Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Cottrell, an industry leader in manufacturing and assembling over-the-road car haulers and equipment, will establish a second manufacturing facility in Gainesville. This will serve as the company’s North Campus, adjacent to their existing South Campus in Hall County. Cottrell will invest $125 million in the new 500,000-square-foot facility, which will also create new jobs.

“With a nearly 50-year history in Hall County, Cottrell has been a valued member of Georgia’s advanced manufacturing community for decades,” said Governor Kemp. “It's great to see Cottrell double down on their investment in Gainesville and put highly skilled, hardworking Georgians back to work.”

Cottrell opened its first facility in Gainesville-Hall County in 1973. The new North Campus facility will bring many of the company’s operations under one roof. The company expects land development and facility construction to take 24 to 30 months and plans to break ground during the third quarter of 2021. Certain aspects of production will be transferred to the new North Campus facility when complete, while the existing buildings of the South Campus will be used to support future business growth.

“Hall County has been an extraordinary place to grow our business, and we are excited to continue our next phase with the people of this community,” said Cottrell CEO Danny Zink. “This new state-of-the-art expansion will allow Cottrell to meet and exceed customer and employee needs and expectations for decades to come.”

Cottrell currently employs more than 1,000 people at their Gainesville facility. They are now hiring for the following positions: MIG welder, aluminum welder, CNC laser operator, CNC drill operator, CNC setup, manual machinist, CNC saw operator, hydraulic installer, painter, and robot welder operator. Individuals interested in job opportunities with Cottrell are encouraged to apply online at CottrellNowHiring.com or apply in person at 2125 Candler Road in Gainesville.

“Cottrell has employed generations of Gainesville-Hall County residents, and the company is well-known in this region for its product innovation, a highly skilled workforce, and its strong business leadership,” said Gainesville City Manager Bryan Lackey. “The City of Gainesville is pleased to support Cottrell’s next phase of growth in the new 1,300-acre Gainesville 85 Business Park. Cottrell’s new facility will occupy the first phase of the new park. We have worked closely with Cottrell to coordinate the city’s development of the new park to meet their development schedule and allow Cottrell to continue their growth in Gainesville-Hall County and Georgia.”

Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Director Kristi Brigman represented the Global Commerce Division on this project in partnership with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, the City of Gainesville, and Jackson EMC.

“We are excited to see Cottrell establish a second facility in Georgia,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “This announcement speaks to the strength of our existing industries and to the top-ranked workforce that has continued to attract investments and support the growth of the manufacturing industry in the state. I extend my thanks to our economic development partners in Hall County for their long-term partnership and to Cottrell for their continued investment in the local community.”