Georgia is ranked well on another “Best Of” survey, and Augusta is in the top 25 in the results.
Global Location Strategies (GLS) has published the 2025 edition of its Best Places for Primary Metal Manufacturing Insights Report, and four Georgia cities make the top 25. The Greenville, S.C.-based company is a site selection firm that identifies the top metro areas in the U.S. for primary metal manufacturing.
Primary metals are base metals such as aluminum, copper, steel, and the companies that manufacture them.
“So, if you had a steel manufacturer, you’re producing the rolled or the bulk steel that then they’re going into beams and other products,” Cal Wray, President of the Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA), explained for ABD. “For making copper, like Aurubis, you’re making the base copper that didn’t get sold in industries. Or if you’re an aluminum maker, you’re making the rolled or the bulk aluminum, and then you’re selling to aluminum producers.”
Two Georgia cities have broken into the top 10. Savannah and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell are tied at number eight out of 387 metro areas in the U.S. Gainesville follows at number 13. Augusta was number 42 in the 2024 report. This year it jumped to number 21.
In the news release announcing the findings, Didi Caldwell, President and CEO of GLS, said the latest report shows the impact primary metal manufacturing has on job creation, infrastructure development, and comprehensive economic development.
“By identifying optimal locations, we provide decision-makers with the insights needed to drive long-term success and build a legacy of sustainable growth,” she said. “On a broader scale, there is a meaningful need to expand domestic metals manufacturing in order to become more self-reliant, particularly as it relates to supplying the raw materials that are essential to key industries, including construction, automotive, and energy.”
The report also breaks down the overall impact the industry has on the U.S. economy, including the number of jobs and wages. In 2024 alone, capital investments from announced primary metal manufacturing projects were $4.7 billion across 42 projects, totaling 5,400+ jobs.
Wray said he wasn’t surprised at Augusta’s improved ranking this year. He said his team spotted a trend while doing strategic planning more than three years ago.
“We were looking at location quotient in NAICS codes (North American Industrial Classification Code), which is a six-digit code that puts all companies into an industry based on that code,” he said. “We looked at what the ones that had the highest location quotient were. So, when we were doing our strategic plan, primary metals did rise to the top. It is one of our highest, if not the highest, location quotients for this region.”
Wray said Aurubis is not yet in production, so it may not have been captured in the latest study. However, it may serve to strengthen the region’s position in future reports.
The GLS report also looks at the impact that broad tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will have on the industry. The 25% duty on the metals and their derivatives affects key suppliers including Canada, Mexico, and the European Union.
Caldwell believes the new tariffs will result in companies restarting idled metals production facilities, but it will take time.
“Bringing new metals processing facilities online is not an overnight process,” said Caldwell. “These projects typically require three to five years to become operational, factoring in lengthy construction and permitting timelines. Added to this is the current uncertainty around electricity availability in the U.S. These and other challenges will hinder the sector’s efforts to meet rising demand within the expected timelines.”
Although Aurubis does raise this region’s profile, it is not alone in bringing attention to Augusta for the primary metals industry.
“Across the street, you’ve got GF Castings, making products out of aluminum and magnesium. So, it just confirms the basis of employment here. Now you have shared skill sets, you have a workforce to go into that type of industry. And it just validates to the world that Augusta is a great place for manufacturing using metals,” said Wray.
While both companies are part of the primary metals industry, their operation differs slightly.
Aurubis recovers copper and refines it to 90% purity. It is then shipped overseas to bring it to 99% purity and turned into products. GF Casting Solutions, which develops and produces parts made from aluminum, magnesium, iron, and super alloy, refines the metals and produces the end products on-site for use by light vehicles, trucks, aerospace, energy, off-highway vehicles, and industrial applications.
The report is on the GLS website: https://globallocationstrategies.com/insights/#reports
