Governor Brian P. Kemp announced Wednesday that Aurubis, one of the leading recyclers of copper, precious metals, and non-ferrous materials worldwide, will invest $340 million (€300 million) in a state-of-the-art recycling and secondary smelting facility for multi-metal recycling in Augusta. This new facility will be the very first of its kind in the U.S. and will create 125 jobs in the Augusta area.
“We’re glad to welcome Aurubis to the number one state for business, marking the single-largest investment made by a German company in the State of Georgia,” said Governor Kemp. “Our ports system, highly-skilled workforce, and pro-business environment – which prioritizes partnership and innovation – have once again attracted a top-notch opportunity for hardworking Georgians in Augusta. Aurubis will now join more than 500 German companies with operations in Georgia, and this project underscores the strengths of our exceptional state and local economic development teams.”
Aurubis’ commitment to sustainable development and to raw material security will play a role in building Georgia’s electric mobility value chain. From Augusta, the company plans to produce materials found in lithium-ion batteries and other electronics.
“With this investment, we are setting a clear example of sustainable growth, and will become a forerunner for multi-metal recycling in the U.S. as well – a role that we already have in Europe now,” said Roland Harings, CEO of Aurubis AG.
Aurubis will build its facility on 150 acres at Augusta Corporate Park, which is a “Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Certified” site. Operations are expected to begin by the first half of 2024, and the company plans to begin hiring for positions as soon as summer 2022. Individuals interested in opportunities with Aurubis are encouraged to visit www.aurubis.com/en/career/jobs for additional information.
“The Augusta Economic Development Authority and the City of Augusta are excited to welcome our newest corporate tenant. As a leader in their industry, they will build a world-class advanced manufacturing facility and also will bring skilled jobs to Augusta,” said Steven Kendrick, Chairman of the Development Authority of Augusta. “The Augusta Corporate Park is proud to have such a company as its next tenant, and we are humbled that our community was chosen to be the home of this facility. The Augusta Economic Development Authority stands ready to provide a foundation for helping Aurubis to be successful over the next several decades.”
“The Georgia Ports Authority is happy to play a role in bringing jobs and investment to Georgia,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. “Exports produced by the Aurubis recycling operation will strengthen the state’s global position via Savannah – already one of the nation’s most balanced ports in terms of import-export trade.”
Senior Project Manager Fernanda Kirchner represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce division on this project in partnership with the Augusta Economic Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, and Georgia Power. Managing Director for the State of Georgia’s Europe Office Sérgio Domingues also played a supporting role in attracting Aurubis to Georgia.
“I would like to warmly welcome Aurubis to Georgia. We are so proud that this innovative company will build the first multi-metal recycling plant in the United States in Richmond County,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Team Georgia came together to make this possible, and I would like to thank our partners in Augusta and our leadership for supporting one of the largest German investments in our state.”
As a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Certified park, Augusta Corporate Park has completed due diligence and other specific certification requirements and due diligence prior to visits by prospective businesses. Receiving a GRAD certification with GDEcD is a proactive way both community planners and landowners can help catalyze economic growth and industrial development for the regions they serve. Thousands of Georgia jobs have been created on GRAD sites since the program’s inception in 2008.
