TAG Manufacturing

Posted April 2004

Gary Wilt, president of TAG Manufacturing, announced plans to establish its headquarters at Enterprise South Industrial Park. The company will manufacture and fabricate sub-assembled steel parts for the automotive, construction, industrial, and agricultural markets.

"Chattanooga is the ideal location for the customer base we are pursuing," said Wilt. "Being at Enterprise South gives us just-in-time proximity to both automotive assembly plants and heavy equipment makers, who are located in and around the Chattanooga region."

TAG Manufacturing plans to grow to 75 employees within three years and has a five year plan for 175 employees. With a range of approximately $27,000 to $70,000, the company’s pay scale exceeds the Hamilton County average. The jobs created will include office, skilled, technical and professional positions.

According to Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, the TAG Manufacturing project underscores the great promise Enterprise South holds for this region.

"Our commitment to attract the greatest number of high-paying jobs to Enterprise South is being realized as companies like TAG Manufacturing are attracted to the site," said Mayor Corker. "Our community’s ideal proximity to so many major manufacturers in the southeast and the availability of flat land at Enterprise South is a competitive advantage for our community and is causing companies like TAG to choose Chattanooga to locate their business."

"What a great way to get the ball rolling," said Mayor Claude Ramsey of Hamilton County. "Enterprise South has only been open for three months and we already have two tenants, and both of them represent enormous potential for growth."

According to Tom Edd Wilson, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, which leads the marketing effort for Enterprise South, the implications of the TAG Manufacturing project exceed the jobs it will create directly. "Having TAG Manufacturing locate at Enterprise South makes the park more marketable, particularly to other automotive and heavy equipment manufacturers," Wilson said. "Companies like to see other operations established in an industrial park before they invest."

A resolution authorizing Mayor Ramsey to enter into an agreement with TAG Manufacturing goes before the Hamilton County Commission today. A similar resolution authorizing Mayor Corker to enter into an agreement with the company will be considered by the Chattanooga City Council next week.

According to the resolutions, TAG manufacturing will enter into an agreement with Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga to purchase 21.5 acres of land at Enterprise South at a cost per acre of $30,000. The area included in the transaction is on Enterprise South’s West Campus.

The company will invest approximately $6 million in property, plant, machinery, equipment, and inventory. All financing will be privately funded. According to Wilt, TAG Manufacturing plans to begin construction in May of 2004.

eSpin, a world leader in the manufacturer of nanofibers announced its plans to locate at Enterprise South Industrial Park in December.

####

The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading business and economic development organization for the Chattanooga region. For over 100 years, the Chattanooga Chamber has provided community engagement and opportunities for businesses, large and small, including networking, business promotion, business discounts, and public policy advocacy, as well as leadership development and training opportunities.

In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber is a one-stop-shop for site selectors and business decision-makers considering investments and job creation projects in the Chattanooga region. The Chattanooga Chamber is also responsible for marketing Enterprise South Industrial Park, a top-tier industrial park that offers significant strategic business advantages. In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber administers the Chattanooga Hamilton County Business Development Center, the largest business incubator in the U.S. in terms of the number of start up companies it houses, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, an innovative effort to nurture technology-based start-up companies.

As the first stop for people interested in moving to the Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chamber provides a range of relocation information including demographics, informational videos, connections to Chattanooga Area jobs, and frequently asked questions.