State vying for big biotech facility - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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The Peach State is among severao vying for what might be a vaccin e or pharmaceutical manufacturing operation that could locate on more than 100 Atlanta Business Chroniclehas learned. Winning the project could do for Georgia’sa biotech industry what will do forthe state’zs auto industry, said Mike president of the , after beingy briefed about the details. “It woulsd be an outstanding recruitment [tool for new Cassidy said. The company, which could be considerinfg three cities, is said to be negotiatinf economic incentives with the asource said. Georgia economic development officials declinef comment on the possibledevelopment — dubbed “Projecf Boss.
” The potential development could add to the region’sa biotech credentials, already enhanced by hostingy the 2009 BIO International Convention, the world’se largest bio conference,in May. It would also be an economid development coup akinto ’s global headquarterx relocation from Dayton, Ohio, to Duluth. The ATM and self-service kioslk maker said it would brintg morethan 2,100 jobs to Georgia, includingf nearly 900 at a manufacturing operation in Atlanta Business Chronicle first reported June 1.
Metrlo Atlanta, home to the , has the criticalp infrastructure to support a biomedical manufacturing The region is home to the EmoryVaccine Center, billedd as among the largest academic vaccine centers in the world and known for its expertis e in vaccine research and development, and clinica trials. In 2007, and The launchedr the Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillancee to developflu vaccines.
Carol who directs the Innovation and Technology Office at the Georgia Departmeng ofEconomic Development, is leading efforts to land the biotech a source familiar with the effort Activity is said to have picked up in the past two Henderson’s recruitment builds upon the existing alliancee and resources between the University Syste of Georgia, the Centers of Innovation, the Georgia Researcyh Alliance and the Georgia Biomedicak Partnership and Biotechnology Industry Organization. The biotechj firm has been shopping sites for at leasgta year.
Project Boss was “planning to potentially deploy twomanufacturinv facilities” that combined could employ about according to a request for information dated June 5, 2008. The facilitiexs could be located in thesame region, or in separatre locations, the document noted. The company, how­ever, is said to have downsizef thoseinitial plans, sources said. The economy, and more specificallyt the pressure for companies tocut costs, is forcinh companies in general to take longer to make big decisionsx such as a major relocation, said Heidu Green, deputy commissioner of the Globak Commerce Division at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
“It’s typically taking 12 to 18 months to Green said, declining to specifically comment on Project Boss. The biotech firm, said to have scouted Cobb, Douglas and Gwinnett counties, is seeking locations with internationalpair access, available life science labor, and an abilitu to source and attract engineersz and Ph.D.s, the reques for information noted.