by T.A. DeFeo
A manufacturer of lightweight advanced materials for sustainable technology plans to open a manufacturing facility in Cartersville.
Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Group, plans to spend roughly $147 million on the facility, which will supply a Qcells facility in the Bartow County community. The company plans to create 160 jobs.
According to a Georgia Department of Economic Development rep who has asked not to be identified previously, aside from Georgia Quick Start, no discretionary state incentives are involved in the project.
“Georgia Quick Start has offered to provide comprehensive, customized training services designed to prepare new employees with the skills required to perform successfully at the facility to be located in Cartersville,” the rep told The Center Square in an email.
“HAGA qualifies for these services which have an in-kind, estimated market value of approximately $537,000 at full employment,” the unidentified state employee added. “Services will be provided over time as new employees are hired and trained.”
A Cartersville-Bartow County Department of Economic Development representative said some “discretionary assistance” was involved, including a phased-in tax abatement on portions of the millage and the sale of the property at a below-market rate.
“Abatements do not erode any portion of the existing tax digest; instead, they phase-in revenue that would not otherwise be realized but for the incentives on this competitive project,” Melinda Lemmon, the executive director of the Cartersville-Bartow County Department of Economic Development, said in an email to The Center Square. “Land sales cover the costs of the site and related infrastructure. Public infrastructure is already at the site.”
In January, state officials said Qcells would spend more than $2.5 billion to build a new facility at Highland 75 Corporate / Industrial Park in Cartersville, creating 2,000 jobs. The company also said it would add a third facility to its Dalton location, creating 510 new jobs.
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T.A. DeFeo is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “QCells Facility” by QCells North America.
