Targeted Industries 

Dublin-Laurens County has one of the state’s most diversified economies and the workforce to match. The community is the home to one of the largest VA hospitals in the Southeastern U.S., three colleges and universities, Fortune 500 distribution and logistics centers, corporate headquarters, a rapidly growing Tier 1 automotive supply sector, a mature forest products industry, and well known advanced manufacturers.

Due to outstanding transportation assets, proximity to the Port of Savannah, utility infrastructure, and specialized labor, the targeted industries in Dublin-Laurens County include:

Advanced

Some of the most respected manufacturers in Georgia call Dublin-Laurens County home. With over a million square feet under roof, YKK has been a flagship manufacturer in our community for over twenty-five years. The company’s primary product is extruded aluminum windows and doors for the commercial building industry, but they also employ state of the art robotic equipment and are making automotive products for large OEMs. Parker Aerospace is a high tech company that specializes in advanced aerospace and department of defense products. Erdrich, a German metal press facility, opened its doors in 2013. The company is a well-respected provider of a range of metal parts for major automotive OEMs. Dinex, a Danish company, provides state-of-the-art exhaust systems for large construction equipment manufacturers like Caterpillar and Volvo. In early 2016, Valmiera Glass, one of the world’s leading fiberglass providers for the aerospace, automotive and petrochemical industry announced a 450,000 sf Phase II expansion that will generate 425 new jobs.

The community’s success in attracting advanced manufacturers is based on a well-skilled labor force, Oconee Fall Line Technical College training programs in CNC, Welding, Maintenance, Electrical and other trades, plus pro-business attributes of being located in the center of the #1 state in the U.S. for business according to Site Selection Magazine.

Warehouse and Logistics

Over 65 trucking companies serve the Dublin-Laurens County area with over two and a half million square feet of warehouse space under roof. In 1999, Best Buy located their Southeastern United States distribution center here in 850,000 square feet. Farmer’s Furniture, one of the country’s premier retail furniture chains, is also headquartered in Dublin and has over 300,000 square feet of warehouse space.

Large industrial park property availability, interstate access, port proximity, location to consumers in the Southeastern section of the U.S., and outstanding CDL and material handling training programs offered at Oconee Fall Line Technical College will continue to make our community an attractive destination for warehouse and distribution center projects.

Wood Products

Within a 60-mile radius of Middle Georgia is one of the healthiest and most robust wood baskets in the country. Our area has been able to leverage those renewable resources to create a significant amount of new jobs and investment. WestRock, one of the nation’s largest wood products manufacturers, has a mill in Laurens County and is currently a top 3 largest employer here. In 2014, the mill converted from manufacturing newsprint to brown paper which is used all over the country in fast food and other packaging areas. Other examples of wood products companies located here include Gilman Forest Products, a large manufacturer of building and structural materials, and Flexsteel, a premier furniture manufacturer.

Healthcare

With nearly 1,500 employees, Dublin’s largest employer is the Carl Vinson Veterans Administration Medical Center. The center here serves the healthcare needs of veterans from over 60 counties in Georgia. The center has also provided an exponential economic impact and has spun off a number of additional service related jobs in the healthcare industry. Fairview Park Hospital, our region’s private HCA-owned hospital, is also a huge economic driver and large employer. Both facilities serve thousands of patients weekly and generate significant opportunities for companies in medical device manufacturing, back office medical billing, construction, insurance services and other areas.