MACON, Ga. — Keep an eye out for construction in south Macon-Bibb County over the next couple of months.
YKK AP will build a new plant as it expands its footprint in Central Georgia. Monday afternoon, the Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission approved the plans for a vinyl window manufacturing plant.
It's a 365,000 square foot facility, and it's moving forward.
"A very exciting time for our company and for Macon," said Greg Hultquist, YKK AP's vice president of marketing and strategy. "The existing building we're in now is just not large enough to take the growth expansion we're projecting over the next five years."
YKK AP is an international company known for making zippers and other fasteners. They see themselves as more than that.
"We see the future and growth in vinyl windows, and that we can be a part of that, and bring to this community over 100 jobs over the next five years," Hultquist said.
Vinyl windows will be the focus of the new plant. The old one by the downtown Macon airport will continue with zippers. They have 250 employees there now.
Hultquist says they considered other places for the new plant, but Macon stood out. That's partially thanks to a longstanding partnership with the Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority.
"We're responsible for recruiting new industry, but helping those who are here, so anytime an existing industry chooses your community to reinvest, that is just a validation that we're on the right track," said Stephen Adams, the authority's executive director.
YKK AP's timeline is fairly ambitious. They want to get things rolling sometime in September, and aim to be finished in January 2024.
According to state records online, YKK AP will receive a $500,000 state grant to develop the site off Frank Amerson Parkway.