The Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority plans further support of project expansions and employment increases at local industries.

“What is our goal as (industrial) authority? The goal of the committee?” Gary Minchew, chairman, asked during the Authority’s April 20 meeting. “(It’s) working together to create career paths for people who want to work.”

Members were in agreement that while there are many students graduating from area colleges, they are moving to other cities to find higher paying jobs. Some board members agreed the local workforce needs improvement to enhance the work of current employees, improve the skills of unemployed individuals, and create more job openings.

Here’s a glimpse at several current projects which are in various stages of progress with the Industrial Authority from work to attract these projects to projects already underway.

ELEC-TEC

Elec-Tec has finished the physical expansion of its building and plans on doubling its workforce, according to Brad Lofton, the Authority’s executive director.

PROJECT SLIPPER

Staff members are trying to meet with the corporate headquarters to discuss incentives, such as the opportunity to expand jobs by 300 workers.

WIREGRASS POWER, LLC

The industry has applied for a United States Department of Agriculture renewable energy loan to pay for the construction of the GEFA-sanctioned solar photovoltaic electric generating facility. They received the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority grant at the end of the week and will have six months to complete the project.

The industry has also approved a Georgia utility company to install the connectivity/transmission lines to the solar photovoltaic facility.

The City of Valdosta approved the industry to build its facility on the two acres of land, which is adjacent to the Wiregrass Power, LLC Biomass Electric Generating Plant.

PROJECT EXCEL

The Project EXCEL Economic Development Agreement was drafted on March 12, and will come before the board for final review and approval soon. A land purchase and sale agreement was also granted to begin the project, but a date has not been set.

PROJECT PITTSBURGH

The project is for a food-processing and cold-storage facility that would benefit a specialty beef processing and packaging company, which wants to open its business in Georgia.

The board has continued to speak with large frozen vegetable suppliers located in the United States to see who is interested in processing frozen vegetables in the Valdosta-Lownes County area.

“This is something near and dear to my heart … It’s not something urgent, so we’ll just keep on keeping on,” Minchew said. “It could turn out to be a lot of jobs down the way.”

On April 15, they discussed the scope, cost and timeline to conduct a feasibility study with University of Georgia Center of Agribusiness and Economic Development, the Lowndes County Extension Agent, local vegetable growers, and regional frozen vegetable and fruit wholesale suppliers.

The study would cost $10,000 to $15,000 and it has not been decided whether the board will conduct the study.

PROJECT SHARPEYE

A business based out of California is seeking a U.S. Department of Defense request for proposal to create miniature radar to help locate hidden improvised explosive devices (IEDs). They would be lower in cost and building them could create 125-150 new jobs during the first two to three years.

Valdosta State University and Valdosta Technical College have turned in letters of interest to the industry. The VSU grant coordinator is working with the Industrial Authority board members and the industry to create program development and software design. Valdosta Technical College also created a space for them to develop the programs, during June 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011.

PROJECT PHOENIX

A team has identified a site and is close to settling on the location, which needs some yard improvements, according to Lofton. He said the company needs to be here in the next 30 days. The project could create $5 million to $8 million in capital investment and create about 20 to 35 new jobs during the first six to nine months.

PROJECT EARTH

The project is to construct a 700,000-square-foot vehicle manufacturing facility to build hybrid vehicles, which would create about 450 to 600 new jobs. A potential site has been located and a site/facility conceptual plan was created. The board is trying to plan a trip to the prospect’s corporate headquarters to present the plan and discuss economic incentives, according to Lofton.

PROJECT CAMELLIA

There is a potential company looking to start an imported tea business in Georgia. The company wants to locate a building to serve as distribution space. A team visited the former Organic Milling Facility at 701 N. Forrest St., on April 12, but has not determined a guaranteed site location.