Peach Tree Times

The state of Georgia attracted new investments of $10.97 billion in the last year, and added 33,439 new jobs, Gov. Brian Kemp announced.

“’Over the last 12 months, Georgia set new records for economic investment and job growth,’’ the governor tweeted. 

“In addition to the overall state of our economy, setting new economic development records during a global pandemic is further evidence that Georgia remains the No. 1 state for business," Kemp said in a news release. "By remaining open for business and working alongside local economic development partners and private sector business leaders, we've been able to create greater opportunities for hardworking Georgians and prioritize attracting key industries that bring quality jobs and investments to every corner of the Peach State.”

Much of the new investment was from overseas companies, Kemp said.

“Georgia’s international partnerships accounted for the creation of nearly $2 billion in foreign direct investment in the state,” he said in the release. “Twenty percent more jobs were created by foreign direct investments than during the previous fiscal year. Nineteen projects from Korea represent the highest job creation from a single country, and Swiss-based projects led in total investment. Businesses from Germany created the second-highest number of jobs.”

The growth was not concentrated in the metro Atlanta area, with 74% of new project locations outside of the 10-county metro Atlanta area, Kemp said.

Georgia’s largest industries are automotive, advanced manufacturing, software/technology, logistics and distribution and food processing, the state said.

“Additional strong gains in jobs and investments came from FinTech and digital media,” the news release said. “Investments in headquarters reached nearly $93 million, an increase of 94% from the previous year, and jobs created by headquarters were up 281% from a year earlier.”

The pandemic "reminded us of how critical our existing industry and international relationships are to Georgia’s economic success," Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said in the release.