There was an air of excitement throughout our county on Sept. 21 on the third floor courtroom in Meriwether County’s beautiful historic courthouse.
As chairman of the Meriwether County Industrial Development Authority, I know firsthand how all of us have been working very hard to recruit Mando Corp.
Yet hearing the official announcement from Gov. Nathan Deal, Mando chairman M.W. Chung and chairman Nancy Jones of the Meriwether County Board of Commissioners allowed us all to celebrate the culmination of many hours of hard work. We are so proud to be a part of this great day in Meriwether County.
Mando Corp. is an international auto parts manufacturing firm, with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. It has plants in Japan, China, India, Turkey, Germany, Poland, Brazil and the U.S. This will be the third plant location in the United States, with others in Michigan and Alabama. The local Mando plant will manufacture electric power steering gears and anti-lock brake systems for Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai and Kia.
Meriwether County is a rural community with a high unemployment rate and a relatively low industrial tax base. Expanding the utilization of Meriwether Park by the addition of this $200 million investment will provide a significant economic boost to our county and its surrounding areas, and provide jobs that are vital for our citizens.
The plant will employ about 200 initially, with expectations for more than 400 jobs as demand increases. Our county has a well-trained work force and good work ethic to offer Mando, which initially will use the state Labor Department and temp services to hire workers. Operations are to begin in December 2012. Information for job-seekers will be announced as it becomes available.
The 600,000-square-foot plant will be situated on 142 acres in Meriwether Park. The park is an ideal location for Mando, as it is about 20 minutes northeast of the Kia Motors plant in West Point. With access to I-85 within two miles of the park, it is a prime location for industrial development.
Last week’s announcement is a testament to the leadership, unity and team spirit so prominent in our county and the expertise and support of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Meriwether County Board of Commissioners, Georgia Power and the Joint Development Authority of the city of Hogansville and Meriwether County.
Many people worked tirelessly to put this deal in place and it will have a tremendous impact on our county, our region and our state.
Robert Moreland is chairman of the Meriwether County Industrial Development Authority.
About the Author
