Valdosta-Lowndes County: We Keep Building

March 7, 2024

Valdosta, Lowndes County, is focused on its next wave of industry growth with the opening of its second spec building. 

The new 100,000-square-foot spec building is expandable to 250,000-300,000 square feet. Located in the Westside Business Park on 10 acres, the spec building is less than one mile from I-75, has rapid access to I-10, and is near seaports in Savannah, Brunswick, and Jacksonville. 

 Valdosta's first spec building, which was completed in 2021, is now home to Bimbo QSR, a subsidiary of a Mexican multinational company, which produces different types of hamburger, hot dog, and sandwich buns for quick-service restaurant (QSR) customers around the world. 

"Our first spec building gave us a product to show prospective industries," said Andrea Schruijer, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority. "Bimbo acquired the space before it was finished and then custom-fitted it to their needs."

Thinking long-term, Schruijer said, "The availability of a spec building extends our opportunities to attract companies."

The second spec building comes at an opportune time, as Valdosta continues to expand its diverse industry base, which includes advanced manufacturing, distribution and logistics, and food processing.

Last year, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority worked on projects that added 460 jobs and injected $390 million in capital investments into the local and regional economy, including Walmart's announcement to build a dairy processing facility. 

The Walmart project is expected to be operational by 2025, and create 390 above-average paying jobs and significantly boost the state's agricultural industry as the company plans to source milk and other ingredients throughout the region.

After considering numerous communities in the Southeast, Prinsco selected Valdosta as the site for its new facility to manufacture corrugated high-density polyethylene and polypropylene pipes. The 74,000-square-foot facility will be completed later this year, and the company expects to create 40 jobs.

GAF, a subsidiary of Standard Industries and the largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer in North America, is poised to open its Valdosta manufacturing facility by the summer of 2024.

This project will generate 135 jobs and an investment of $146 million over the next six years. The new facility is designed to bolster GAF's commercial roofing operations and enhance its thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing manufacturing capacity.

Following an exhaustive site selection process, Valdosta emerged as the preferred location due to its strategic proximity to other GAF facilities, its accessibility to major highways and railways, and the presence of a skilled workforce spanning the region. 

Along with recruiting businesses, the Development Authority worked with existing industries on facility expansion, installation of advanced machinery, and solutions to increase storage and production capacity. 

 While 2023 was a robust year, the past four years (2020-2023) represent an economic surge that included 1,150 new jobs and over $742.3 million in capital investments. 

 Located midway between Atlanta and Orlando, Valdosta-Lowndes County serves as an economic, service, professional, retail, healthcare, and tourism hub for a 15- to 18-county region within South Georgia and North Florida.

 Valdosta-Lowndes County is a great place to do business, and the Development Authority works closely with businesses to help them succeed. Whether it's an expansion, relocation, or startup, the Development Authority is working to build a groundbreaking community.

 To learn more about how your business can thrive in Valdosta-Lowndes County, visit lowndesbuild.com