ABB 2006/7 | State Profiles | South East region | Georgia | Profile

In 1733 British General James Oglethorpe founded the American colony of Georgia and for more than 250 years British businesses have made their mark on the Peach State. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, United Kingdom companies in Georgia employ more than 12,000 workers, making the nation the third-largest international employer within the state. The UK is also the third-largest foreign investor in Georgia, with cumulative investments of more than $2.5 billion. But those figures also represent countless additional expenditure in real estate, machinery, people and taxes. These numbers paint a picture of an ongoing and thriving UK-Georgia business partnership.

What makes Georgia so attractive to British business and industry? “More than anything else is Southern hospitality,” says Martin Rickerd, Her Majesty’s Consul General in Atlanta. “There is a great sense of welcome and belonging here, and this makes doing business in the south-east and particularly in Georgia very easy.” Rickerd says the pace of international investment in Georgia only accelerated after the state hosted the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. “But I have also met numerous expatriates who came to the area and stayed,” he adds. “It is no surprise that many UK residents find living and working in Georgia so familiar.”

The Peach State additionally welcomes UK business investment with a bonus incentive — low taxes. Georgia was named in a recent study as the number one state economy in the US. The study, a multiplecategory analysis of state economies commissioned by Arthur Laffer, a former adviser to late President Ronald Reagan, cited Georgia’s push to reduce the tax burden on residents and employers. In 2005 Georgia’s legislature revamped corporate income taxes. The tax is now based on sales alone, and state officials estimate the move will save Georgia-based businesses nearly $100 million annually.

“Lower costs are a big draw,” says Cullen Larson, executive director of the Georgia Economic Developers Association. “Plus, I believe there is a tremendous pro-business attitude here.” Larson cites such statesponsored programmes as the Georgia Job Tax Credit Programme, which is designed to offer incentives and credits for companies headquartering or creating jobs in specifically targeted areas of Georgia. Recruiting industry to Georgia has taken a creative turn, and state officials have identified six areas of business or centres of innovation that the state will actively support with incentives, incubator projects and academic resources. These include aerospace, agriculture, information technology, maritime logistics, manufacturing excellence and life science.

These business incubator centres combine both public and private assets and enable businesses to connect with university and business experts to foster entrepreneurial ideas and business investment. The Life Sciences Innovation Center is located in Augusta, near the Medical College of Georgia, and is co-sponsored by United Kingdom Trade and Investment, the business development arm of the British Consul General’s office in Atlanta. “We are constantly looking at ways to establish business partnerships,” says Rickerd. “The Life Sciences industries in the UK are emerging businesses and this (Life Sciences Center) is just one more way to foster those partnerships.”

In the fall of 2005 UK-based Douglas Equipment announced it would locate its first international facility in metropolitan Atlanta. The firm manufactures aviation towing tractors for military and civilian application. The new site, located in Douglasville and near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, will also manufacture and design handling vehicles for helicopter and fighter aircraft. “The decision to open the Atlanta plant is an extension of Doulgas’ commitment to customer service in the US civil aviation market,” says Douglas Equipment Managing Director Lee Brewis. Economic development state officials claim the draw of the world’s busiest airport and the Georgia Aerospace Innovation Center certainly assisted in Douglas’ decision.

Georgia offers employers a skilled labour pool. According to the 2000 US Census, more than 24% of the state’s adult population have a four-year bachelor’s degree or higher. Plus, Georgia’s state universities and colleges are widely recognized as some of the finest in the US. “There’s not a better public university system in the country,” adds Larson. “With schools like the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State, industry has not only available educated workers, but also access to recruitment through those universities and even research tools.”

The Peach State is also one of the most affordable areas in the country to purchase a home. “I know that the UK is often less expensive than other areas of Europe,” says Rickerd, “and Georgia is surprisingly less expensive than other areas of the US. Housing prices here are comparatively lower.”

Georgia also offers an elusive bonus known as wonderful quality of life. The state boasts mountains, numerous lakes and seashore. Atlanta is renowned as a cosmopolitan city with a civic symphony, fine arts and museums. Cities such as Savannah, Brunswick and Macon revel in historic preservation while welcoming new business and residents. “Georgia really does have the best of all possible worlds,” adds Larson. “There is a reason why so many businesses now call Georgia home. I’d say to any international company looking for a dynamic site for a US operation, y’all come.”

For more information, contact:
Georgia EMC
PO Box 1707
Tucker, GA 30085-1707
001 770 270 6950
www.georgiaemc.com

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