Georgia Calls for Trade Development with Israeli Companies

Over the last 3 years, Georgia has participated in a number of large exhibitions and conferences in Israel including BioMed Israel and WATEC. 

Georgia also sponsored a unique trade development program called G.R.O.W  (Georgia Reach Out Worldwide) where 10 qualified Israeli companies were invited to Georgia to meet with manufacturers and establish business relations. 
Many companies have signed agreements in a variety of industries, such as agricultural, food, ICT, medical equipment, and chemicals, resulting in millions of dollars of trade transactions between Georgia and Israel.  Georgia fully covered the travel expenses for the Israeli companies, in addition to planning a full itinerary of meetings in Georgia.

Georgia has become significantly more active in working with Israeli companies – both industrial manufacturers and hi-tech companies – that are looking to expand their operations in the USA and also reach other regions (i.e. Latin America) from their U.S. location. Caesarstone, the market leader in high quality quartz surfaces, is investing approximately 100 million dollars to establish a new manufacturing facility near Savannah, Georgia. 

Many other Israeli companies are recognizing the benefits that the state of Georgia has to offer, primarily their pro-business environment, outstanding logistics, various business incentives, many business partnership opportunities, and above all, the famous and unmatched southern hospitality which translates to the outstanding response and support provided to support the companies’ needs and interests. 
Georgia was ranked as having the #1 State Business Climate in the U.S. by Site Selection Magazine, one of the nation’s top economic development trade publications. 
(For further reading - www.siteselection.com)

Other important economic advantages of Georgia include:

• Georgia has more than 40 Israeli companies, over 3,000 internationally-owned business operations, and 74 countries represented by the consulates, trade offices, and bi-national chambers of commerce
• Georgia has a first class workforce and strong tradition of pro-business environment supporting many international business connections. 
• Georgia’s Jewish and Israeli community is approximately 120,000 enjoying the State’s excellent quality of life. 
• Georgia has been recognized for being the #1 for Workforce (CNBC, 2013), #1 for Doing Business (Area Development, 2013) and #2 in Infrastructure and Global Access (Area Development, 2013).
• Atlanta’s international airport is the biggest and busiest airport in the world reaching 80% of U.S. markets within a two-hour flight. 
• The Savannah Port is the 4th largest (and fastest growing) container port in the U.S. with two Class 1 railroad facilities and one of the nation’s most extensive rail systems.
• Georgia’s QuickStart workforce training program is consistently top-ranked in the U.S. 
• A highly-skilled workforce at low average wages, with low union activity 
• Georgia’s university system is one of the largest in the U.S. with top-ranked schools. 
• Georgia’s 6% corporate income tax is only imposed on a company’s sales in Georgia. 
• AAA Bond Rating – Georgia is one of a few States to have the highest bond rating. 
    
  The Israeli Economic Mission to the U.S. Southern Region works closely with the State of Georgia to introduce Israeli industries to the U.S. market in this region, specifically in the logistics sector. A delegation of Israeli companies will attend the upcoming Georgia Logistics Summit held in March. The Israeli delegation is comprised of the leading Israeli companies in supply chain management from smart packaging, software for managing complex logistic centers, warehousing and tracking, energy efficiency and security and technologies for agri-products transportation. 
  
  Governor Nathan Deal, the Governor of Georgia, plans to visit Israel in June 2014. They will be hosted in Israel by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Industry and Labor to meet with government officials, economic development organizations and with Israeli companies who are considering a U.S. location.  More information on this visit and the delegation that is joining the Governor will be available soon.
  Discover Georgia and become the next success story - http://www.georgia.org./. 
  
  Georgia is one of 11 states with trade and investment offices in Israel. The others are Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
  
  For more information, you may also reach the Georgia Department of Economic Development in Israel: 
  Ronen (Ron) Kenan, Director, Israel Office 
  State of Georgia (USA) Department of Economic Development  
  
  Tel: +972 9 9570270 
  Cell: +972 54 6636140 
  RKenan@georgia.org 
  http://www.georgia.org/ 
    
  To contact FICC International Trade Relations Division - click here