While much of the world is absorbed in political shoot-outs and international squabbles of one kind or another, the general state of things in our nation is strong and growing. The smart players continue to calmly watch the trends on Main Street and Wall Street, and Georgia is holding its own and is well positioned to benefit. For a number of years, our state has been near the top of the lists when it came to attracting economic developers and site specialists. The only problem was they all wanted to be near Atlanta, but recently, the spotlight has shifted and has also included the southeastern part of the state from Savannah to Brunswick and Dublin down to Valdosta. There are a variety of reasons for that, but in our area, much of the activity has centered around manufacturing, energy and logistics.
In the last eight to ten years, there has been steady growth in our part of the state that has far outpaced the level of progress typically seen. A major catalyst of this was the growth of the Georgia Ports Authority and its impact on the entire region and beyond. The amazing performance of this operation has not only brought credit to the state but also established Georgia as an ambassador and reliable partner in market orientation and future operations prospects. At the recent 57th Annual International Trade Conference, Georgia Ports Authority CEO Griff Lynch commented on the record setting statistics of the GPA Savannah Harbor Port with 40 Container ships calling weekly, and 42 double stack trains departing weekly for inland deliveries. Lynch also spoke about the upcoming process of widening and deepening the Savannah port to allow for larger vessels that will be used in the future. Plans for land arteries for the port will soon begin and include the construction of additional traffic lanes on Interstate 95 to South Carolina and Interstate 16 from the 95 interchange west to State Route 67. Griff also discussed new shipping companies that will be calling at Savannah. There are also reports of a new shipping route that will avoid the Panama Canal and allow autos and other product shipped from South Korea to unload at the Brunswick, Georgia port and Savannah port to handle distribution for the entire east coast of the U.S.A. This is an indication of the international role the port of Savannah is playing in the critical area of supply chain security, route development and industrial recruitment that will continue to bring more commercial activity to Southeastern Georgia. It is clear that the GPA at Savannah will continue to be a major asset in attracting more and more business growth to our area.
Another major economic boom to recently come to Southeastern Georgia is the Hyundai Motor Group Meta Plant in Bryan County. The massive auto plant started production in 2024 and will now add a second shift in September of this year. The plant is producing three models at this point and will add others soon. The plan for production, when full employment of 4,000 is reached, will enable the assembly of 1,011 vehicles a day including electric vehicles and hybrids. The operations of the new plant are supported by a group of suppliers who have sited new buildings in eight of the surrounding counties. Hyundai in partnership with other suppliers is also constructing new plant facilities to produce the next generation of improved batteries for EVs.
The success of these operations naturally provides the benefits of new jobs and growing opportunity, but also, we need to understand that these and so many other large and small businesses provide the core of support that sustains the long-term quality of life that is crucial to the local economies here. The Savannah operation of the Georgia Ports Authority accounts for over 600,000 jobs throughout the state. Many of them being filled by people in Emanuel County. In 2024, Hyundai invested nearly 16 billion dollars in capital spending and business operations in the state of Georgia. When you consider that each dollar of industrial development returns an average of $5.60 to the local economy, it is easy to understand how progress can radiate through an entire region. That is why the roles of our local governments and civic organizations are so vital in reflecting the spirit, vitality, and pride of a town or county. Attracting new jobs and investment is not easy. It is an effort that requires total commitment from a community. But this is a rare time when possibilities and opportunities surround us. We cannot afford to ignore that. The question is, “what will we do to capitalize on it, and who will lead the charge.” Now is the time for all the best talent and resources and leadership of Emanuel County to join together, and work to make sure that we are not left out of this new age of progress in Southeastern Georgia.
