Existing industry is the gold mine for local job creation.

This is the latest news Eric McDonald, president, presented Thursday to board members of the Development Authority of Polk County.

“New industry prospects is non-existent,” McDonald said. “Those that are looking are green energy companies that have huge water requirements.”

However, he was optimistic that local plants are poised for a "ramping up" of jobs and expansion.

McDonald said Engineered Fabrics, Rockmart, is hiring and he said he believes employment will reach 1,100 by the end of 2010.

“Reports are that this company is doing well,” he said.

Other positive notes included:

HON in Cedartown has completed the Quick Start for 15 new jobs and plans to expand the local plant’s labor force.

Rome Plow has returned with 22 jobs and is rehiring an additional 10. They also anticipate bringing an estimated $1 million in equipment funding to the Cedartown location. The company is working with the Cedartown Development Authority on an industrial revenue bond to finance an expansion.

Cedartown is also viewing an opportunity zone, which includes the old industrial park. This will provide tax incentives for industry.

McDonald focused on Southern Company’s new initiative – Instrumentation and Controls Academy (I&C) - on the Polk Campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Rockmart.

He said this was a big investment in Rockmart, not only to provide for the company’s future, but also other local plants, which has a high tech measurement process.

“It provides opportunity for kids graduating high school to attend the two year program and increase their job marketing skills into a higher income bracket,” McDonald explained. “As more skilled people enter the workforce, we can market it to area plants.”

Steve Smith, board member, commented on the completion of the C. W. Matthews asphalt facility, Rockmart, which represents an investment of more than $25 million, excluding the cost of inventory.

The state-of-the art terminal is one of the largest privately owned asphalt facilities on the eastern seaboard. The local storage area receives liquid asphalt by rail, maintains the appropriate heat and distributes the material to Matthews’ 26 plants via over-the-road truck. The facility has the capacity to store 63,000 tons of asphalitic concrete, which is mixed with varying sizes of stone to produce the asphalt pavement material used on highways, subdivisions and commercial parking lots.

Other agenda items included:

Signs showing available land have been erected at industrial parks in Rockmart and Cedartown.

Future use of the correctional facility in Cedartown. It has proved cost prohibitive for long-range plans by Polk County Board of Commissioners and is described as having great potential for possible market specific location.

The Polk County Chamber of Commerce plans to commit $100,000 to relocate to downtown Rockmart (former police department building). The Development Authority has discussed financial participation.