German car glass factory to open in Stockbridge

Plant will be city’s first international manufacturer.

A German-based maker of automotive glass is planning to open a manufacturing facility in Stockbridge, the first international employer for the Henry County city.

Helga, a 42-year-old glass making giant out of Beverungen, Germany, plans to spend between $4 million and $6 million on the plant, which will employ about 21 people, Stockbridge leaders said Thursday.

That employee number is expected to rise to about 50 over the next two years, and salaries will be around $60,000 a year, they said.

“This is epic for our city, “Stockbridge Mayor Anthony Ford said. “Helga chose the city of Stockbridge for all the right reasons. We are prime location for progress and success.”

Henry County has seen a boom in manufacturing jobs over the past couple of years.

In January 2018, United States Cold Storage of Voorhees, N.J., said it was adding more than 80 jobs to its McDonough refrigeration operations. That announcement was followed in September by the $15 million expansion of a Henry production facility for Alabama-based frozen pancake producer De Wafelbakkers.

More recently, a South Korean brake manufacturer in March announced plans for a $20 million Henry plant and 200 jobs.

“Stockbridge offers a great location that has an ideal neighborhood and developed infrastructure that’s comparable to other locations producing great economic value,” Helga CEO Elmar Zeidler said. He added that being close to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was another reason for the Stockbridge location.

The city did not say when the facility would be completed or open for business.

Henry County Development Authority Chairman Pierre Clements said the company could not have chosen a better location.

“We’re excited that Helga Corporation will be joining the growing list of companies who have chosen Henry County as a destination for global commerce,” he said.

Henry County has seen a boom in manufacturing jobs over the past couple of years.