Resources to help keep your world moving

As some may call the city the “Business Center of the Southeast,” others know it as Atlanta. According to Invest Atlanta, ATL is the “#1 metro area for lowest cost of doing business” and forecasts being home to over 1.9 million jobs by 2040. From international business to Fortune 500s to thousands of startups, Atlanta’s affordability, mild climates, consistently flowing talent pool and continuously emerging developments are just some of the reasons companies are relocating to Atlanta. Companies Prospering in Atlanta The metro-Atlanta area houses 17 of the top Fortune 500 companies, including The Home Depot (#17), United Parcel Service (#34) and The Coco-Cola Company (#73) and many more. According to KNOWAtlanta, a Home Depot representative stated, “Atlanta is one of the country’s top cities in which to do business. It has great entrepreneurial opportunities, great career options and plenty of access to excellent education. Plus, it’s constantly growing.” In...

In June 2020, Atlanta’s Northside Hospital announced a $400 million, 10-story patient tower expansion to their Gwinnett campus. The facility plans included 132 inpatient beds and at least 5,000 new jobs for the Northside workforce. Because of heightened demand, the project scope became even more extensive in December of the same year. What are the details of the Northside Hospital Expansion Plan? The updated plan will add seven more floors and 146 routine inpatient care and intensive care patient rooms to the tower, bringing the total to 17 stories with capacity for 696 beds. Because of the added square footage, this will also necessitate approximately 1,000 extra jobs. Once construction is complete, the Northside Hospital’s Gwinnett campus will be the largest site in their system. The tower will also be in the running for the largest building in Gwinnett Country with a height of 257 feet and six inches (it...

Whether moving your office across the street or across the state, the process can be a time suck that quickly consumes your company dollars, time and energy. It’s easy to feel stressed or overwhelmed at the prospect of moving your people and your space while minimizing downtime for customers. But with proactive planning, your office move is sure to be a success, no matter how challenging it may seem. Ensure your move is smooth, seamless and stress-free by avoiding these six costly mistakes.  1. Hiring labor-only movers Labor-only moving companies don’t have their own vans or drivers. They can help load items into your rental truck on moving day, but you will be responsible for the rest. Though this might work well for a small residential move, office moves require more planning, assets and services. Full-service moving companies will support your move from start to finish, from the initial budgeting...

Industrial machinery is the lifeblood of every manufacturing company. When it’s time to relocate, manufacturers must devote extra care and attention to moving their equipment. Industrial equipment is often heavy and bulky, making it difficult to move any pieces without a third-party partner. A successful move can result in improved efficiency and reduced downtime for a company, but any missteps can damage people, facilities, budgets and businesses. Follow these seven steps to move your industrial equipment safely and effectively. 1. Check the fine print of your owner’s manual. Before moving any equipment, check for instructions from the manufacturer. Some vendors may require a member of their teams or another specialist to prep the equipment for the move. If unsure whether you can proceed, call your vendor for more detailed instructions on prepping, uninstalling and protecting the machinery for moving. Read the owner’s manual for other best practices on moving equipment,...

The secret is out: Atlanta is the hottest tech hub in the Southeast. Nicknamed “the Silicon Valley of the South,” this not-so-hidden gem is racking up recognition for its diverse talent, successful incubators and friendly business landscape. As Atlanta explodes in popularity, more national companies are betting on the metro by quickly growing their local presence. Some businesses have used Atlanta office relocations as strategic ploys to stay competitive in a tight labor market. A Jones Lang LaSalle report found that employees think the early-morning commute is worth the effort when their office is engaging, exciting and technology-enabled. As a result, offices built since 2015 are the only buildings that have seen positive net absorption over the past eight quarters. Moving to vibrant, up-and-coming office districts in Atlanta has allowed companies to attract a new pool of talent from the area’s top-ranking Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This trend is...

As Atlanta expands its influence as a leading transportation hub, more national companies are outsourcing parts of their operations to local third-party logistics (3PL) providers. The Metro Atlanta Chamber nicknamed Atlanta “Supply Chain City” because of its prime geographic location, strong infrastructure network and collection of corporate headquarters. Atlanta is only a two-hour flight or two-day drive away from roughly 80 percent of the United States, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. It’s home to the most expansive rail system in the Southeast, the third-busiest container gateway in the country and the world’s busiest airport. As a result, the 3PL sector in Atlanta has exploded. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reported that the logistics and parcel delivery industry has been up 90.3 percent year over year since 2019. The city’s 3PL leaders continue to revolutionize the sector, making Atlanta the second-best metro area for digital supply chain in the...

In recent years, Atlanta has transformed into one of the best metros for business, rivaling any urban area across the United States. Atlanta’s economic development and job growth continue to accelerate, with global companies making their marks on the city. Invest Atlanta predicts that employers will create nearly two million jobs in the metro by 2040. Here are five factors that have led Atlanta to a competitive position as one of the top places to relocate your business. Advanced Infrastructure Atlanta is one of the leading transportation centers in the U.S., making it convenient for companies with national footprints to receive, ship and deliver goods. Georgia maintains the largest rail network in the Southeast with over 4,600 miles of active rail lines and 28 freight railroads. Atlanta not only serves as a hub for the state’s impressive railroad system, but it also sits at the heart of Interstate 20, Interstate...

With Atlanta’s booming life-science market and record rates of industry investment, local laboratory facilities are in high demand. Georgia already ranks in the top 15 states for its large population of life-science graduates, and the local life-science workforce will grow by seven percent over the next decade, according to projections by Georgia Power. The demand for lab space in Atlanta is so high that landlords have started to transform office buildings into laboratory facilities in a rush to expand the sector, reported the Atlanta Business Chronicle. For the many institutions moving their labs to the Atlanta metro, finding an expert relocation partner, especially with the Atlanta Northside Hospital Expansion plan underway, is crucial to maintaining the health and integrity of your research. Avoid future obstacles in the moving process by planning for these special considerations and local regulations. Sensitive Equipment Laboratories often have fragile or sensitive equipment that requires complex...

If you have been thinking about moving your business to the Atlanta area, the time is now. Inc. Magazine reported that Georgia boasts almost 40 of the fastest-growing, privately-owned companies in the country, with many headquartered in the heart of Atlanta. From 2018 to 2020, this diverse mix of Atlanta employers created more than 19,000 new jobs and experienced a 181-percent median growth rate. The University of Georgia forecasts that the Peach State’s economy will expand 4.3 percent in 2022, compared with a national average of 4.0 percent. Over the next year, experts also predict that the state will add nearly 144,000 jobs, which would surpass the number of Georgians employed before the COVID-19 pandemic. So, what’s causing this enormous growth? Sizzling Startups Atlanta is leading innovation across a broad range of industries throughout the technology sector. The city is quickly developing a reputation as one of the fastest-growing epicenters for...

Companies are learning that returning to the office isn’t as simple as re-opening their doors. For maximum employee engagement, offices need to be places that make people eager to return. A McKinsey study found that ​​over 50 percent of employees want to continue working from home for three or more days a week, and 30 percent of employees would switch jobs if forced to return to fully on-site work. These trends highlight a significant shift in workplace priorities, and most companies have already begun reconfiguring their offices to adapt to their team’s new needs. The right redesign can boost morale, improve productivity and protect against contagious viruses like the flu. Here are eight ways a business can restructure its office space for an optimal return to in-person work. Bring home to work. Organizational experts told NPR that in-person work would attract employees only if the office addresses their physical and...