Georgia ranks No. 5 in luring businesses to state

By Leon Stafford

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When it comes to places for a company to locate, Georgia is riding high on the list.

Georgia ranks No. 5 among states in business site selection, according to Site Selection magazine. The Norcross, Ga., trade publication said the state attracted 251 projects last year.

They included the May announcement by Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications that it was bringing its Americas headquarters to Atlanta; the news that Maxzone, a subsidiary of DEPO Auto Parts, would relocate and expand its southeast headquarters and distribution operations to Norcross was announced in October; and the groundbreaking in October for a new manufacturing plant in Statesboro for Great Dane Trailers, which was announced in August.

Georgia was behind Texas, Ohio, Louisiana and Pennsylvania.

The news followed a milestone for the state last year -- the total value of goods exported from Georgia in 2010 exceeded $28.7 billion, the most Georgia has ever exported in a single year, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. The state's imports also were up 27 percent over 2009.

“These figures are more than statistics: they mean more opportunities for Georgia companies and thus more job creation,” said Chris Cummiskey, the new commissioner of the economic development department.

In the Site Selection rankings, the magazine said qualifying projects involved private-sector capital investment in commercial facilities of at least $1 million, 50 or more new jobs or new construction of at least 20,000 square feet.