Advanced Manufacturing

Companies in the Savannah area benefit from the city’s superior infrastructure, which includes the Port of Savannah. The port, the second largest on the East and Gulf coasts and the fastest growing in the nation, features two deepwater terminals and gives companies fast and easy access to 44 percent of U.S. consumers and manufacturers and 70 percent of the U.S. population within two days. The city also features two Class I railroads, easy and immediate access to major highway systems, and an international airport. The city’s outstanding infrastructure was recognized by Logistics Today, which named Savannah “the most logistics friendly city in the nation” three years in a row.

Savannah’s workforce is another major draw for the advanced manufacturing sector. Within 60 miles of Savannah, there is a labor pool of more than 450,000. Though the Savannah area enjoys a relatively low unemployment rate, the underemployment rate is high, leading to an influx of skilled workers seeking greater job opportunities.

The area’s talent pipeline includes 17 area colleges and universities that have more than 74,000 students, graduating 19,000 students each year.

Advanced manufacturing companies in the Savannah area can take advantage of training programs such as Quick Start, a high-quality, no-cost training service available to new or expanding businesses in Georgia. In 2019, Quick Start opened the Georgia Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in Savannah, Georgia at the crossroads of I-16 and I-95. The 50,000 square foot center is equipped for a wide-range of advanced manufacturing and smart factory training, including mechatronics, control systems, automation and robotics, sensors, and networked wireless systems. It also includes computer labs and additional flexible space.

Manufacturers seeking workers with specific skills can utilize the resources at Savannah Technical College, which offers nearly 150 different instructional programs in aviation technology, business, public service, industrial technology, health sciences and more.

Many advanced manufacturers in the Savannah area have benefited from Herty Advanced Materials Development Center, a part of Georgia Southern University. The world-class research and development facility, which supports the non-wovens, pulp and paper, and bio-based materials industries, has produced materials for Fortune 500 chemicals and materials companies such as DuPont.

The Savannah Economic Development Authority works with Savannah’s manufacturers, connecting companies with unique incentives that may be available in their target industry. SEDA also can help companies find the perfect location for their advanced manufacturing operations, from shovel-ready sites to large existing facilities with millions of square feet of industrial space.

Employers in this Industry

Legend: Headquarters in Savannah International