precedent: Dalton, GA

excerpts from Internet@Dalton:

 

Carpet manufacturing is big business in Whitfield County. The industry employs more than 30,000.  Whitfield County is proud of the contribution the carpet industry has made to the community. However, carpet is not the only thriving business in Dalton. Plastics, chemicals, bakery products, denim jeans, and fiber products are also produced locally.

Real estate for commercial business is plentiful along the handful of industrial parks for future economic growth.

The economic impact of major industries in Dalton brings subtle benefits to the area. Dalton has become a cultural melting pot because of the migration and influx of experts and entrepreneurs in the area’s industries. The success of the carpet industry and its people have helped Dalton attain a true quality of life.

Whitfield County businesses are quite aware of the impact that each tourism dollar has on the entire community. Discount shopping areas have been added – lodging facilities are upgrading and are actively marketing across the country – carpet outlets are benefiting greatly from the transient traveler who uses the busy I-75 north/south corridor.

AREA TRANSPORTATION

The industrial areas are located near the main transportation veins, such as I-75, US Highway 76, and US Highway 41 and the major railways. The transportation lines, coupled with the ample building space and a booming industrial market, make Whitfield County the land of plenty for the opportunist. Located in Northwest Georgia, Dalton is split by two major links; US Highway 41, which connects Atlanta and Chattanooga, and Interstate 75, which runs from Miami through Atlanta, Dalton, Chattanooga, and Cincinnati to Sault St. Marie.

Dalton is just thirty miles south of Chattanooga and 88 miles north of Atlanta. The superior transportation facilities rival most big cities – in fact which has impressed prospective industries. All of the transport services that any business might require for a plant site are easily accessible from Dalton and Whitfield County.

Along with a network of well maintained state highways and local roads, a by-pass system of the major though fares and arteries is currently under construction. In fact, many sections are already complete.

Dalton is also served by two major railways. The Norfolk and Southern and also CSX railroads handle more than 2,000 piggyback cars every month. The county is serviced by 72 motor freight carriers with 25 local terminals.

Besides school buses and family wagons getting people where they want to be, taxi service as well as the Whitfield Transportation Service (for the elderly, handicapped and others) are other means of getting around town.

LABOR FORCE

 About 54% of the nearly 50,000 strong labor force is engaged in manufacturing. Much of the manufacturing success of the Dalton area is attributed to the strong employee-employer relationship that has always been prevalent here.

Programs of continuing education, adult education and vocational education at Dalton College provide additional skills development for Dalton’s diversified labor force.

Because of Dalton’s tradition as a major employment center, quality workers are drawn from all surrounding Georgia and Tennessee counties. A constant influx of labor through the years has made it possible to staff the expanding economic base.

In keeping with increasing technical requirements of local industries, the skill levels of the labor force are rapidly improving. In addition to training, realized through changes in the workplace, numerous opportunities for specialized training at Dalton College provides enhanced skills through the Quick Start program and the Technical Division.

Recruiting and applicant screening services are available through the Georgia Department of Labor in Dalton. Use of this state-of-the-art employer driven program has enabled many existing companies to find quality laborers at minimal company expense.

The major thrust of the Dalton-Whitfield Chamber is education. The vision of the Chamber is that before the turn of the century, every person in the area will have basic skills required to adapt to the changing workplace demands. Linking business, education and government resources, the Chamber works to forge a model community, including an attitude toward educational improvement that will yield a labor force of unique quality.