Above: A Rivian battery pack awaits inspection before heading to the chassis line. Rivian is among the EV manufacturers and suppliers investing in the Peach State. (Image Source: Rivian)
Growth in Georgia’s electronics sector surged over the past year, according to data collected firsthand from the state’s manufacturers by MNI’s research team.
Georgia is currently home to 8,519 manufacturers, that employ 509,783 workers. Over the past year, the state added 6,812 jobs or 1.3% to its industrial workforce.
The growth in Georgia’s manufacturing sector was largely fueled by the electronics sector, which shot by 2,100 jobs or by 9% over the past twelve months. Much of this gain was attributed to growth in the EV batteries industry following the establishment of Korea-based SK Battery in Commerce, a $2.6 billion plant supplying the rapidly-growing electric vehicle market. As a result, job growth in Georgia’s battery sector grew by 130%.
Above: Construction of SK Battery's facility in Commerce, GA.
Georgia has established itself as a major destination for automotive companies over the past several years, and EV makers and related suppliers are following suit. Over the past year, the state has announced a number of new electric-vehicle related enterprises, including Rivian’s plans to establish an adventure vehicle manufacturing facility outside of Atlanta. Meanwhile, Aerogels, a provider of aerogel-based sustainability and electrification solutions for the EV market, announced plans to establish an advanced manufacturing facility in the state.
Manufacturing Hiring Trends in Georgia by Industry
Food products manufacturing currently accounts for the largest share of the state’s industrial employment, with 534 companies employing 72,491. Over the past year, food processing jobs grew by 1.7%. Within this sector, fish processing grew by 26%, while bakery products grew by 17%.
Transportation equipment ranks 51,142, up 0.6% over the year. Currently transportation equipment is Georgia’s second-largest industrial sector based on number of jobs, with 51,142 jobs. Over the year, that sector grew by a half percent. Growing transportation equipment subsectors include truck and bus bodies, up 14%.
Related: Top 10 Manufacturing Companies in Georgia
Other Georgia manufacturing subsectors adding jobs include petroleum refining, up 166%; fertilizers, up 52%; pharmaceutical preparations, up 51%; and tires, up 29%. These gains were offset by losses in aluminum sheet, plate and foil, down 66%; nonmetallic mineral products, down 19%; and computer peripheral equipment, down 12%.
Georgia Cities Adding Manufacturing Jobs
According to MNI’s city data, industrial employment in Atlanta, Georgia’s top ranked city by number of manufacturing jobs, remained steady over the year, with 58,180 jobs. Second-ranked Alpharetta saw industrial employment increase 1.9% over the past year, and now accounts for 21,009 jobs.
Other Georgia cities that saw increases in manufacturing employment include Columbus, up 17% and Augusta, up 4%.
About This Data
Established in 1912, MNI is the nation’s oldest and largest compiler of data on U.S. manufacturers. Detailed business profiles of 460,000 U.S. industrial companies are available for sales, marketing, and prospecting purposes through the industrial database IndustrySelect, or for purchasing, sourcing and advertising through the industrial marketplace IndustryNet.
Looking to contact Georgia manufacturing companies? Learn more about our Georgia data for sales, marketing, business development and research here.
