Valley Business Insider
by Tyson Begly
Columbus’ Economic Growth:
$385 Million and 748 Jobs in Just 3 Months
A
.couple of months ago, we talked about the new direction of Columbus’ economic development strategy with fresh leadership at the Chamber of Commerce and Choose Columbus. Since then, big announcements have followed—new companies investing here, existing employers reinvesting and hundreds of new jobs on the way. Let’s take a closer look at the impact.
Altogether, these three new manufacturing companies represent $265 million in investment and 655 new jobs.
Existing Employers Reinforcing Their Commitment
Growth isn’t only coming from newcomers. Established companies with roots in Columbus are choosing to reinvest here instead of growing elsewhere: • J.M. Smucker, which acquired Hostess New Companies in 2023 and owns brands such as Coming to Columbus Dunkin’ and Smuckers, recently The biggest announcement came from announced a $120 million expansion Governor Brian Kemp—South Korea-based of its Hostess operation in Columbus. JS Link will invest $223 million to build The project adds 48 jobs to its existing a rare earth permanent magnet facility 361-person workforce. Beyond the in Muscogee Technology Park. The new new positions, this was a strong signal 130,000-square-foot plant will create 520 of confidence: Smuckers could have jobs. For the U.S., this is a strategic win— consolidated operations at its Hostess reducing reliance on foreign sources for bakeries in Kansas or Indiana, but critical materials used in cars, data centers instead chose Columbus. • Muscogee Mills (formerly Muscogee and robotics. For Columbus, it’s exactly the type of project the city envisioned when Textiles), a local company that has developing the Technology Park. operated since 1968, announced its In July, the Development Authority of own expansion, creating 45 additional Columbus announced that Sigma Stretch jobs. Muscogee Mills provides Film of Georgia, a global leader in highmanufacturing, textile sourcing and performance film manufacturing, will warehouse and fulfillment services— invest $39 million and create 100 jobs at making its growth a sign of long-term a new Columbus location. Their project stability for the community. includes expanding a former Stalwart Plastics facility by 75,000 square feet and constructing a new 75,000-square-foot stand-alone warehouse. Sigma specializes in advanced stretch films used worldwide to protect goods in transit. Quietly, a third manufacturer has also committed to Columbus. NVH Korean, a company that already operates in other parts of Georgia, is investing $3.3 million here to expand its automotive floor mat production. This project will add 35 jobs to the local economy.
The Big Picture
So, what’s the scoreboard from the last three months? • Total investment: $385 million • Total new jobs: 748 For perspective, that’s more than the current workforce of Kysor-Warren (470 employees) or Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital (370 employees). And it’s not far behind long-standing anchors like Synovus and Columbus State University, each with about 1,230 employees. These figures come directly from the Choose Columbus website, which tracks employer size across the region.
Why Columbus?
These wins don’t happen by chance. Columbus has been laying the groundwork for years: • Sites available: Muscogee Technology Park gave companies like JS Link a location to build. • Livability: Declines in violent crime, along with amenities such as the new baseball park, help attract workers. • Talent pipeline: Partnerships with Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College and a strong privatesector workforce give employers confidence they can find skilled employees locally. • Initiative: Formal and informal groups are working tirelessly to identify and sell potential employers on the attractiveness of Columbus.
Final Takeaway
The momentum is clear—Columbus is turning strategy into results. With hundreds of millions invested and hundreds of jobs added, our community is proving it can compete nationally for the industries of the future.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Tyson Begly has lived and worked everywhere from small towns to major cities, visited over 35 countries, and called Columbus home since 2013. His career spans startups, Fortune 100 companies, Wall Street banks, Silicon Valley private equity, nonprofits and city government. With experience from engineering to executive roles in trading, wealth management, travel and telecom, he approaches business topics from multiple angles.
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