Gallatin is firing on all cylinders, officials say, with more than $200 million in capital investments announced in the last two years, including Thursday’s news that ABC Group Inc. plans to expand and double its workforce.
ABC Group plans to invest $25.5 million in land, infrastructure and equipment and create 230 new jobs over the next five years in Gallatin. The company currently employs 196 workers at the facility.
The company, which makes auto parts, is expanding the local plant to increase production capacity of console, interior trim and load floors for the new GMC and Cadillac vehicles produced at the General Motors plant in Spring Hill.
“We are thankful for ABC Group’s decision to expand its operations in Gallatin and for the more than 200 jobs the company is creating in Sumner County,” Gov. Bill Haslam said. “Existing industry expansion, along with Tennessee’s strong automotive manufacturing base, help support our goal of becoming the number one location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
ABC Group’s plans are one of several announcements of business expansions and new arrivals to the city.
In the last two years, Gallatin has announced about 1,100 new jobs, said Gallatin Economic Development Agency Executive Director James Fenton.
“That many announcements in that short period of time is just unprecedented in Gallatin’s history,” Fenton said. “We’ve had robust interest in Gallatin. Obviously, the economy turning around had a great deal to do with it and the foresight and planning of the city to invest in itself.”
Earlier this month, Sandusky, Ohio-based American Colors Inc. was the first company to break ground in the second phase of Gallatin’s 207-acre industrial park, which the city purchased in 2008 for $4 million. As part of the project, American Colors will invest $3.7 million and build a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing and research facility, which is expected to create 31 new jobs by 2015.
The announcement came six months after Italian firearms manufacturer Beretta unveiled its plans to invest up to $45 million in a new facility on 100 acres of the park. The company expects to create 300 new jobs by 2018.
As for the roughly 76 acres still available, Fenton said officials are in talks with companies interested in the remaining space.
“Gallatin is firing on all cylinders,” Fenton said. “The entire city is up and operating at top efficiency and that makes a big impression on companies that are looking.”
Reach Josh Cross at 615-575-7115.