THOMASTON, Ga. — Things could soon look a whole lot brighter in Upson County. They're getting a new business, and it is all about recycling plastic.
Brightmark is a California-based plastic recycling company and will be building a circulatory center at Central Georgia Business and Technology Industrial Park in Upson County.
The company takes used plastic and turns it into the building blocks to make new plastics.
Overall, their goal is to divert tons of waste each year from landfills, incinerators or floating in waterways.
Brightmark's CEO Bob Powell announced on Tuesday that the company is investing $1 billion in a 2.5 million sq. ft. plant. They plan to employ 200 workers with an average salary of about $51,000.
Phillip Fallin owns the Thomaston Hardware Company, about 10 minutes away from the Brightmark site.
He says after being there for 43 years, he has seen a lot of changes in Thomaston.
"Thomaston wants some growth," Fallin said. "We don't want to get too big too quick but we definitely need jobs, that's the biggest thing. We've struggled in the past few years trying to gain the industry back, and I can say the first time now in the 43 years that we're in a positive growth state so we're really looking forward to that."
Fallin said he's looking forward to further expansion for Upson County, and hopes to see new faces contribute to the local economy.
"Let's say just one family, one person in that family gets hired. They're going to move here and it's a good chance they're going to have a family member of sorts like a brother, sister, mother, father, that's coming to town. So we're gaining more than just that one family from that one job. You're going to gain multiple families from that one job," Fallin said.
Right around the corner from the Thomaston Hardware Company is Farmer Home Furniture.
Arlisha Ivey is a sales associate there and was born and raised in Thomaston during the days of the textile mills.
She says Upson County services a lot of surrounding cities, so this is an opportunity for people to establish themselves and start investing back into the city.
"If this is going to provide 200 jobs here in Thomaston, well that is just wonderful," Ivey said. "It hurt my feelings when I used to ride around town and see all of the empty buildings just running down, but now when I look around, I think 'Oh something is going on here, there's another place over here, oh that old building has something new in it', so it's exciting to me."
Construction is expected to start in 2025 with the facility opening in 2027.
Brightmark is the same company that proposed the world's largest plastics-recycling plant in Bibb County three years ago.
They withdrew plans after Mayor Lester Miller and others had safety and environmental concerns.
A group called the Georgia Water Coalition said the proposed Bibb County plant posed a serious threat to the state's water.