Savannah Chamber

18 Benz USA, Honeywell, Jindal Films, Merchant e-Solutions, VIX Verify, Sage, mLevel, Comcast, Wells Lighting, CSM Bakery Solutions, Courion, and Osmose Utilities Services. In addition, Global Ministries, the philanthropic arm of the United Methodist Church, moved its headquarters from New York to Atlanta, creating 168 jobs. The outlook for Georgia's healthcare providers is good, but not exuberant. There is widespread agreement that Georgia's growing and aging population will demand more healthcare services, but intractable disagreement about who will pay the bills is a headwind for the industry's growth. More specifically, uncertainties regarding the long-term viability of the ACA as well as Georgia's nonparticipation in the expanded Medicaid program cloud the outlook for the healthcare industry, especially rural hospitals. Nonetheless, this sector will be one of the better performers. The large numbers of baby boomers are reaching the age where the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and other care- intensive problems begin to rise rapidly. In essence, the population of persons with multiple chronic health conditions that require ongoing healthcare continues to grow rapidly regardless of the vicissitudes of the business cycle or healthcare policy. Factors encouraging providers of high-tech and highly specialized professional services to favor sites in Georgia – especially the Atlanta MSA – include the good business climate, logistical advantages in terms of serving far-flung clients, and the available professional workforce. Providers of business services that either lower costs or provide necessities should do well. The recovery of housing and nonresidential real estate markets will boost money spent on legal fees. The outlook for consultants is positive due to continuing economic expansion, robust corporate profits, more business expansions and relocations, and higher revenue collections by state and local governments. The Boston Consulting Group's decision to create a new regional support center in Atlanta reflects the ease of using the area as a geographic hub from which to serve clients throughout the Southeast. Similarly, Accenture – one of the largest consulting firms – announced a major expansion of its operations in Atlanta. Georgia's staffing and temporary agencies should do well because the modest pace of economic growth coupled with the higher risk of recession should encourage many employers to remain flexible and responsive to potentially changing economic conditions. The state's low unemployment rate will restrain growth of the staffing industry, however. Workers will be less willing to accept temporary positions and the supply of suitable workers will be very limited. Recent and continuing increases in spending for new equipment and software will underpin higher demand for computer services for businesses. Assuming a full-blown trade war is avoided, cyclical increases in domestic and foreign economic activity combined with Georgia's strong transportation and logistics infrastructure will ensure job growth in the logistics and distribution industry. Cargo volumes will outpace state – and U.S. – GDP growth in 2019. That is quite an accomplishment for an industry that typically moves in lockstep with the overall economy. The 2018 opening of the Appalachian Regional Port will help the Port of Savannah tap into new markets and will help economic developers bring more projects to Georgia. The many economic development projects involving the relocation and expansion of manufacturers contributes to the very positive outlook for Georgia's freight traffic. Many major distribution and logistics project announcements in 2018 will be building out. Wayfair Inc. will create 1,000 jobs over the next five years at a new warehouse/distribution facility in Savannah. Saddle Creek Logistics, which provides supply chain solutions to businesses, is expected to create 300 new jobs at a newly leased facility in the Coweta Industrial Park. Loloi Inc. will create almost 200 jobs at a distribution facility in Cartersville. FiveBelow will create over 130 jobs at a new distribution center in Monroe County. Elk Group International will support about 100 jobs at a new distribution facility in Rabun Gap. KL Outdoor will create 100 manufacturing and distribution jobs in Stockbridge. Van Riet Material Handling Systems, a specialist in transport and sorting solutions, will create over 70 jobs in Fulton County. GE Appliances will create 100 jobs at a new distribution enter in Commerce. Distribution and logistics announcements in 2017 include Safavieh, Z Gallerie, Lidl, Coyote Logistics, and ASOS. Announcements over the last few of years include Tory Burch, HD Supply, Polymer Logistics, Total Quality Logistics, and United Arab Shipping Company. Sonoco Packaging will create 595 jobs in a new packaging center in Fairburn. Georgia's logistical advantages led Luxottica Group to choose Henry County for an assembly and distribution center. This project will create about 1,000 new jobs. In addition, Georgia benefits from many new logistical/distribution centers for both online and bricks and mortar retailers, including Amazon, Sports Warehouse, Home Chef, Variety Wholesalers, Amazon, Dollar General, thredUP, Ollie's, Badcock, and Walmart.

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