Wilo SE to Expand Thomasville Location

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue and Wilo North America CEO Thomas Halstrick announced from Germany today that Wilo SE is investing $2.7 million in its Thomasville location, creating a substantial number of new jobs over the next years. The announcement was made following a meeting between the Governor and Wilo’s senior leadership at the company’s global headquarters in Dortmund, Germany.

“We welcome Wilo growing its business and jobs in Thomasville,” said Governor Perdue. “This decision is further evidence that our skilled workforce, strategic location and world-class ports make Georgia an ideal location to produce and ship goods throughout the world.”

Wilo USA LLC opened its North American production headquarters, which includes one of the most sophisticated test facilities in the U.S., in Thomasville in 2007. The company provides pumps designed for water and sewage and for industrial and building services applications, including high efficiency circulators. Wilo is investing in new tools and testing instruments at its Thomasville location in order to enter new markets in the U.S., Canada, Central America and South America. The company will introduce SAP’s IT technology this year to support its expansion. SAP, a German-based, global software development and consulting corporation, is the largest software enterprise in Europe and fourth-largest in the world.

“We are honored to welcome Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue at our headquarters and glad to demonstrate Wilo’s strength to support the growth of our production facility in Thomasville, both in investment and in employment,” North America CEO Thomas Halstrick said during the meeting.

The 60,000-square-foot Thomasville facility is located on 10 acres of land at the Plantation Oak Industrial Park. Wilo’s current operation employs about 60 people and has revenues of $30 million. The company is part of the Wilo Group, one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers, which has had operations in the U.S. since 2004. SAP is the standard software for all Wilo production facilities and its introduction to Thomasville indicates the prominent role this facility will play in Wilo’s long-term planning.

“We are pleased and excited by the commitment this world-class company has made to Thomasville,” said Don Sims, president of the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce. “Wilo is a great corporate citizen – its advanced technology and the beauty of its property enhance our community and are an ongoing representation of our area’s advantages for international companies.”

Wilo SE is the 2009 recipient of the Merlin Award for “best innovator.” The Merlin Awards are awarded each year by the German American Chambers of Commerce in the U.S. and honor outstanding achievements in transatlantic trade relations.

Wilo is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pumps and pump systems for heating, cooling and air-conditioning technology, for water supply and sewage and drainage. The company has approx. 6,000 employees in over 70 countries. The company reported revenues of $1.2 billion in 2009.

###