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Automotive Industry in Georgia

Georgia’s automotive companies gain a competitive advantage thanks to a prime location, extensive infrastructure for easy access to market, a highly-skilled workforce and a recognized business-friendly climate. For more than a century, Georgia has fostered healthy automotive industry practices, encouraged collaboration and innovation, and positioned the state as a leader in developing and harnessing emerging technologies for the evolving automotive and mobility industries.

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Automotive Companies in Georgia

Georgia has been an established automotive manufacturing center since 1909, when the first automobile was assembled in the state. Throughout the past hundred years, leading automotive companies have consistently chosen Georgia as their home for their manufacturing, assembly, headquarters, and innovation centers. 

Just a few of the companies operating in Georgia are:
Blue Bird Corporation
Kia Georgia
SK On
Honda Precision Parts
Novelis
ZF Gainesville, LLC
Kumho Tire Georgia Inc.
Hitachi Automotive Systems America
Panasonic Automotive
Sewon America Inc.
Toyo Tire North America
Voelstalpine Automotive

 

Georgia Offers a Central Supplier Location for the Automotive Industry

Georgia’s location in the center of the southeastern United States provides close proximity to a diverse group of manufacturers within a 300-mile radius. Our extensive and seamlessly connected systems of ports, trains, and interstates allow for quick deliveries to customers. Click to read more about our infrastructure.

SE Automotive

 

Workforce Advantages

Ranked the eighth largest state in the United States, Georgia is the fastest-growing state in the Southeast, with a labor force of 5.3 million people. A right-to-work state, only 4.7% of private company workers are unionized, well below the national average.

In addition to leading universities and a statewide technical college system, Georgia has the No. 1 ranked workforce training program. Georgia Quick Start, the most advanced program of its kind, provides customized, comprehensive workforce solutions free of charge to qualifying new and expanding automotive companies in Georgia.

employee using equipment

Emerging Technology & Innovation

Georgia fosters collaboration and innovation by creating partnerships across businesses, nonprofits, universities, and government entities. These efforts have resulted in living laboratories - Curiosity Lab and The Ray - that develop, test, and scale next generation technologies for autonomous and connected vehicles.

Georgia’s strength in engineering, technology, and cybersecurity also make the state an ideal hub for innovation centers for a variety of industry leaders. Examples of Georgia’s automotive innovators includes:

AT&T Drive Novelis
GM IT Innovation Center Panasonic Automotive
Heliox Verizon Connect

 

Curiosity Lab bus
“We wanted to be in a place that had an ecosystem of innovation and vibrancy. Someplace where we could connect to other companies.”
- Scott Kirchner, Panasonic Automotive
Collaborating for the Future

The Ray, an 18-mile stretch of I-85, will soon serve as a testing ground for new technologies focusing on transportation, safety and energy generation. Georgia Department of Economic Development was instrumental in creating a partnership with the Centers of Innovation for Energy Technology, GDOT, and the Ray C Anderson Foundation.

The Ray Executive Director Allie Kelly sums up why The Ray is such an exciting project for the State of Georgia.

“Every day you read another news article about autonomous cars or the future of transportation and flying around in your own helicopter taxi, but what The Ray is doing is it’s making those future concepts and technologies real today in a working environment.”

Georgia Rivian Announcement

On December 16, 2021, Governor Brian Kemp announced that electric adventure vehicle manufacturer Rivian Inc. would expand its manufacturing operations with a second U.S. plant in the State of Georgia. The company will invest $5 billion in a carbon-conscious campus in Georgia.

 

 

Automotive Companies ChooseOutside Porche HQ Georgia to Locate their Headquarters
 

Georgia’s competitive business environment and access to global markets also attracts worldwide headquarters including:

Cox Automotive
Genuine Parts Company
Novelis Inc.
Teklas
Exide Technologies
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
 

Learn more about the Automotive Industry in Georgia

Automotive Brochure

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Real Success

Read these Successful Automotive Case Studies in Georgia

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Small Business Information & Resources

Explore information, resources and opportunities for starting, growing or financing your small business in Georgia.
 

Business Expansion Services

Expanding your company’s footprint in Georgia is made easier with our team of experts located in 12 regions around the state.
 

Export Assistance & Opportunities

Connect with Georgia’s international trade team for customized export assistance and international opportunities to grow your Georgia business.

Georgia Center of Innovation

The state’s leading resource for facilitating business innovation, we help companies translate new ideas and technologies into commercially viable products and services.