Rivian Automotive, a California-based maker of electric vehicles (EV), announced in late December that it had chosen Clayco, a national engineering and construction firm, to build its innovative $5 billion dollar manufacturing plant in the Stanton Springs industrial area east of Atlanta.
Headquartered in Chicago, Clayco is a full-service turnkey company, with additional services including real estate, architecture and design-build construction.
Rivian, a company at the forefront of the EV industry, is setting out to create an 1,800-acre Georgia complex to build its sustainable transportation.
Dedicated to preserving the natural world for future generations, the manufacturer wants both its vehicles and facilities to be energy efficient and sustainable; the same idea is to be applied to the construction and operations of the Georgia factory, according to a news release from Clayco.
Tony Sanger, Rivian's vice president of facilities, said in a statement that the collaboration between Rivian and Clayco is a symbiotic partnership that will propel the local community forward.
"We have an ambitious goal to develop an eco-conscious facility that illustrates our mission of keeping the world adventurous forever," he elaborated. "With Clayco's dedication to developing innovative ideas and solutions, we are confident they are the right partner to ensure the Rivian plant is a shining example of sustainable manufacturing."
Not only will the new complex contribute significantly to the continued growth and adoption of electric vehicles, but it is also expected to create approximately 7,500 employment opportunities — demonstrating the company's commitment to both the local and national economies.
Plans call for the Rivian plant's construction to begin in the coming weeks, with vehicle production expected to ramp up in 2026.
The EV manufacturer has been a hot topic of conversation in the Stanton Springs area ever since it was first officially announced in late 2021, the Covington News reported.
Two months ago, prior to selecting a contractor, the Joint Development Authority of Newton, Jasper, Morgan and Walton counties (JDA) and Rivian closed on bonds to finance the EV plant.
Clayco will handle primary construction duties for the Rivian complex, with Jacobs as its engineer of record and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill serving as its design architect.
New Industrial Park to Be Built Near West Georgia Inland Port
A development team announced plans Jan. 3 for a warehouse complex roughly an hour southwest of downtown Atlanta aimed at the region's growing manufacturing and logistics industries.
Grandview Partners and Farpoint Development recently acquired 134 acres in LaGrange, Ga. to develop Lafayette Logistics Park, which is set to include up to 2 million sq. ft. of warehouse space. The land was purchased in late November from Southpoint Realty Group LLC at an undisclosed price.
Located along Interstate 85, the complex will rise near Kia's West Point manufacturing plant as well as factories and facilities utilized by Walmart, Kimberly-Clark and Duracell.
The industrial park will be located just 6 mi. from the future West Georgia Inland Port, a rail terminal set to connect LaGrange to the Port of Savannah as well as close to the Kia factory.
Grandview Partners, a minority-owned real estate fund manager based in Connecticut, said LaGrange's status as a growing industrial hub will only increase with the success of the proposed inland port.
"LaGrange is emerging as a top logistics market in the Southeast," Eric Helfand, a founding principal at Farpoint Development, said in a media release. "Lafayette Logistics Park is strategically located and will create quality jobs while supporting continued business growth in the region."
The Daily News noted that the construction of the industrial park is being completed in two phases, with the initial phase expected to get underway within the next few months and be completed by the end of 2024. It will include four industrial facilities ranging from 187,000-255,000 sq. ft. in size.
Phase II will begin once substantial work is completed on the first part of the construction and encompass a single, 700,000-sq.-ft. facility.
"With many notable national and regional manufacturers anchored in Troup County, and LaGrange's recent selection as the next major inland port site by the Georgia Port Authority, Lafayette Logistics Park is well positioned to provide much much-needed industrial space for the region over the coming years," explained Trevor Oliff, director at Grandview Partners.
Scott Malone, president of the LaGrange Development Authority, said the primary driver for bringing in new facilities like the Troup Logistics Center and the Pegasus Industrial complex, which have been leased by Kia or their suppliers, has been the automaker's electric vehicle expansion.
Developing the Lafayette Logistics Park is more about the inland port, he noted, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
"From a historical standpoint, we have 111 manufacturing facilities in Troup County, but we've never focused on logistics," Malone elaborated, noting the new logistics developments will help manufacturing continue to bring good jobs and investment into the county and city.
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