Thermal Ceramics: A Global Force in Heat Containment

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INSIDE North American Edition, Vol. III, Issue I1st Quarter 2000 Life in Georgia . .

. .p.2 Brunswick . .

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. . .p.2 Intellectual Capital is Georgia 9 s Business Capital for the Future .

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. . .p.3 Georgia Power Offers You .

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.p.4 L ong before other companies recog- nized the benefits of heading to the sunny South, Thermal Ceramics was already taking the heat - in more ways than one. This refractory and insulation company, originally founded as the Refractories Division of Babcock & Wilcox, selected Augusta, Georgia, as the site of its corporate headquarters and main manufacturing facility in 1928, years before the advent of air conditioning and the southward migration of other industries. The company was drawn to the area by its rich kaolin deposits, which they used to make the nation 9 s first lightweight insulating firebrick.

They lined the boilers on Liberty Ships in World War II. After the war, Thermal Ceramics soon discovered that Augusta offered other advantages as well. Its affordable labor, low energy costs, and accommodating transportation network created an environment conducive to innovation and expansion.

c Augusta 9 s favorable cost ... more. less.

of living, world-class medical and educational facilities and moderate climate help us attract the professionals we need to operate an international business, d says President Tom Fitzpatrick. In 1988 the company was purchased by the Morgan Crucible Company of Windsor, England, linking it to a global network of affili- ated businesses and allowing for the acquisition of additional product lines. Today, Thermal Ceramics partners with the chemical processing, fire protection, aerospace, automotive and many other industries, offering solutions to thermal management problems. It boasts extensive manufacturing plants and sales office locations throughout North and South America. Although the company has established a worldwide presence, it takes pride in the positive economic and social impact it has on Augusta, providing jobs to over 750 employees who earn a combined annual payroll of approximately $25 million. The company supports the United Way, Adopt-a-School program, National Science Center, Augusta Technical Institute, Augusta State University and Paine College. c From our base in Augusta, we 9 ve developed a technology-driven company positioned to meet the competitive challenges of the 21st century, but we haven 9 t forgotten our hometown roots, d Fitzpatrick says. Thermal Ceramics: A Global Force in Heat Containment Quality Control inspection of ceramic fiber insulation blanket. (Upper right) Thermal Ceramics Americas, with operations in nine countries in North and South America is headquartered in Augusta, GA. (Inset) Grinding special insulating firebrick shape. (Below) Thermal Ceramics 2 A s your business grows and you begin to expand, you maybe considering the Southeast as a possible location. But if you haven 9t spent much time in Georgia you may not know what it 9s really like. Here is a brief overview of life in the state. Climate: Warm, humid sum- mers and short, mild winters; avg. summer temps: 73 ° F to 82 ° F; avg. winter temps: 41 ° F to 56 ° F; avg. annual rainfall: 75 inches in the northeast to 40 inches in central Georgia; snowfall is light and of no significance in most of the state. Arts and Entertainment: World class performing and visual arts are showcased in Atlanta, as well as other Georgia cities; large and small communities offer local galleries, play- houses, dinner theaters and historic dramas and outdoor amphitheaters. Recreation: Sixty-three state parks offer boat- ing, camping, fishing, golf, hiking, picnicking, swimming, tennis, and relaxation; 155 amuse- ment parks; scenic attractions include the Appalachian Trail, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Okefenokee Swamp, miles of beaches and two national forests; golf is very popular with 249 public (some semi-private) courses; Georgia 9 s moderate climate allows for more than 250 golfing days a year. Sports: Four major league professional teams include the Atlanta Braves baseball, the Atlanta Falcons football, the Atlanta Hawks basketball and the Atlanta Thrashers hockey; University of Georgia and Georgia Tech field teams in many NCAA Division I sports. Health Care: There are 159 general hospitals, 14,739 medical doctors and 4,600 dentists, giving quality medical and dental care in large and small communities and offering some of the most advanced care in the Southeast and nationwide; Emory University Hospital ranked in 10 of the 16 specialties in the 1999 U.S. News and World Report 8 America 9 s Best Hospitals Study 9 ; with over 1,200 affiliated pediatric physicians, Children 9 s Healthcare of Atlanta is one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the U.S. Brunswick s Brunswick and Glynn County is a major seafood processing center, home to five processing companies and is considered one of the c Shrimp Capitals of the World. d s Brunswick has full multimodal transportation, served by Interstate 95, CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads, and the Glynco Jetport which has the third longest runway in Georgia. The Brunswick Port is the second largest port in Georgia, spe- cializing in auto processing, bulk and breakbulk cargo. s Higher education is available at Coastal Georgia Community College, which offers both academic credit courses through the University of Georgia and technical courses through the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. s Georgia Pacific, a leader in wood products, has three plants in Glynn County producing lumber, paper and gypsum wallboard. The three plants employ 1065 and are a major exporter through the Brunswick Port. s Known as the c Golden Isles, d St. Simons Island, Little St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island are some of best vacation areas in the Southeastern U.S., offering year-round recreation, cultural events, and leisure living. Located on the Atlantic coast in southeast Georgia, Brunswick offers numerous business, recreational, and cultural opportunities. community profile Life in Georgia 3 Intellectual Capital is Georgia 9s Business Capital for the Future By Annie Hunt Burriss, CED G eorgia is investing in the intellectual power of its citizens through new and refocused higher education programs. Georgia 9 s Intellectual Capital Partnership Program ® (ICAPP ® ) is the umbrella for the eco- nomic development pro- grams of the University System of Georgia, which oversees Georgia 9 s 34 public colleges and uni- versities. ICAPP Advantage ® is Georgia 9 s economic development incentive that helps companies meet human resources needs. Through ICAPP Advantage ® , Georgia 9 s pub- lic colleges and universities can expedite the education of knowledge workers in intensive courses of study designed jointly with a company. Companies choose the people for their ICAPP Advantage ® program using their own hiring criteria, and must offer ICAPP ® graduates a well-paying job with growth potential after they successfully complete the program. Students are eligible for ICAPP ® Service Cancelable Loans to pay tuition and living expenses; their debt is gradually cancelled as they work in Georgia. Graduates may earn certificates and/or academic credit that may be applied toward a college degree. Since 1996, companies getting the knowledge workers that they need include Equifax, CheckFree, Nortel Networks, and ISS. Total System Services, the first compa- ny helped through ICAPP Advantage, ® estimates training and hiring cost savings of nearly $8,000 per employee hired. ICAPP ® Access products provide Georgia businesses one-stop access to the resources of the University System. At www .G eorgiaH ir e.com , companies can keyword search more than 24,000 resumes of University System of Georgia students and alumni to target people with the skills and experience they need. Companies can dispatch information about specific job openings to their target- ed list by email. And at www .icapp .org , companies can keyword search more than 200 research centers and institutes that are part of the 34 institutions of the University System of Georgia. Georgia 9 s innovative higher education programs make locating a business in Georgia the smart thing to do. Ms. Burriss is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development and Economic Services of the University System of Georgia the nation 9s fourth largest system of public higher education. Total System Services, the first company helped through ICAPP Advantage, ® estimates training and hiring cost savings of nearly $8,000 per employee hired. 4 Advantage Georgia Em Mosier, Editor 285 Peachtree Center Avenue, NE, Suite 1750 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Tel 404.506.2216 www.georgia power.com/grc 4th Quarter 1999 Novelty Sports Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletic apparel (manufacturing) Sherman Concrete Pipe Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pre-cast concrete components (mfg.) GE Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appliances (whse./dist.) Helmac Products Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . Lint roller brushes (mfg.) Exodus Communications, Inc. . . . . Internet systems (data center) Muskin Leisure Products, Inc. . . . . . . Above ground pools (mfg.) Costco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Food & sundry products (headquarters) HP Pelzer, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automotive parts (whse/dist.) Atlantic Plastics . . . . . . . Custom plastic displays (manufacturing) Kraiburg . . . . . . . . . . Rubber & synthetic products (headquarters) Cintas Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uniforms (whse/dist.) Georgia Power Offers You . . . Industry-Specific Research Reports Georgia Information Updated and Available Free of Charge O ne of Georgia Power 9 s most frequently requested publications is the Georgia Information book. This comprehensive report on the state has been recently updated (Nov. 8 99) and is now available to you free of charge. Georgia Information provides data on labor and the economy, taxes, trans- portation infrastructure, utilities, communications and high-tech infrastructure, education, research and development activities in the state, financing, business incentives, the international climate, and quality of life. For your free copy of this publication, call 1-800-306-6930 or e-mail the editor at ewmosier@southernco.com. G eorgia Power 9 s Information Services department in the Economic Development Organization regularly researches and produces in-depth reports on many of the major industries in Georgia. These reports provide an overview of the status of the industry, employment figures, wage rages, growth potential, employee training opportu- nities, cost elements, and infrastructure issues critical to that industry. Industry reports include automotive, plastics, back office, electronics, chemicals, fabricated metals, food processing, industrial machinery, and textiles. Two of these reports, The Customer & Business Service Centers in Georgia (back office operations) and Georgia 9s Food Processing Industry are currently available online at our web site, www.georgiapower.com/grc. For copies of any of these reports, call 1-800-306-6930 or e-mail the editor at ewmosier@southernco.com. recent announcements Economic Development Organization " Georgia Power " October 1998 GEORGIA 9S PLASTICS INDUSTRY Economic Economic Development GEORGIA INFORMATION 0000524

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