SUBMITTED By

Industrial Development Authority

The Thomaston-Upson County Industrial Development Authority is pleased to announce the location of a new company in the Thomaston-Upson Industrial Park and a $500,000 grant that will assist with site development and infrastructure.

Ply-Marts Inc., a privately held Georgia-based company, will purchase 60 acres in the park for the purpose of constructing a facility that will be used in the manufacture of windows, doors and panels. A distribution facility will also be created at the site.

The company will invest $10 million in the facility and create a minimum of 105 jobs in a two-year period. Property tax revenues have been projected to generate almost $1 million over a 10-year period for the City of Thomaston and Upson County governments and the local school system.

“We have been working with Ply-Marts since December 2005, and we are very pleased the the company has selected Upson County for their new expansion,” said Jim Edwards, chairman of the IDA. “We believe they will be a fine addition to our manufacturing community, and we welcome them to Thomaston and Upson County.”

The good news was announced by a smiling Edwards July 24, after attending the OneGeorgia Authority meeting. The OneGeorgia Authority approved a $500,000 equity fund grant to the development authority to use in developing this project. The grant was awarded by Governor Sonny Perdue during the OneGeorgia Authority's meeting in Vidalia.

In making the announcement, Governor Perdue said that Thomaston-Upson County is a community that has been hard hit by the loss of jobs in the textile industry, and praised the community for working hard to bounce back from the job loss.

“Thomaston-Upson County has worked hard to bring new jobs to the community” Perdue said. “We're glad the state was able to help attract this new manufacturing operation to Upson County.”

“Our company will benefit dramatically from doing business in the Thomaston area,” said Ply-Marts President Randy Mahaffey.

“Thomaston is strategically located among six district markets that we are now serving and several others that we want to serve. We wish the facilities were ready today.”

“It has been my pleasure to work with the company's owners, Tom, Randy and Rich Mahaffey, in recruiting Ply-Marts to Thomaston,” said Betsy Hueber, executive director of the IDA.

“They are excellent business people who have built a strong business since they began in the late 1960s.

“The positive news we received today about the OneGeorgia grant is absolutely icing on the cake. We are extremely grateful to Governor Perdue and the OneGeorgia Authority for approving this grant application.”

Craig Lesser of the Georgia Department of Economic Development praised Ply-Marts move to Upson.

“Georgia is fortunate to have an abundance of the qualities that help established companies like Ply-Marts continue to grow," said Lesser. “Our outstanding transportation network provides easy access to markets, our workforce and quality of life are excellent, and we have the 'can-do' attitude that helps businesses succeed.”

Ply-Marts Inc. was established by the Mahaffey family in 1968 in Decatur, Georgia. The company is a full-service building materials dealer serving professional homebuilders, remodelers and contractors in the Southeast.

The company employs more than 1,000 people in the state of Georgia. They are ranked one of the top 100 building materials dealers in the U.S., one of the top 100 private businesses in the city of Atlanta and one of the top 150 private businesses in Georgia.

Additionally, the company has distribution facilities in East Point, Marietta and Norcross. They have manufacturing operations in East Point, Winder and Douglasville. Their corporate headquarters in Norcross employs approximately 42 top management, human resources, accounting and other administrative people.

The Authority, on behalf of the City of Thomaston, has submitted an application for an Employment Incentive Program grant to assist with the project. Word is still pending on the grant, which is being reviewed by the Department of Community Affairs.

The company has retained the services of Paragon Consulting of Griffin as the lead engineer for the project, which will require extensive site development and the construction of a rail spur.

Ply-Marts will be working with the Georgia Department of Labor in hiring its workforce, and employment pre-screening is expected to begin in late fall. Flint River Technical College and Georgia Quick Start will be working with the company in training employees. Construction is expected to begin in late September.