Chinese firms find Atlanta 'peachy'

Gwinnett suburb has the things investors look for in ideal location

A mild climate, renowned public school system and proximity to the world's busiest airport have helped make Gwinnett County, Georgia, a popular place for Chinese companies to locate their US operations.

This week government and chamber of commerce officials returned from an eight-day trip to China to personally thank Chinese companies for their recent investments and lay the groundwork for the next wave of Chinese investment in this suburban area of Atlanta.

"This is our 15th Asian trip in the last seven or eight years," noted Nick Masino, senior vice-president of the economic development arm of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. "We want to thank the Chinese companies and build our brand while we talk with them about possible future expansion ideas."

Two Chinese companies, Linhai Powersports and Ningbo Huige Outdoor Products Co. Ltd, announced plans last month to establish US and North American operations in Gwinnett County.

Taizhou-based Linhai, which manufactures all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and motor scooters for other companies and their own product lineup, is expected to create 80 jobs over the next five years. Ningbo, which makes gas and charcoal barbecue grills that are sold in Home Depot and Lowe's, expects to create five new jobs this year at its North American headquarters.

Meanwhile, SELF Electronics, a maker of LED lighting, and Tech-Long USA, a leader supplier of beverage packaging systems, both unveiled expansions for existing facilities in the county in August. In May SELF expanded a facility that houses 10 employees while Tech-Long expects to create 130 new jobs over 10 years in an expansion of their Gwinnett operation.

So what makes Gwinnett County, with a population of about 900,000 residents located northeast of Atlanta, so popular with Chinese companies?

Masino said it's a combination of three factors.

"First is our location in Atlanta which is home to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world's busiest in terms of passenger traffic," said Masino. "That means you can get a direct flight to major cities in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. It makes it easy to access other areas for business expansion.

"Another factor is our mild climate which is very similar to Shanghai," he continued. "Finally our public school system in Gwinnett is one of the best in the country and folks from China and Korea are eager to have their children attend the schools here."

Another factor that helps lure Chinese and other foreign companies to set up operations in Gwinnett is the area's diversity. "We are the most ethnically diverse county in the US Southeast," said Masino. "About 25 percent of our population was born outside of the US. We have over 25,000 Chinese residents and over 45,000 Koreans."

It's not just the Chinese who find Gwinnett attractive - the county is home to more than 600 international companies.

Masino said there are now about 15 Chinese companies in Gwinnett, compared to just two eight years ago. "What really got things going for us was when (Chinese television set manufacturer) Hisense set up their North American operations here several years ago. They invited us to visit them and then introduced us to other companies in China," he said.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 09/04/2015 page2)