Carroll County’s Southwire Company, LLC Becomes Latest Georgia Firm to Join FTZ Program
ATLANTA, Oct. 17, 2019 – Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone (GFTZ) President and CEO Julie Brown today welcomed Southwire Company, LLC of Carrollton, Georgia, as the latest company to join the Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) program in Georgia. By joining the FTZ program, Southwire will realize a variety of unique FTZ program benefits including the delay and reduction in tariffs and other import fees, and a more efficient movement of goods to their Villa Rica (Douglas County) retail warehouse facility.
Southwire, a family-owned Georgia company and industry leader, will use its new FTZ status to warehouse and distribute portable and electronic cord products, engineered products, assembled products, contractor equipment and hand tools.
“We’re thrilled that Southwire is making the FTZ program a key component of its business strategy. By capping fees, realizing the benefits of direct delivery and delaying when tariffs are paid, company leaders can reliably save the company a considerable amount of money. By being more competitive, this great Georgia company is strengthening its ties to the community and its commitment to its employees,” said Brown.
More than two dozen companies employing more than 10,000 Georgians are presently working with GFTZ to access the benefits of the FTZ program, which are available to any company operating in the state. Southwire is the first company operating in Douglas County to join the program.
“We have been working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Georgia Foreign Trade Zone Board to understand how Southwire can best utilize existing systems to ensure the most cost effective yet fluid supply chain advantages offered through the use of the FTZ program” said Jeff Williams, director of compliance for Southwire. “Going forward we plan to expand our use of the FTZ program through increased volume in west Georgia as well as a future activation of a FTZ facility on the West Coast, allowing Southwire to maintain its competitive advantage in the marketplace while ensuring smooth supply to our customers.”
About Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone
Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone (GFTZ) is a private non-profit corporation that serves as the federally appointed grantee with administrative responsibilities over Foreign-Trade Zone #26, serving the majority of Georgia. GFTZ is dedicated to fostering economic growth in Georgia and the U.S. through the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone program. For more information visit www.georgiaftz.com.
About Southwire Company
A leader in technology and innovation, Southwire Company, LLC is one of North America’s largest wire and cable producers. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, utility products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, contractor equipment and hand tools. For more on Southwire’s products, its community involvement and its vision of sustainability, visit www.southwire.com.