The Valdosta–Lowndes County Industrial Authority announced that two new industries are coming to the community, bringing a total of more than $5.5 million in capital investments.

Allan Ricketts, project manager for the Authority, said the two industries are Southeastern Die Reconditioning, Inc. and Durocky Road, LLC.

Southeastern Die will be locating in an existing building in the Hahira Business Park, making a projected capital investment of $735,000. The site will house the company’s corporate headquarters and also manufacturing operations, which includes refurbishing pellet mill dies and rolls for biofuel and feed mill manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada.

Durocky Road will construct a 150,000 square foot logistics/ distribution facility to support DuPont Crop Protection manufacturing operations on Rocky Ford Road in Valdosta. The company will be located in the new Westside Business Park, off St. Augustine Road near I-75. A capital investment of $4.8 million and the creation of 125 jobs to build the facility will be made, with a beginning date for construction of mid-December and a completion date of June 2012.

Roy Copeland, Chairman of the Industrial Authority, said they are very pleased to be able to bring new projects to the community.

Following the announcements, in other business, the Authority discussed landscaping and infrastructure issues at both the Westside Park and Miller Business Park.

The Authority’s landscape architectural firm for the projects has been working with the city of Valdosta to ensure compliance with city ordinances.

Executive Director Andrea Schruijer informed the Authority members that a new position has been created for full time public relations and marketing, and the ad has been running for several days.Schruijer said she has already been inundated with resumes for the position.

Schruijer also discussed the Authority’s plans to move ahead with the Strategic Planning Process right after the first of the year. Following the Community Assessment which was conducted over the summer, the next phase is a full fledged commitment to begin the planning process.

The intention, according to Schruijer and Copeland, is to include community partners in the process as the assessment showed that many in the community think that the various entities work at odds with each other, rather than on the same page, when it comes to economic development.

The Authority adjourned to executive session to discuss a personnel issue following the meeting.

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