discover henry county georgia
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Discover Henry County GeorgiaTRANSCRIPT
A PUBLIC ATION OF THE HENRY COUNT Y CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
COMFORTABLYSOUTH of ATLANTA
a TALE OFFOUR CITIES
EXTRAORDINARYMEDICAL CARE
Discover Henry 51
It’s easy to see why Henry County consistently ranks as
one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States.
Long recognized as a premier location for business
expansion, our strategic location – just minutes from
Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport – and our outstanding labor force, abundant
higher education opportunities and high quality, but
affordable, housing continue to make Henry County a
powerful location to live, work and play.
The companies that call Henry County home are as
diverse as the people that live here. A drive through
any of the county’s Class A office or industrial parks
is quite literally like a trip through the Fortune 500.
From corporate headquarters, distribution centers and
support services to manufacturing and technology,
more and more companies are choosing Henry to
grow their businesses. Phillips-Van Heusen and De
Wafelbakkers are just two of the most recent additions
to the county’s landscape who have discovered the
power of location and community that Henry County
offers.
Henry County welcomed another household name
in 2009 when Whirlpool built a new state-of-the-art
Regional Distribution Center off of King Mill Road
in McDonough. The Gold LEED certified 1.5 million
square foot complex sits on 90 acres and is one of the
largest industrial build-to-suit construction projects
in Atlanta history. The project was recognized as the
“Industrial Deal of the Year” by the Atlanta Business
Chronicle in 2008.
Businesses benefit from distribution network and community
Pictured Left: Henry County is home to world-class office and industrial parks like ProLogis Park Greenwood.
BuildingSuccess
52 Discover Henry
Another prominent addition
to the county is John Deere. In
2010, the farm equipment giant
relocated their Regional Parts
Distribution Center here, joining
major distribution centers for
companies like Kumho Tires,
Sports Authority, Home Depot,
Summit Racing Equipment and
Toys R Us.
Manufacturing also has a home
in Henry County, with household
names like Behr Paints, Ecolab,
Briggs and Stratton, Goodyear
Tire and Rubber Company and
Southern States. Corporate
headquarters for Georgia
companies like Georgia Crown
Distribution Company and
international businesses like
ALPLA, which has its North
American Headquarters
and Technical Center, join
other corporate facilities for
companies like Georgia Power
Company and SunTrust Service
Corporation.
Among the busiest air traffic
control centers in the world, the
FAA Atlanta Air Route Traffic
Control Center – adjacent to
Atlanta Motor Speedway in
Hampton – recently celebrated
its 50th year of operation
in Henry County. The FAA
Atlanta Center facility oversees
thousands of flights every day
over Georgia, Alabama, North
and South Carolina, Tennessee
and Virginia, including all flights
in and out of two of the top five
By The Numbers
2Number of days’ driving time to 80% of the U. S. population
20Number of miles of Interstate 75 that traverse Henry County with 7 interchanges
600,000Metric tons of cargo that were shipped through Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport
24Miles from Henry County to airport cargo facilities
Pictured: An aerial view of Whirlpool’s 1.5 million square foot Regional Distribution Center in McDonough
Continued on page 54 >
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When ALPLA originally located in Henry
County in 2001, it was to serve a large, local
customer. The facility was originally designed as
a manufacturing plant, but has grown to become
the company’s North American headquarters
and Technical Center.
As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of
bottles and closures, the company serves beauty,
personal care, fabric and home care, food,
beverage and oils/lubricants segments. While
the majority of people do not know who make
the actual bottles and caps for their products, it
is very likely that some of ALPLA’s products are
sitting in most homes in Henry County as well as
the rest of North America.
Michael Koenig, Director of Finance for ALPLA,
finds the synergistic relationship between the
company and the local community a “great fit.”
“Henry County was selected for a number
of reasons including proximity to our local
customer, quality of workforce, transportation
and educational system,” Koenig explains.
“Local incentives have become an increasing
part of the selection process and we appreciate
the partnership that we have developed with
Henry County and the Development Authority.”
“Henry County has become the center of our
North American operations resulting in a great
amount of culture and diversity from all over
the world,” says Koenig. “We frequently have
guests visiting our site and enjoying the local
customs and community. Our employees are
also active in local charities and participate in
the educational system.”
ALPLA is once again on a growth track – fueled
by a facility expansion which will move more
of the company’s operations and technology to
Henry County.
“Our aggressive growth plan will allow ALPLA
employees opportunities for growth,” explains
Koenig. “We look forward to working and living
in Henry County for many years.”
OPEN FOR BUSINESSLocation and community make Henry the perfect fit for ALPLA
54 Discover Henry
www.discoverhenry.com
Accessibility Family Activities Recreation Shopping Beautiful Neighborhoods Business ReadyAdvanced Healthcare
Discover the Power of Location...
...Discover Henry CountyIt’s easy to see why Henry County, Georgia consistently ranks as one of the fastest-growing counties in theU.S. Recognized as a premier location for business expansion, our strategic location – just minutes from Atlantaand the World’s busiest airport – and our outstanding labor force, abundant higher education opportunities, andhigh quality but affordable homes continue to make Henry County a powerful choice to live, work and play.
140 HENRY PARKWAY, MCDONOUGH, GA 30253TEL: 770.288.8000 | [email protected]
HCDA-2_GA Trend 7/6/10 4:35 PM Page 1
busiest airports in the world,
Hartsfield Jackson International
Airport in Atlanta, and Charlotte/
Douglas International Airport in
North Carolina. The Center is an
integral part of Henry County’s
economy by employing 829 staff
who provide services 24 hours
a day, 365 days of the year in a
variety of highly-skilled positions.
While many of our companies are
relative newcomers to the county,
some of our most successful
industries are homegrown. A
small company that has flourished
into an industry leader, Bennett
International Group specializes
in every aspect of transport. In
addition to receiving numerous
awards in the transportation
industry, President and CEO
Marcia Taylor has been recognized
many times for her achievements
as a woman in business, including
leading Georgia’s second largest
woman-owned business.
But whether companies are
global or home-grown, giants or
gazelles, they share one common
trait. They have all discovered
the Power of Location in Henry
County.
By The Numbers
63.7%Percentage change in population of Henry County from 2000-2009, making Henry the 11th fastest growing county in nation
238,183Projected population of Henry County by 2015
33.1Median age of the total population of the county in 2010
600,000Number of skilled workers in the area workforce
> Continued from page 52
Discover Henry 55
www.discoverhenry.com
Accessibility Family Activities Recreation Shopping Beautiful Neighborhoods Business ReadyAdvanced Healthcare
Discover the Power of Location...
...Discover Henry CountyIt’s easy to see why Henry County, Georgia consistently ranks as one of the fastest-growing counties in theU.S. Recognized as a premier location for business expansion, our strategic location – just minutes from Atlantaand the World’s busiest airport – and our outstanding labor force, abundant higher education opportunities, andhigh quality but affordable homes continue to make Henry County a powerful choice to live, work and play.
140 HENRY PARKWAY, MCDONOUGH, GA 30253TEL: 770.288.8000 | [email protected]
HCDA-2_GA Trend 7/6/10 4:35 PM Page 1
If you have visited a hospital, surgical
center or assisted living facility lately,
chances are you have come in contact
with an Encompass product. From
staff scrubs and patient gowns to
cutting edge hypothermia prevention
products, the company has a rich
history of assisting health care
professionals create safe, healing
environments for their patients.
Much of that history has occurred
right here in Henry County. Dowling
Textile Company, Encompass’
predecessor, was founded in 1946.
The company’s original location was
a small room above a gas station on
the square in McDonough where
they hemmed shop towels for Fulton
Cotton Mills. In 1960, Dowling
purchased 27 acres in McDonough
to build a larger facility. Dowling
formed the Encompass Group in the
late nineties, and the facilities have
expanded as the company has grown.
Today, the facility is Encompass’
distribution hub for the eastern United
States. It also serves as the corporate
headquarters housing such functions
as human resources, accounting, and
information technology. Currently,
over 200 employees work in
Encompass’ McDonough facility.
“Many of our employees live here
in Henry County,” explains Warren
Nesbit, Executive Vice-President of
Human Resources. But, he hastens to
add that the community offers much
more than just a short commute. “The
area provides many other business
advantages,” he continues, “including
a convenient location for national
distribution, a quality workforce, and
an appealing lifestyle.”
Pictured: Encompass’ distribution center in McDonough
A HEALTHY INVESTMENT Encompass builds a solid foundation in Henry County
56 Discover Henry
In the late eighties, the Japanese company Toppan
Printing Company was looking for a U.S. location
for their new company Toppan Interamerica, a
printer of innovative designs for the furniture and
flooring industries.
Toppan began working with economic
development officials in Henry County and
Georgia and discovered the benefits of locating in
Henry. “Most of our customers are within an 8-10
hour drive of McDonough,” describes Kevin Smith,
Human Resources and Administration Manager.
“Henry County was selected because of its major
transportation networks, interstate highways,
international airport and port accessibility.”
Smith also cites Georgia’s available workforce,
lower costs, and employment at will laws as other
factors.
Since coming to Henry in 1988, Toppan
Interamerica has truly become rooted in the
community. Their original 150,000 square foot
facility has grown to 250,000 square feet and
employs 148 people. The company is active in
the community, and their efforts to become an
employer of choice have resulted in low turn
over rates. In 2008, they were recognized by the
Governor as the Work Ready Company of the Year
and selected as Business of the Year by the Henry
County Chamber of Commerce.
The company has also become a recognized leader
in their industry. The McDonough team prints
quality decorative papers with innovative patterns
developed by Toppan’s own design group to better
serve their North American clients. Their printing
process also utilizes water-based, environmentally
friendly techniques to print their decorative papers.
“The success of our operation is not only due
to its most advanced printing technology
and equipment,” explains Smith, “But more
importantly, the culmination of Japanese and
American cultures blended perfectly throughout
the management and crew, which solidifies the
Toppan Interamerica team.”
“Henry County is a great place to do
business. County and government and
local authorities are responsive to local
industries. Quality of life, housing and
school systems have grown as Toppan’s
needs have grown.”
GROWING GLOBALToppan Interamerica calls Henry home
Pictured Left: Yukio Fujie, President of Toppan Interamerica
Discover Henry 57
It’s no secret that metro Atlanta is considered
a major national transportation hub, so when
Sunglass Hut was looking for a distribution
facility in the mid nineties, Henry County was a
top contender.
Since its opening in 1996, the facility has grown
to over 235 employees and 234,000 square feet.
The center is responsible for distributing product
for three Luxottica retail brands including
LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut and Sears Optical.
It also serves as the distribution center for
Luxottica’s North American wholesale customers
as well as the North American data center.
“This location allows us to reach more customers
via ground transportation and reduce transit
time,” says Pedro Carreras, Luxottica’s Vice
President of Retail and Wholesale Distribution
for the Americas. “Since we’re located in one of
the fastest growing counties in the nation, there
are an ample number of local applicants for open
positions.”
Luxottica’s Henry County facility also serves
another function of which the staff is especially
proud – it houses a Resource Center for donated
eyewear. Through their OneSight initiative,
Luxottica and its employees have provided
eye care and eyeware for over 8 million people
worldwide. Their vision vans visit several Henry
County schools each year where they may see as
many as 100 children per day. Their 5K and 10K
Eye Run held locally each spring raises funds for
OneSight’s programs.
THE EYES HAVE ITLuxottica expands their vision of growth in Henry County and abroad
Pictured Left: Luxottica’s North American distribution center located in Greenwood Industrial Park
Pictured Below: Pedro Carreras, Luxottica VP of Retail and Wholesale Distribution for the Americas
58 Discover Henry
The next time you pick up the
phone to report a power outage
during a storm, it may be your
neighbor on the other end of the
line. Georgia Power’s Customer
Care Center is located right here
in Henry County, and the facility
is blazing new trails in employee
retention and innovation.
In the late nineties, the
power company split their
incoming calls and customer
support functions between
two centers: North Georgia
and Macon. Challenged with
managing technology in dual
facilities, Georgia Power began
looking for a site that would
be geographically strategic
and provide a good work-life
balance for their staff.
Eventually, their search brought
them to Stockbridge where the
electricity provider built a new
125,000 square foot facility that
now employs a staff of 600. As
the primary call center, over
10.5 million calls are answered
here each year. Technology,
operations, training and back
office functions are also housed
in the facility.
“This is a true public-private
partnership,” explains Mitchell
King, director of the Customer
Care Center. “Throughout
the process, we have had
tremendous cooperation with
the County, development
authority, police and public
works.”
King cites Henry County’s rapid
growth as a contributing factor
in supplying Georgia Power
with talented employees who
benefit from the company’s
emphasis on health and well-
being. The facility offers a full
time in-house nurse, on-site
cafeteria, employee managed
fitness facility, van pools for
commuters, and telecommuting
options. Their day care
center located adjacent to the
Customer Care Center is also
silver LEED certified.
“Our business requires us to
have sophisticated technology
that is up and running 24 hours
a day,” explains King. “Our
location in Henry County and
the staff that we employ here
allows us to do that.”
Pictured Above: Georgia Power employee tracks customer calls and outages
Pictured Far Left: The entrance to Georgia Power’s Customer Care Center
Pictured Left: Mitchell King, director of the Georgia Power Customer Care Center
TURNING ON INNOVATIONGeorgia Power recognizes the power of good employees
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When Frank and Louise Crowley started making
the house dressing from Ken’s Steakhouse in their
kitchen in 1958, little did they know their products
would one day line the grocery shelves nationwide.
They probably also would not have predicted
that much of their products would eventually be
produced in McDonough, Georgia, including the
number one selling barbeque sauce in the country,
Sweet Baby Rays.
Management first began to search for a
Southeastern plant in the mid nineties, they spent
eight months searching for the perfect location that
could meet their unique requirements. It needed
to have adequate water and sewer infrastructure,
room to expand, good rail access, and be within an
hour of a major airport.
“We weren’t just looking for the cheapest place
to build,” says Dave Muskopf, Vice President of
Engineering for Ken’s Foods. “We looked at all of
the requirements for the next 25 to 50 years, and
thought Henry County was the best place for the
company and our employees.”
The initial design-build project included an 80,000
square foot building that employed 45 people. Over
the years, Ken’s Foods has expanded four times
and tripled its size to 370,000 square feet with
325 employees. The privately owned company
manufactures such nationally recognized brands
as Sweet Baby Ray’s and Ken’s Steakhouse salad
dressings and produces 80,000 to 90,000 cases a
day in McDonough that are shipped worldwide.
Ray Lauer, plant manager for Ken’s McDonough
facility, cites the close labor pool and good
relationships with local agencies as some of the
benefits of being located in Henry. “Most of our
employees live in Henry County because it provides
a great quality of life,” he explains. “The county
governments and local authorities have also been
very cooperative over the years. We will continue
to grow here.”
THE SECRET’S IN THE SAUCE… AND THE LOCATIONKen’s Foods has been cooking up success in Henry County since 1995
Pictured Above: Some of the many dressings and sauces produced by Ken’s Foods
Pictured Right: Ken’s Foods manufacturing facility in Midland Industrial Park in McDonough
60 Discover Henry
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT GROWTH 2000-2009
Year Labor Force Employed Unemployed Unemployment2009 96,698 87,677 9,021 9.3%2008 97,533 91,559 5,974 6.1%2007 95,294 91,279 4,015 4.2%2006 91,691 87,561 4,130 4.5%2005 87,387 83,209 4,178 4.8%2004 79,378 76,753 3,194 4.0%2003 74,722 71,571 3,151 4.2%2002 70,889 67,972 2,917 4.1%2001 69,544 67,900 1,644 2.4%2000 65,484 64,143 1,341 2.0%
Source: Georgia Department of Labor
EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY
Number PercentAgriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 56 0.1Mining 77 0.2Construction 2,346 4.8Manufacturing 3,225 6.6Services 33,084 68.7 Utilities * * Wholesale Trade 1,809 3.7 Retail Trade 7,974 16.2 Transportation and Warehousing 2,402 4.8 Information 308 0.6 Finance and Insurance 1,693 3.4 Real Estate 528 1.1 Professional and Technical Services 1,433 2.8 Management of Companies/Enterprises * * Administrative and Waste Management 4,001 8.1 Educational Services 457 0.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 4,591 9.3 Arts, Entertainment and Recreation 887 1.8 Accommodation and Food Services 5,842 11.9 Other Services, Exc. Public Administration 1,135 2.3Unclassified 49 0.1Government 9,665 19.6Totals 49,222 100Source: Georgia Department of Labor, 2009 Annual Data
* Data not released
HOUSEHOLDS BY INCOME
Household Income 2000 Census 2010 (Est)$0 - $15,000 6.1% 7.3%$15,000 - $24,999 7.5% 6.8%$25,000 - $34,999 9.9% 8.1%$35,000 - $49,999 17.5% 14.1%$50,000 - $74,999 27.6% 23.4%$75,000 - $99,999 17.0% 16.3%$100,000 - $149,999 10.7% 16.8%$150,000 + 3.7% 7.3%Average Household Income $65,834 $74,256Median Household Income $57,643 $63,836Per Capita Income $22,823 $25,575Source: Decision Data, provided by Henry County Development Authority
POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD GROWTH
1990 Census 2000 Census 2010 EstimateTotal Population 58,738 119,341 202,282Total Households 20,011 41,373 68,860Source: Decision Data, provided by Henry County Development Authority
HENRY COUNTY
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HENRY COUNTY BUILDING PERMIT ACTIVITY
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Single Family 3,386 3,470 3,545 3,240 2,853 2,939 2,207 1,147 314 172 189Commer/Industrial 185 394 146 132 77 101 83 300 354 231 201Multi-Family 49 12 30 10 0 15 10 37 11 8 0Source: Henry County Building Department
HENRY COUNTY HOME SALES
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009New Units Sold 3,239 3,243 3,622 3,206 1,860 975 596Resale Units Sold 1,987 2,360 2,760 3,281 2,450 2,150 2,255Total Units Sold 5,226 5,603 6,382 6,487 4,310 3,125 2,851Median New Price $158,900 $174,600 $185,900 $209,400 $218,754 $198,250 $189,650 Median Resale Price $133,000 $138,955 $144,793 $149,999 $144,900 $131,900 $107,100 Median Total Price $149,900 $160,600 $170,000 $181,700 $179,000 $152,000 $119,900 Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
140 Henry Parkway | McDonough, GA 30253(770) 288-8000 | www.discoverhenry.com
Promoting economic development for Henry
County is the job of the Henry County Development
Authority, the county’s lead economic agency. The
Authority provides location assistance to new and
expanding businesses, advises the Henry County
Board of Commissioners on economic development
policy issues, and works closely with the Board of
Commissioners – as well as with the Henry County
Chamber of Commerce and other leaders in the
public and private sectors – to stimulate economic
growth and development in Henry County. To
learn more about how the Development Authority
helps businesses to Discover the Power of Location
in Henry County, visit the Authority’s website at
www.discoverhenry.com.