Atlanta gains TWO new F500 companies in 2009.

[Lady Celeste 63]

This year has been a brutal economic year for the country as a whole. Well there have been a few bits of wonderful news for the Atlanta area. We have gained two F500 companies so far this year. We have also added several major players to the Atlanta area. On top of all that good news, we have also gotten some interesting smaller relocations as well as some increased presence in major companies in the area.

Of course we are all aware of NCR's world headquarters move from its home of 125 years to Duluth. This relocation is expected to bring up to 1250 jobs to the area. NCR is a F500 company. NCR's relocation to the Atlanta area bolsters Atlanta's importance in the technology field. Clusters are very important. Luring a blue-chip firm such as NCR also gives economic developers a chance to market the region to suppliers and vendors. Georgia Tech was sited as a great talent pool for technology laden NCR.

NCR moves to Atlanta

Seattle-based biotechnology company Dendreon Corp. announced that it will build a manufacturing plant in Union City. The plant will create 300 jobs and make the cancer fighting drug Provenge. This is positive news because Atlanta is already home to another cancer drug producer, Theragenics Corp in Buford. Downtown Atlanta is also home to the American Cancer Society. This will help to attract more biomedical firms to the area as well as bolster the research capabilities for such research institutions like Atlanta's own Emory University.

Dendreon Corp in Atlanta

A very hush hushed move was announced last week. Doosan Infracore Inernational will move its North American corporate offices to Atlanta. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as well as Atlanta's large Korean population was sited as reason for the move.

Noooooooooooow First Data has announced it's relocation from Denver to Atlanta. What great news this is because Atlanta lost First Data 8 years ago if I recall correctly. It will be bringing 250 corporate jobs with it. Atlanta has been a corporate town for many years now so any additional F500 is a nice feather in the cap. It's also good to know that this move did NOT involve incentives. First Data will be resting at the Glenridge Highlands complex where AT&T Wireless Corporate Center is also located.

First Data moves to Atlanta.

Atlanta has had its fair share of bad news so it's really pleasing to be able to report some great news. This post does not include all of the other wonderful new reports about jobs coming to Atlanta. Verizon brought 600 to Alpharetta earlier this year. Even the KIA plant in LaGrange should help with employment in the extreme southern suburbs. Oftentimes our airport, great talent pool and colleges and universities are sited as reasons for Atlanta being picked. I look forward to all of our corporate newcomers being valuable and involved corporate citizens.

[Lady Celeste 63]

I almost forgot....

The CDC....Atlanta based Center for Disease Control has announced a $400M expansion of its Chamblee location. Although this is not a coporation, this planned expansion will bolster Atlanta's biomedical importance in the industry. This could also have an amazing impact on peripheral medical related jobs. What a jewel we have in the CDC.

CDC plans $400 million expansion

[Lady Celeste 63]

Here's even better news on the First Data Corporate relocation.....

Instead of bringing 250 new jobs, they are now saying that the move will in fact bring 1000 new jobs over the course of three years. There were some incentives involved apparently...to the tune of $250,000. That's still wonderful news. As I said earlier and in the topic heading, this is Atlanta's second F500 relocation.

Read the story here:

First Data to create 1000 new jobs!

[Martinman 86]

I believe that First Data technically no longer qualifies as a F500 because it is now a private company. Those jobs will still pay the same though.

[Lady Celeste 63]

I believe that First Data technically no longer qualifies as a F500 because it is now a private company. Those jobs will still pay the same though.

Oh my! We may have to alert the AJC staff writers. CNNMoney.com has a list where it is listed at 295 on their 2009 F500 list. Their list may include private companies....I don't know.

First Data at 295

[Martinman 86]

Oh my! We may have to alert the AJC staff writers. CNNMoney.com has a list where it is listed at 295 on their 2009 F500 list. Their list may include private companies....I don't know.

First Data at 295

If its on the 2009 list then I'm wrong. I read that the company was taken private a few years ago and assumed that it was no longer publicly traded.

[atlrvr 3312]

I believe a private company can make this list if they publically release audited finacials, regardless if their stock is publically traded.

Either way, Atlanta is on a roll, which is ironic. During the boom years, they lost BellSouth and GP, and now they are gaining during down years. Low cost of business I assume, and businesses that can afford to restructure are taking advantage of cheaper real estate and labor. Good for Atlanta!

[Martinman 86]

^ Makes sense. I figured someone who knew would come along and explain it sooner or later.

Its not a F500 but Chinamex locating here could potentially have a huge impact.

The company helps Chinese businesses with their overseas development and expansion. Atlanta would be Chinamex

[krazeeboi 162]

Either way, Atlanta is on a roll, which is ironic. During the boom years, they lost BellSouth and GP, and now they are gaining during down years.

Atlanta lost Georgia-Pacific???

[Lady Celeste 63]

Thank you for the explanation atlrvr. It makes total sense.

Martinman, I totally forgot about Chinamex. I'm glad that you added this one as well because it is significant on so many levels. I remember reading elsewhere that Atlanta and the region was very bullish on increasing the presence of international businesses. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport should go a long way to helping achieve that goal. I can see Chinamex here...there is a rapidly growing Asian population in the Atlanta area with Chinese being a close second to Korean.

Krazeeboi...technically yes Atlanta lost GP and in a way it didn't. It lost GP as a F500 headquarters because it was bought by Koch Industries, a privately owned company. If I'm not mistaken they are based in Kansas or Nebraska. I could easily look it up but I think I remember one or the other. When GP was acquired, it became a subsidiary of this private equity firm. GP as an entity stayed in Atlanta where it is still housed in the GP building but they coveted F500 designation disappeared.

Edited August 20, 2009 by Lady Celeste

[Martinman 86]

AGL Resources, parent company of Atlanta Gas Light is merging with Ill based Nicor which will nearly double the size of the company and create another Fortune 500 company for Atlanta.

AGL Resources combining with Nicor

Edited December 8, 2010 by Martinman

[ironchapman 2]

AGL Resources, parent company of Atlanta Gas Light is merging with Ill based Nicor which will nearly double the size of the company and create another Fortune 500 company for Atlanta.

AGL Resources combining with Nicor

That's pretty amazing, and definitely good news to hear.

[Lady Celeste 63]

Norcross based Rock-Tenn is acquiring Chicago-based Smurfit-Stone Container Corp for $3.5 billion. With $9 billion in revenue, I'm almost sure that this will make metro Atlanta's 13th Fortune 500 company. The second to be created through acquisition in less than three months. There was no news was giving on any additional job creations/hirings. It is nice to gain another Fortune 500 in the metro however.

Read more on Rock-Tenn acquisition here.

[Martinman 86]

Norcross based Rock-Tenn is acquiring Chicago-based Smurfit-Stone Container Corp for $3.5 billion. With $9 billion in revenue, I'm almost sure that this will make metro Atlanta's 13th Fortune 500 company. The second to be created through acquisition in less than three months. There was no news was giving on any additional job creations/hirings. It is nice to gain another Fortune 500 in the metro however.

Read more on Rock-Tenn acquisition here.

I didn't realize Rock-Tenn was that large a company. But wouldn't that make 14? Or did we lose someone?

GA F-500

[Lady Celeste 63]

I didn't realize Rock-Tenn was that large a company. But wouldn't that make 14? Or did we lose someone?

GA F-500

Mohawk and AFLAC are Georgia based, yes...but certainly not Atlanta (metro Atlanta) based. That would bring us up to 13 per that list.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Lady Celeste

[Martinman 86]

Mohawk and AFLAC are Georgia based, yes...but certainly not Atlanta (metro Atlanta) based. That would bring us up to 13 per that list.

Excluding Mohawk and AFLAC, there are twelve metro-based companies on that 2010 list. Adding two more, AGL and Rock-Tenn, makes 14. The bottom of the 500 companies were in the low $4 billion range so Rock-Tenn would easily make the list post merger.

As a side note, Asbury Automotive is in an expansion and acquisition mode and could also grow their way back into the 500 after falling off of it just last year.

[Lady Celeste 63]

Excluding Mohawk and AFLAC, there are twelve metro-based companies on that 2010 list. Adding two more, AGL and Rock-Tenn, makes 14. The bottom of the 500 companies were in the low $4 billion range so Rock-Tenn would easily make the list post merger.

As a side note, Asbury Automotive is in an expansion and acquisition mode and could also grow their way back into the 500 after falling off of it just last year.

Martinman you are so correct. I totally forgot about AGL's acquisition and move into the F500 category even though I allude to it in my post but a few weeks ago. That would make 14 as of this post.

That's great considering Fortune 2010's list showed 14 in the entire state. There are more announcements in the pipeline...maybe not of the F500 level but great news all the same. Since I don't like dealing in too much speculation, I suppose it's best to wait until the information is finalized. This is news potentially regarding either Sandy Springs, Duluth or Atlanta proper.

I do know that the Cobb County's gain of a new HQ is finalized but I don't know which company. I don't think it's F500 level but great news for the metro nonetheless.

[Martinman 86]

A potential 15th Atlanta-based Fortune 500 company could be the result of Geogia Gulf's acquisition of Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries for $2 billion, creating a company that is expected to have $5 billion in annual revenue. The 15 figure also assumes that once AGL Resources' merger is counted it will also have annual revenue of over $5 billion. I am guessing AGL's merger did not close soon enough to be counted as a single entity on this year's list.

http://www.bizjourna...-biz-for-2.html

Edited July 20, 2012 by Martinman

[Martinman 86]

Asbury Automotive brings Georgia’s Fortune 500 companies to 17

 

Georgia now boasts another Fortune 500 company, thanks to a revved up performance from Duluth, Ga.-based auto dealer Asbury Automotive Group Inc.

On Monday, Fortune released the 2014 Fortune 500, which has 17 companies based in Georgia -- up from 16 in 2013

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2014/06/02/asbury-automotive-brings-georgia-s-fortune-500.html

 

Metro Atlanta now has 15 F500 companies and once Pulte Group completes their move to Buckhead, that will make 16.  There are also three more knocking on the door of the 500.     

 

• No. 524 -- Axiall Corp. (NYSE: AXLL)
• No. 532 -- AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: GAS)
• No. 547 -- Graphic Packaging Holding Co. (NYSE: GPK)

Edited June 2, 2014 by Martinman

[Martinman 86]

Veritiv to relocate HQ to Sandy Springs

 

And just like that (finger snap) Metro Atlanta scores another F500 HQ.  A new company formed by a spinoff from International Paper merging with Norcross based Unisource Global, will result in a company with over $9 billion in annual revenue.

 

Metro Atlanta's F500 total of 15 for 2014 could grow to 17 (or more) next year with the addition of Viritiv and Pulte Group and the possible  growth of other companies.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/real_talk/2014/08/veritiv-to-relocate-hq-to-sandy-springs.html

[Lady Celeste 63]

That is great news about Metro Atlanta's newest F500. Axiall's fundamentals and performance have been really good of late so I would not be surprised to see them join the F500 ranks in a year or so. Being home to a potential of 17+ F500s will be quite impressive for the metro region. 

[Martinman 86]

Pulte Group, AGL Resources, and Arris all moved up into the Fortune 500 bringing metro Atlanta's F500  count to 18.  That's impressive considering that 6 years ago Atlanta was down to 12 F500 HQ's due to mergers and acquisitions.  Atlanta will lose one F500 once MeadWestvaco completes it merger with Rock-Tenn but gain another once the newly formed company Veritiv is counted on the list.  

 

• No. 33 -- The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD)
• No. 47 -- United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS)
• No. 63 -- The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO)
• No. 73 -- Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL)
• No. 199 -- Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC)
• No. 163 -- Southern Co. (NYSE: SO)
• No. 265 -- First Data Corp.
• No. 293 -- Rock-Tenn Co. (NYSE: RKT)
• No. 296 -- AGCO Corp. (NYSE: AGCO)
• No. 316 -- HD Supply Holdings Inc.
• No. 327 -- SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI)
• No. 368 -- Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE)
• No. 412 -- NCR Corp. (NYSE: NCR)
• No. 450 -- Asbury Automotive Group Inc. (NYSE: ABG)
• No. 453 -- PulteGroup Inc. (NYSE: PHM)
• No. 455 -- Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE: NWL)
• No. 465 -- AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: GAS)
• No. 492 -- ARRIS Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS)
•  

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2015/06/05/pultegroup-builds-up-georgia-s-fortune-500.html

[Lady Celeste 63]

It is good to see Metro Atlanta getting its mojo back. The Great Recession took a toll on the local economy but I am glad to see that there are now MORE F500 HQs in Metro Atlanta in 2015 than there were before the recession. There is talk of other F500 corporations that could join the ranks of the 18 currently headquartered here so in the coming future this number could increase.

 

In regards to RockTenn's merger with MeadWestVaco: that is an unfortunate loss on one hand. Some, however, would call it more of an acquisition than a true merger...with RockTenn doing the acquisition. RockTenn's current leadership is taking over at the new company to be called WestRock. Metro Atlanta will remain the operations headquarters for the newly created company. At least the area did not suffer any job losses. In fact, metro Atlanta could be where most of the job gains occur in the future. 

[Martinman 86]

It is good to see Metro Atlanta getting its mojo back. The Great Recession took a toll on the local economy but I am glad to see that there are now MORE F500 HQs in Metro Atlanta in 2015 than there were before the recession. There is talk of other F500 corporations that could join the ranks of the 18 currently headquartered here so in the coming future this number could increase.

 

In regards to RockTenn's merger with MeadWestVaco: that is an unfortunate loss on one hand. Some, however, would call it more of an acquisition than a true merger...with RockTenn doing the acquisition. RockTenn's current leadership is taking over at the new company to be called WestRock. Metro Atlanta will remain the operations headquarters for the newly created company. At least the area did not suffer any job losses. In fact, metro Atlanta could be where most of the job gains occur in the future. 

 

 

Interesting.  I was not aware of that info about RockTenn / WestRock.  I just assumed it was MeadWestVaco doing the acquiring considering that Richmond will be the HQ location but its likely that was a condition of the deal. 

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean 41]

On 6/7/2015 at 0:17 AM, Martinman said:

Pulte Group, AGL Resources, and Arris all moved up into the Fortune 500 bringing metro Atlanta's F500  count to 18.  That's impressive considering that 6 years ago Atlanta was down to 12 F500 HQ's due to mergers and acquisitions.  Atlanta will lose one F500 once MeadWestvaco completes it merger with Rock-Tenn but gain another once the newly formed company Veritiv is counted on the list.  

 

• No. 33 -- The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD)
• No. 47 -- United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS)
• No. 63 -- The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO)
• No. 73 -- Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL)
• No. 199 -- Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC)
• No. 163 -- Southern Co. (NYSE: SO)
• No. 265 -- First Data Corp.
• No. 293 -- Rock-Tenn Co. (NYSE: RKT)
• No. 296 -- AGCO Corp. (NYSE: AGCO)
• No. 316 -- HD Supply Holdings Inc.
• No. 327 -- SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI)
• No. 368 -- Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE)
• No. 412 -- NCR Corp. (NYSE: NCR)
• No. 450 -- Asbury Automotive Group Inc. (NYSE: ABG)
• No. 453 -- PulteGroup Inc. (NYSE: PHM)
• No. 455 -- Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE: NWL)
• No. 465 -- AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: GAS)
• No. 492 -- ARRIS Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS)
•  

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2015/06/05/pultegroup-builds-up-georgia-s-fortune-500.html

And add Regional and North American Headquarters of State Farm Insurance and Mercedes Benz.