Gulfstream gains might flow to ATL

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Expansion Second In Five Years

By David Markiewicz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gulfstream Aerospace's announcement Monday that is adding 1,000 jobs at its facilities in Savannah is obvious cause for celebration in that port city.

The good news for metro Atlanta is that the gains at Gulfstream are destined flow a good bit downstream, providing jobs and economic value across Georgia for years to come.

University of Georgia economist Jeff Humphreys calculates that the $500 million expansion could create an estimated 3,300 additional related jobs over time in the state, many of them likely in the Atlanta area.

"Not all the activity takes place at Gulfstream (facilities) itself. A lot of it gets farmed out," Humphreys said.

Downstream jobs, largely at firms that are suppliers to Gulfstream, won't be created overnight. But, thanks to the company's longstanding presence in Georgia and its existing relationships with suppliers, related employment probably will be created more quickly than for others.

The aerospace and aircraft manufacturing industry, he added, tends to create permanent, well-paid jobs that become "ingrained" in the state's economy. Such positions have a higher job-multiplier effect.

“It’s very exciting news not just for the city and coastal region, but for the state as well. All that economic activity will pretty much reverberate throughout the state economy,” said Alison Tyrer, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

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Georgia provided the company with $29.65 million in statutory incentives. Those include: $13 million in sales and use tax exemptions, $12 million in quality jobs tax credits, $2.9 million in Quick Start training and $1.75 million in jobs tax credits.

Gulfstream said the 1,000 jobs in Savannah will be added over a maximum of seven years. The company recently completed another major expansion project and complete the related hiring in much less than the allotted time.

Company spokesperson Heidi Fedak said Gulfstream will hire engineers of many types (aerospace, acoustics, composites, design, material and mechanical, among others), as well as manufacturers who will assemble the aircraft, mechanics and maintenance personnel to maintain the fleet, and support workers such as human resources employees and administrative assistants.

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The company has begun its hiring process and she said interested, qualified prospects should look at the company website's careers section for application information.

State development officials estimated the net fiscal impact (revenues minus expenditures) of the project to Georgia at $65.4 million over 10 years in current dollars.

Gulfstream is expanding to facilities at Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport and renovating some existing facilities on its main campus. Offices and laboratories are also being expanded.

Gulfstream president Joe Lombardo said, "This expansion is necessary to meet the industry's projected increase for new business-jet aircraft and the maintenance that will follow."