustrySelect, Georgia is currently home to 7,522 manufacturing companies employing 496,144 workers.
MNI reports there are 32,661 executive contacts among Georgia’s manufacturing companies, including 3,627 presidents, 2,667 owners and partners; 2,274 vice-presidents and 2,832 sales, marketing and purchasing executives.
1% percent of Georgia’s manufacturing companies are women-owned, according to MNI, while another 1% are minority-owned.
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
Tap into a growing market. Reach 10,000+ Georgia industrial companies and their 23,000+ executives with the Georgia Manufacturing Industry Database, only from MNI.
Top Industries in Georgia
Georgia’s top industry remains food processing, with 72,000+ workers.
Transportation equipment is another powerful industry in the state, employing 54,000+. Other top industries in Georgia include textiles/apparel (43,000+ employees); industrial machinery (43,000+ employees); fabricated metals (33,000+ employees); and rubber/plastics (32,000+ employees).
Top Industrial Cities in Georgia
Atlanta is the state’s largest industrial city, home to 636 manufacturers and 48,017 workers. Dalton ranks second with 212 factories and 39,110 workers. Other top cities in Georgia include:
• Savannah (16,366 workers)
• Gainesville (13,952 workers)
• Marietta (13,691 workers)
• Columbus (12,243 workers)
• Alpharetta (12,063 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.
Top 10 Manufacturers in Georgia
| Company | Employees | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. | 9,638 | Savannah | GA |
| Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. | 5,000 | Marietta | GA |
| Total System Services, Inc. | 4,000 | Columbus | GA |
| Mohawk Industries, Inc., Aladdin Div. | 3,255 | Dalton | GA |
| Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. | 3,000 | West Point | GA |
| Tyson Foods, Inc. | 2,600 | Camilla | 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 |
About the Top 10 Manufacturers in Georgia
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. Total System Services, Inc. (Columbus, GA)
Founded in Columbus in 1959, TSYS is a global payments company whose manufacturing operations include physical payment card production — the printing, personalization, and fulfillment of credit, debit, and prepaid cards for financial institutions and retail clients. Its card-related services extend to general purpose reloadable prepaid cards, payroll cards, and demand deposit accounts distributed across more than 80 countries.
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.
5. 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.
6. Tyson Foods, Inc. (Camilla, GA)
One of the world's largest food companies, Tyson Foods operates a poultry processing facility in Camilla specializing in raw chicken processing and further-processed poultry for restaurants. The plant is notably a supplier of chicken nuggets to McDonald's, and in recent years completed a $34.2 million expansion adding a new "mega line" and 35,000 square feet of production space, creating 100 new jobs.
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.
Reach Industrial Executives in Georgia
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.