MORE BUSES IN PEACH COUNTY
Last week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that Blue Bird Corporation would be expanding in Peach County. The leading school bus manufacturer has operated in the state for nearly 100 years and will now pursue a $300 million expansion in Fort Valley. A former site used for diesel-powered motorhomes will be transformed into a facility to support all bus powertrains. Blue Bird plans to construct a new 1-million-sq.-ft. facility to manufacture Type C school buses spanning diesel, gasoline, propane and electric models. “Every bus that rolls out of our plant carries the pride of the people across Middle Georgia who build it,” said Blue Bird Corporation President and CEO John Wyskiel. “Our new facility in Fort Valley is our way of investing back into the community where we will continue to build more of the safe, dependable buses that school districts rely on, so we can keep getting children to school safely for the next hundred years.”
Photo courtesy of Hanwha Defense USA
A VISION FOR MUNITIONS CAMPUS TAKES SHAPE
Virginia-based Hanwha Defense USA plans to locate the company’s new Hanwha Advanced Manufacturing Campus at the U.S. Army Pine Bluff Arsenal, about eight miles northwest of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The announced $2.2 billion facility will produce 155-millimeter propellant charges and base bleed units. This campus is designed to span key stages of munitions production, enabling for increased U.S. production capacity and modernization of the nation’s industrial base. “The eventual lease will create revenue for the Army, bring in new jobs for the local community, and enhance our organic industrial base,” said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Jordan Gillis. “By leasing underutilized land, the Army can reinvest the consideration into critical infrastructure to support quality of life of Soldiers, civilians, and their family members — delivering lasting value for both the Army and the region.”
Photo: Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS CLAIMS ANOTHER HQ
An enterprise software company has announced it will be investing $1 million to establish its global headquarters in New Orleans, Louisiana. The move comes from Copado, Inc., just two years after the company shared plans to bring an innovation center to the city. Copado is aiming to reinforce its commitment to the region, its talent and technology economy, while placing New Orleans at the center of its global strategy. The company develops software to help organizations build, test and deliver enterprise applications faster. “We’ve found extraordinary talent here and a community that shares our belief that the next generation of technology companies can be built anywhere great people come together. As the way software is built and delivered transforms, we want Louisiana’s talent to help lead the way,” said Copado CEO Ted Elliott. “Establishing our global headquarters here is a long-term commitment to this city, its people and its growing technology economy. Talented people shouldn’t have to leave Louisiana to build careers at the forefront of that transformation. We’re creating those opportunities right here.” The new HQ in the city will enable Copado to bring key business functions together in one location to support the company’s global growth. Copado plans to create 59 new jobs through this investment.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
