Alabama. Lockheed Martin plans to invest $16.5 million to open a Missile System Integration Lab focusing on missile defense on its campus in Huntsville. The company’s workforce is expected to grow by over 200 employees this year at its sites in Huntsville and Courtland, where it operates a digital factory to advance hypersonic technologies. Lockheed Martin said it will continue to support key supplier outreach efforts, workforce development, and academic partnerships in the area beyond the 25 facilities in the state.[1]
Georgia. Boston Scientific, a leading manufacturer of medical devices used in interventional medical specialties, will construct a new manufacturing and supply chain facility in Johns Creek. The company designs, develops, and manufactures a wide range of medical devices and therapies used in less-invasive procedures across a range of medical specialties. The Georgia Department of Economic Development, the City of Johns Creek, the Fulton County Development Authority, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Georgia Power, and Georgia Quick Start collaborated with the company on this project. The $62.5 million project is expected to create 340 jobs in Fulton County over the next seven years.[2]
Kentucky. Mayfield Consumer Products LLC, a manufacturer of candles and other home fragrance products, will invest a total of $33.3 million and employ more than 500 people full-time over the next five years. KEDFA preliminarily approved a 10-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. KEDFA approved the company for up to $100,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). In addition, MCP can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers.[3]; Funai Lexington Technology Corp.’s (FLTC) is planning an expansion in Fayette County, which includes an investment of over $3.8 million and will create six high-quality jobs for residents. KEDFA preliminarily approved FLTC for up to $200,000 in tax incentives through the KEIA.[4]; New Riff Distilling LLC broke ground on a more than $10 million barrel storage warehouse in Campbell County that will create five jobs for Kentucky residents. KEDFA approved New Riff for up to $50,000 in tax incentives through the KEIA.[5]; Augusta Distillery LLC broke ground on a new $23 million distillery that will create at least 14 full-time jobs for Kentuckians. KEDFA approved the company for tax incentives through the KEIA.[6]
Michigan. Rexair, a leading direct seller and manufacturer of premium vacuum cleaning systems for residential customers, will onshore some production from China with the expansion of its facility in Cadillac. The project is being supported by a $48,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The city of Cadillac plans to support the company by aiding with permitting or other requirements. The $3.35 million project is expected to create nine new jobs.[7]; American Recreational Products, a subsidiary of Northern Composites and manufacturer of composites and plastics, plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Fenton. The project is being supported by a $250,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. In addition, the city of Fenton anticipates approval of a five-year Industrial Facilities Tax Abatement. The $4 million project is expected to create 59 jobs.[8]; Carolina Food Service, a full-service food distribution company, today announced plans to expand operations in Horry County. The company’s more than $3.7 million investment will create 71 new jobs. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has awarded a $100,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Horry County to assist with costs of site preparation and building construction.[9] Plastics recycler Island Plastics will create 24 manufacturing jobs in Flint with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund. Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce that plastics recycler Island Plastics will create 24 manufacturing jobs in Flint with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund. ACI plans to invest into an existing facility in the city of Flint to construct a state-of-the-art system where it will recycle post-consumer LDPE material for resale to various industries including energy, automotive and consumer goods. The company anticipates processing 25 million pounds of waste per year through the reuse of this plastic. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $8 million, supported by a $150,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the project over a competing site in Ohio.[10]
Mississippi. Columbia Industries, an oilfield and solid waste equipment manufacturer, is establishing operations in Starkville. Columbia Industries specializes in the custom design and fabrication of oilfield equipment. The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is aiding for building improvements. The city and county also are aiding with the project. The $9.549 million project is expected to create 62 jobs in the next year.[11]
Missouri. Windows and doors manufacturer Peerless Products, Inc., will expand operations in Nevada. The expansion will increase production capacity at the existing 220,000-square-foot facility, which employs more than 40 people and is currently being used for warehousing, manufacturing, and research and development. Peerless used the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The $3.5 million project is expected to create 111 jobs.[12]
North Carolina. Cabinet manufacturer Design Mode Cabinetry will establish operations in Warsaw. A performance-based grant of $425,000 to Warsawing Cabinets, LLC from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Design Mode Cabinetry’s location in North Carolina. The $13 million project is expected to create 139 jobs in Duplin County.[13]
Ohio. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced state support for 112 brownfield remediation projects that will help clean up contaminated properties in Ohio to make way for future economic development. As part of the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, the Ohio Department of Development is awarding $192 million for projects impacting 41 Ohio counties. Today’s $192 million in grant awards includes approximately $187.8 million for 79 clean-up projects and $4.5 million for 33 assessment projects. These grants are in addition to the $60 million in Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program grants awarded in April. An additional $98 million in funds will be awarded in the coming months. Funds awarded today will help to assess and clean up industrial, commercial, and institutional brownfield sites that are abandoned, idled, or underutilized due to a known or potential release of hazardous substances or petroleum. Following site remediation, properties can be redeveloped to revitalize neighborhoods and attract new economic development.[14] More than $42.1 million in grant funding was awarded to help communities in nearly every Ohio county turn blighted properties into new opportunities that attract investment, business, and jobs. Eighty-seven out of Ohio’s 88 counties will receive up to $500,000 in grants as part of the first phase of the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, which funds the demolition of dilapidated commercial and residential buildings and the revitalization of surrounding properties. In total, approximately $150 million in grants will be awarded for demolition and revitalization projects across the state in coming months. As part of the program’s initial round of funding, $500,000 was set aside for all of Ohio’s 88 counties through June 30, 2022. The awards announced represent the total amount requested by each county up to its $500,000 set-aside. The program’s remaining funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to counties that applied for funding more than $500,000. The Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program is part of Governor DeWine’s Ohio BUILDS Initiative, which focuses on supporting targeted solutions that impact quality of life, such as water infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, the demolition of blighted buildings, and more.[15]
South Carolina. Carolina Precision Foods, a joint venture of Carolina Fresh Foods and owners of Lake Foods, will establish operations in Florence. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. The $10 million project is expected to create 402 jobs.[16]; ENGESER USA Corp., a world leading cable specialist, plans to establish operations in Summerville. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has awarded a $75,000 Set-Aside grant to Dorchester County to assist with costs related to this project. The $1.5 million project is expected to create 26 jobs in Dorchester County.[17]; Nutramax Laboratories, an industry-leading manufacturer and marketer of nutritional supplement products for people and pets, plans to expand operations in Indian Land. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits for this project. The council has also awarded a $500,000 Set-Aside grant to Lancaster County to assist with costs related to this project. The $30 million project is expected to create 200 jobs in Lancaster County.[18]; Gehl Foods, a leading food and beverage manufacturing company, plans to establish operations in Walterboro. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project as an incentive. The $46 million project is expected to create 106 jobs in Colleton County.[19]
Texas. Governor Greg Abbott announced more than $5.9 million in Texas Talent Connection grants to 18 innovative workforce skills training and job placement programs in communities across the state. These competitive grant awards are administered by the Texas Workforce Investment Council in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism. The grants support innovative education and workforce skills training programs that lead to successful job placements, increased wages, and improved job retention, as well as serve workforce populations with special needs.[20]
Virginia. More than $10.2 million in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant awards for 13 projects focused on expanding talent pipelines in key industries, strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, and developing business-ready sites while supporting regional economic growth through localities, public entities and private businesses have been announced.[21] The grant recipients include:[22] (i) Hampton Roads Economic Development Sites Readiness: Phase II in Chesapeake, Southampton County ($3,751,545); (ii) Nano-IMAGINE in Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William Counties ($2,500,000); (iii) Maritime Entry-to-Employment Training (MEET) in Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk, Suffolk County ($1,099,527); (iv) Accelerating Advanced Manufacturing Workforce in Frederick, Shenandoah and Winchester Counties ($530,000); (v) Technology Academies for Fauquier and Rappahannock Counties ($402,075); (vi) Talent Supply Connector in Culpeper, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Nelson Counties ($391,528); (vii)Workforce and Entrepreneurship Initiatives in a Regional Makerspace in the City of Lynchburg, Bedford and Campbell Counties ($324,000);(viii) I-64 Innovation Corridor Global Internet Hub Growth Plan Initiative in the City of Virginia Beach, Henrico County ($100,000); (ix) NextGen Nurses in Page, Shenandoah and Warren Counties ($306,000); (x)Rappahannock and Germanna Community Colleges Patient Care Technician Program in the City of Fredericksburg, Counties of Essex, Gloucester, Spotsylvania and Stafford ($306,252); (xi) United Way of Southwest Virginia Employer-Sponsored Child care Benefit, 2022 in Tazewell and Smyth Counties ($269,406); (xii) BEACON’s Kitchen in Charlottesville, Albemarle County ($189,000); and (xiii) Shenandoah Valley Small Business Resiliency Teams (SBRT) Round 2 in Counties of Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren, and the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg and Winchester.($100,000). Hanley Energy, Irish-owned global innovators in Critical Power and Energy Management solutions, will invest $8 million to expand its Hanley Energy Electrical division in Loudoun County. The project will create 343 new jobs, including electricians and apprentice electricians. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Loudoun County to secure the project for Virginia and will support Hanley Energy’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP).[23]