The Development Authority says their plan to offer more jobs to local residents and grow the industrial park, located in Black Creek, is working.
Dicon Industries is the newest addition to the Interstate Center, the Development Authority announced Thursday. The company plans to start hiring this year.
"Dicon currently manufactures all of its products in China," Development Authority Chairman Sean Register said, "and has made the progressive decision to manufacture many of its current and future technology-driven advanced products in this new location here in Bryan County."
Officials say the new company will immediately create 88 new jobs and invest about $3.7 million in the project.
Register said Dicon has projected hiring 100 additional employees in the next five years. The company only plans to bring a handful of core employees to get started with and will be looking to start hiring new employees by the later part of this summer.
"They’re very excited about hiring locals," Register said. "Our plan (for the Interstate Centre) is working."
The company develops, manufactures and distributes products for advanced wound care, skin care, diabetic foot care, pet care and agricultural markets.
Many of the new products that will be manufactured in Bryan County will supply U.S. troops in Iraq and elsewhere overseas, as well as many of Dicon’s large retailers located around the world.
"This is bringing domestic jobs from China to Bryan County," DA board member Derrick Smith noted. "It’s phenomenal that is coming here and it’s going to be in our backyard."
Register said the new facility will be dedicated to manufacturing biomedical research and development. This is a very desirable industry with jobs available for high school graduates right up through college graduates."
Register said a lot of hard work went into the project on both the local and state levels.
"This was a very quick deal we put together. Georgia Power brought this client to us and they were looking at other sites but they wanted someone who could put the deal together in an expeditious manner," Register explained. "We have a can-do board and we love it when a plan comes together."
Register said incentives included a low-interest loan the DA procured from the state as well as grant funding.
"The state cooperated very closely with us to help create an attractive plan," Register said, noting more details will be provided soon.
While plans are still in the design stages, the Development Authority is already preparing the building pad and they’re "moving dirt already," Register said.
"Time is of the essence," he said. "We’re on a fast track and they hope to be in their building by the end of 2008."
Governor Sonny Perdue also announced the company’s arrival to Bryan County while at the 2008 BIO International Convention in San Diego on Thursday.
"I am proud to welcome an innovative company to like Dicon Technologies to Georgia," Perdue said. "Dicon will find that Georgia workers have the kinds of skills and commitment to the job that helps companies grow and thrive."
Dicon Chairman Sam Ginsberg, who will be in Bryan County next week, said the company looked at other areas of Georgia and South Carolina but Bryan County offered a "great facility and location."
"It’s close to Savannah and the ports, in a very central location and the people we’ve been dealing with are very pro-business," Ginsberg said. "The Development Authority, county and state have all worked with us and been very helpful in making our transition."
The privately owned company currently has headquarters located in New Jersey and discussion has included the possibility of future expansion to relocate their headquarters to Georgia as well.
Dicon purchased 6.4 acres in the park, across from Oneida.
They have already said they plan to expand at least 2,500 square feet within the next year, officials said.
Ginsberg and Dicon representative Wayne Selia will be spending several days in Bryan County next week and will have a meet and greet lunch with members of the Development Authority, where more details will be released.