Economic Profile

Industrial Revenue Bonds
Industrial Revenue Bonds are financing instruments issued through the Wayne County Industrial Development Authority. Both taxable and tax-exempt industrial revenue bond financing is available at competitive, below-prime interest rates. IRBs provide for land, building and equipment acquisition for new and expanding manufacturing plants.

Tax Incentives
No Georgia sales tax is levied on equipment used in the manufacturing process. Various sales and use tax exemptions are available for manufacturing operations, material handling equipment, pollution control and electricity used directly in manufacturing a product. Certain provisions apply.

Job Tax Credit
Wayne County is designated as a Tier 1 community by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. This rating allows business locating to or expanding in Wayne County to be eligible for a tax credit of $3,500 per job. Also, because Wayne County is part of the Southeast Georgia Joint Development Authority, businesses are entitled to an additional $500 tax credit per job, for at total of $4,000.

Freeport Exemption
Wayne County's freeport inventory tax exemption is fully implemented at the 100% level. Exemption from ad valorem taxes for inventories of finished goods held by original manufacturers; raw materials and goods in process; finished goods held by distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers but destined for out-of-state shipment.

Foreign Trade Zone
Wayne County has the ability for qualified projects to apply for sub-zone designation of Free Trade Zone 144. This designation helps to alleviate the duty costs incurred during the import export process, thereby, making it easier to do business globally.

One Stop Environmental Permitting
Georgia offers efficient, one-stop environmental permitting through its Environmental Protection Division which is also approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue federally required permits. Costly and time-consuming environmental impact statements are not required.

Work Force Incentives
New and expanding businesses qualify for training through Georgia’s Quick Start and Work Ready programs.
Georgia Quick Start Training and Local Technical Colleges – Georgia’s Quick Start training program is consistently recognized in the top three of training programs in the U.S. In 2007, they were ranked #1. Training and testing is provided through programs administered by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Pre-employment training is available using industry-specific certificate programs offered locally through a network of 34 technical colleges and four university system affiliates.

Quick Start is designed to be flexible and to respond immediately to each company's needs. Training can take place at the company’s facility or at a location arranged by Quick Start. The training schedules are also very flexible. Quick Start has been recognized nationally as the best public training program in the United States. This service is available at no cost to your company.

Georgia Work Ready - This workforce training initiative assesses the skills of Georgia's workers, determines valuable job training opportunities and assures companies that the state can provide a long-term, qualified labor supply. Through a voluntary workforce assessment system called Work Ready, the program measures the "real world" skills that employers believe are critical for job success today and for mastering the innovative technologies tomorrow's jobs will require.

Georgia Work Ready offers numerous advantages for Georgia employers, including:

• Assurance that employees have the right skill sets
• Improved hiring procedures
• Reduced turnover and training costs
• Increased productivity
• Higher employee morale
   

Post-employment training through the Quick Start program is customized to the specific needs of a company. This process involves conducting a training needs analysis of the jobs within the company, developing a detailed training plan, and finally, conducting the training. Quick Start covers two comprehensive areas: manufacturing and distribution and service/back-office training.

Georgia Tech FaciliTech – Georgia Tech can partner with Georgia companies to offer access to world-class talent and an array of services to help with issues related to process productivity, quality and international standards, energy and environmental management, lean enterprise transformation, trade adjustment assistance, new product design and development, and information technology strategies.

Georgia Department of Labor - Upon determination of the specific job skills needed by the client, the Georgia Department of Labor and the local Georgia Department of Labor Career Center will administer the following; 1) applicant recruitment; 2) screening to company defined criteria; 3) referral and provision of office space for new employee interviews. These services are funded through the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).

Wayne County's Top Ten Employers

1. Wayne County Board of Education – 984
2. Rayonier – 949
3. Department of Transportation – 550
4. Wayne Memorial Hospital – 430
5. Federal Correctional Institution – 350
6. Wal-Mart – 347
7. Altamaha Technical Institute – 172
8. Great Southern Wood Preserving – 106
9. Ashley Manufacturing – 92
10. Duro-Med Industries - 75

Work Force

Population: 29,509 (2008)
Civilian Labor Force: 12,136 (Dec. 2009)
Unemployment Rate: 12.1%
Average Weekly Wage: $654

Industry Distribution for Wayne County: