Governor Perdue Welcomes ORAFOL USA to Bryan County

German Company Selects Georgia as Site of U.S. Headquarters, Manufacturing Facility

ATLANTA, GA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that ORAFOL USA Inc., a subsidiary of German-based ORAFOL Klebetechnik GmbH, has selected Bryan County, Georgia, near Savannah, as the site of its U.S. headquarters and first manufacturing facility outside Germany. The company will be the anchor of the Interstate Centre industrial park when it completes construction of its 200,000-square-foot facility in 2006.

"Germany has long been an important business partner for Georgia and I am pleased to welcome ORAFOL to our state," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "This company will not only provide excellent job opportunities and economic growth in Bryan County, but it further illustrates Georgia's leadership in international trade and logistics."

The facility represents a $45 million investment over two development phases and will create 60 new jobs by the end of 2008. It will employ state-of-the-art technology to produce PVC films for use in graphics products, adhesive tapes, and reflective films. The facility will supply products to customers in North and South America, Australia, and other international markets.

"Bryan County provided our company with unmatched access to our important customers and suppliers both through the Port of Savannah and an excellent highway system," said Holger Loclair, managing director of ORAFOL Klebetechnik GmbH. "I look forward to creating a long and productive relationship in the community."

The company worked with site location consultants at Nuermont Corporation. "We helped our client consider more than 30 sites in five states, and together we determined that the Interstate Centre industrial park in Bryan County was the best location for ORAFOL's long-term success," said Peter Merz, executive vice president of Nuermont. "The leadership from the state of Georgia and Bryan County have been very professional and supportive." Representatives from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the Bryan County Commission, and the Bryan County – Pembroke Development Authority coordinated efforts to locate the facility. ORAFOL also plans to take advantage of the state’s Quick Start training program.

The 200-year-old, family-owned company recorded sales of approximately $190 million in fiscal year 2003 and exported nearly 70 percent of its products to international markets.

"The site for this new facility is close to ORAFOL's customers, major highways and a strong local workforce," said GDEcD Commissioner Craig Lesser. "Georgia has once again proven that it has the strategic assets in place to drive business."

The parent company, ORAFOL Klebetechnik GmbH, is headquartered in Oranienberg, Germany, and operates its sales arm in Jacksonville, Fla.