Syensqo Breaks Ground on New Battery Material Facility
In April, Syensqo began construction on a new battery-grade polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) manufacturing facility in Augusta that may well become the largest PVDF production facility in North America.

Born from a demerger of Solvay, Syensqo Chief Technology and Innovation Officer and Chief North America Officer Mike Finelli explained how the decision underscores “the strategic importance of Augusta as a key player in the EV supply chain along the burgeoning Battery Belt.”

Syensqo leaders reinforced that local and state partnerships were deciding factors in choosing Augusta to support the company’s future. Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson thanked Syensqo in return, highlighting their more than two decades in the community as “a premier, quality employer.”

The Augusta Economic Development Authority echoed that sentiment, sharing, “Syensqo fits the community’s goal of creating well-paying, skilled manufacturing jobs and shows once again that Augusta-Richmond County is the right place for manufacturing to not only locate but to grow and expand.”

Learn more here.

StandardAero Launches Expansion of Services 
Operating in Augusta since 1974, StandardAero services approximately 425 aircraft and 500 turbine aircraft engines each year from their current facility.

With evolving industry realities, the company realized its facilities needed to adapt, too. This meant that a new hangar and engine shop moved to the top of its “to do” list, with these projects officially kicking off in April 2024.

“The new facility will add over 60% of new space to our existing footprint,” said Chris Bodine, Vice President and General Manager of StandardAero’s Augusta facility. “The current facility was built in the 1970s, when aircraft were a lot smaller. The new facility will allow us to support additional super mid-size to large cabin aircraft for airframe and avionics while also significantly expanding our engine shop to further support many of those aircraft.”

“The expansion will allow us to work on larger Dassault Falcon, Gulfstream, and Bombardier aircraft and also meet the rapidly growing MRO needs of HTF7000 series engine operators,” added Tony Brancato, President of StandardAero Business Aviation.

The new facility will be adjacent to the Augusta Regional Airport, one of eight regional commercial airports in Georgia that play a key role in supporting the state’s soaring aerospace industry.

Totaling $11.1 billion in exports in 2023, aerospace and defense products are the largest Georgia export by dollar value and land Georgia as a top five state for overall aerospace exports in the U.S. The state’s logistics infrastructure includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the deepwater ports in Savannah and Brunswick, and thousands of miles of rail and highway systems. These assets help companies move products – no matter the size and weight – to markets across the globe.

Learn more about StandardAero’s expansion here, and meet with Georgia Department of Economic Development investment and trade experts at events such as EUROSATORY 2024 and Farnborough International Airshow 2024.

GF Casting Solutions Announces Its Foundations for U.S. E-mobility Market  
GF Casting Solutions AG (GF Casting Solutions) has exciting plans for the U.S. e-mobility market, including a state-of-the-art, LEED-certified high-pressure die casting facility in Augusta.

“Building a High-Pressure Die Casting Facility is a very long-term investment. The new facility will complete our footprint to become truly global in the e-mobility market,” explained Carlos Vasto, President of GF Casting Solutions.

Estimated to begin operations in 2027, it will produce cast aluminum parts, with a special focus on large structural components for the automotive industry. The facility will be built at the Augusta Corporate Park, a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) site. GRAD-certified sites are just one of the speed-to-market solutions that Georgia offers, and the company will also work with Georgia Quick Start to develop its future workforce.

At the time of the announcement, Vasto shared, “The location is ideal for addressing the thriving automotive industry in the region.”

Over the last few years, Georgia has asserted itself as a core piece of the rapidly developing “Battery Belt” and e-mobility industry in the Southeast. Learn more about the state’s e-mobility ecosystem here.

Case Story in Summary
Augusta is an example of many of the elements that have propelled Georgia’s economic success over the last decade. To name a few examples, Georgia has: 

• An abundance of development-ready sites. 

• A skilled workforce, including cybersecurity talent nurtured at the Georgia Cyber Center. 

• A robust logistics infrastructure.  

• A reliable, low-cost energy grid supported by long term investments such as Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, near Augusta. 

• Attractive incentives such as a low corporate tax rate, workforce training programs, and a high quality of life. 

Communities in every corner of the state benefit from the state’s business-friendly environment, and Augusta is just one such community featured on the 2024 International VIP Tour. The tour gave members of Georgia’s Consular Corps a first-hand look into a few of the factors that make Georgia unique. Learn about how five featured manufacturers built their success in east Georgia.  

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