What Effingham County Development Authority does

Effingham County Development Authority (also known as ECIDA, or the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority) is a public, county-level economic development entity headquartered in Rincon, Georgia, established in 1968 and governed by an 8-member volunteer board of directors appointed by the Effingham County Board of Commissioners, the City of Rincon, the City of Springfield, and the City of Guyton. The authority's function is to recruit, retain, and grow industrial employers in Effingham County by managing a portfolio of industrial parks (Savannah Portside International Park, Grande View Industrial Park, and the 2,600-acre Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub in partnership with Broe Real Estate Group/OmniTRAX), coordinating state and federal incentive packages (Industrial Revenue Bonds, 100% freeport tax exemption, Georgia job tax credits), and operating workforce development programs such as Workforce PhD and the Effingham Employment Expo. Operating geographies span Effingham County, Coastal Georgia, and the broader Savannah region, with a stated focus on industrial manufacturers, automotive supply chain (Hyundai/Kia ecosystem), logistics operators, and advanced manufacturers.

ECIDA's core "products" are shovel-ready industrial sites (8,500+ acres with Class I rail via CSX and Norfolk Southern, proximity to the Port of Savannah, and I-16 interstate access) and turnkey business-support services (site selection, permitting coordination, incentive negotiation, infrastructure upgrades). There is no proprietary technology stack; the organization maintains a content website, a GIS property-search tool, and standard social channels rather than a software product. The revenue model is hybrid: administrative and regulatory fees on Industrial Revenue Bond financings and tenant leases for authority-owned land, supplemented by pass-through state and federal grant funding ($1.8M Rural Site Development Initiative grant in 2026, $2.5M EDA grant in 2023, pending USDA Rural Development grant in 2026) that is deployed for site improvements rather than retained as revenue.

The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales: direct engagement by a three-person executive team (CEO Brandt Herndon, VP Jessica Hood, Office Manager Debbie Trowell) with corporate site selectors and real estate brokers, channel partnerships (GDEcD for inbound leads, Panattoni and Broe Real Estate Group for tenant origination, NAI Brannen Goddard for site selection), and co-marketing via the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Service delivery to incoming employers is free of charge; specific incentive packages are negotiated case-by-case. Reported outcomes include 1,500+ facilitated industrial jobs and $500M+ in private capital investment since 2022, with logos spanning Sewon America (EV parts), Virginia Transformer/Georgia Transformer (power transformers), Bradshaw Home and Lion Brand Yarn (distribution), Sanritsu Logistics, AeroDynamic Aviation, Silver Lake Automation, and others.

Name

Effingham County Development Authority

Legal name

Effingham County Development Authority

Website

https://effinghamindustry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Effingham County Development Authority (ECIDA) is a public, county-level economic development authority in Rincon, Georgia that recruits industrial employers, manages 8,500+ acres of industrial parks, and coordinates incentives and workforce development across Coastal Georgia, with a focus on manufacturing, logistics, and the Hyundai/Kia automotive supply chain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rincon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Administrative and regulatory fees: As a public development authority, ECIDA generates revenue through administrative fees, lease payments from tenants on authority-owned land, and fees associated with industrial revenue bond financing. Revenue supports operations and site development.
2. Grant funding and public financing: ECIDA receives state and federal grant funding (e.g., $1.8M Rural Site Development Grant, $2.5M EDA infrastructure grant) and coordinates public financing mechanisms including Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) to support qualifying projects. These funds are deployed for site improvements and infrastructure upgrades rather than retained as revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Effingham County Development Authority (ECIDA) is a county-level public economic development authority that attracts, retains, and grows industrial employers in Effingham County, Georgia. It manages over 8,500 acres of industrial property across three industrial parks (Savannah Portside International Park, Grande View Industrial Park, and Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub), coordinates state and local incentive packages, and delivers workforce development programs including the Workforce PhD, Employment Expo, and Summer Skills Camp to support manufacturers, logistics operators, and advanced industrial employers.

Product overview

Effingham County Development Authority (also known as Effingham County Industrial Development Authority/ECIDA) is an economic development organization, not a software product company. It does not offer a platform, software product, or technology modules. The organization provides economic development services including business attraction, business retention, workforce development initiatives (such as the Workforce PhD program), site and property development, incentive programs for qualifying projects, and talent pipeline support for the manufacturing, logistics, and industrial sectors in Effingham County, Georgia. Available properties and sites include industrial parks such as Savannah Portside International Park, Grande View Industrial Park, and Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Savannah Portside International Park A GRAD-certified industrial park in Effingham County located approximately 10 miles from the Port of Savannah main gate, offering shovel-ready sites with CSX and Norfolk Southern Class I rail connections, industrial-grade utilities, and immediate interstate access. Targeted at industrial manufacturers and logistics operators seeking port-adjacent locations.
• Grande View Industrial Park An industrial park in Rincon, Georgia served by ECIDA with water, sewer, and rail infrastructure improvements funded by a $2.5M U.S. EDA grant. Hosts major facilities including Sewon America's 740-job EV body parts manufacturing facility. Targeted at automotive suppliers and advanced manufacturers.
• Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub A 2,600-acre multimodal logistics park developed through a public-private partnership between ECIDA, Broe Real Estate Group, and OmniTRAX, providing dual Class I rail access (CSX and Norfolk Southern), interstate access, and Class A warehouse space for logistics and distribution tenants including Lion Brand Yarn and Kyungshin America.
• Workforce PhD Program A workforce development program for Effingham County high school seniors that exposes students to local industrial career pathways, awarding $500 Brandon Davis Memorial Scholarships to selected graduates. Co-founded with ECCA, Effingham County School District, and Savannah Technical College to build the talent pipeline for local industrial employers.
• Effingham Employment Expo An annual workforce recruitment event hosted by ECIDA in partnership with WorkSource Coastal that connects local jobseekers with industrial employers in Effingham County. The third annual event in 2026 attracted 170+ attendees from Effingham, Chatham, and surrounding counties and featured on-site resume assistance and career readiness support.
• Summer Skills Camp with Industry Day A three-day summer skills camp for middle and high school students sponsored by ECIDA in partnership with Xcel Strategies, featuring hands-on career exploration in skilled trades and direct interaction with local employers including Georgia-Pacific, Silver Lake Automation, The Sack Company, Daniel Defense, Delta Metals, and others. Designed to build the future talent pipeline for local industrial employers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 new industrial jobs announced through ECIDA-facilitated projects (Sewon America 740, Virginia Transformer 400, Bradshaw Home 230+, Underwood Ammo 120, Sanritsu 20, plus expansions at AeroDynamic, Sewon, and others)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Xcel StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026ECIDA partnered with Xcel Strategies to sponsor the inaugural Industry Day as part of Xcel's annual Summer Skills Camp. The three-day camp welcomed 25 middle and high school students for hands-on career exploration in skilled trades. ECIDA VP Jessica Hood participated in Industry Day, connecting students directly with local employers (Georgia-Pacific, Silver Lake Automation, The Sack Company, Thompson & Thompson Service Group, Daniel Defense, Delta Metals, Industry Podium Logistics). Xcel Strategies, founded in 2012 in Chatham County, has expanded into Bryan, Effingham, and Bulloch counties with workforce programs for youth.
• Georgia Department of Community Affairs / OneGeorgia AuthoritymajorOthers · 29 June 2026ECIDA was awarded $1.8 million through the Rural Site Development Initiative (RSDI) within the OneGeorgia Authority for site readiness improvements at Savannah Portside International Park, including construction of a sewer pump station. The total project cost is $2.5 million. The RSDI program, administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, has invested $28 million statewide in rural site development since FY2025.
• WorkSource CoastalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026ECIDA partnered with WorkSource Coastal to host the third annual Effingham Employment Expo, connecting over 170 jobseekers with 7 industrial employers. WorkSource Coastal provided on-site resume assistance and career readiness support to attendees. This is an annual recurring partnership supporting workforce pipeline development for local industrial employers.
• Regional Industry Support Enterprise (RISE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025RISE was founded as a result of a regional workforce study commissioned by the Savannah Harbor-I-16 Corridor Joint Development Authority in preparation for the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant arrival. ECIDA joined RISE in February 2025 as a key workforce and industry support partner across an eight-county region (Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Screven). RISE focuses on seven core areas: Military, Underrepresented, Housing, Education, Transportation, Childcare, and Marketing. RISE hosted a Higher Education Alignment Summit at Georgia Southern University bringing together universities, development authorities, and industries to align education with employer needs.
• Georgia Southern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025ECIDA participates in RISE-hosted events with Georgia Southern University, including the Higher Education Alignment Summit. GSU's electrical engineering program supplies interns to local employers like Silver Lake Automation, and the university President Dr. Kyle Marrero participates in regional workforce alignment initiatives. ECIDA benefits from a 328,000+ workforce pool within 45 minutes of Effingham County that includes GSU graduates.
• World Trade Center SavannahminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025ECIDA coordinated with World Trade Center Savannah to facilitate the visit of the Consul General of Belgium to Aertssen Logistics' North American headquarters in Effingham County. World Trade Center Savannah also presented Ardry Trading Company (located in Effingham County) with the 2026 International Business of the Year award at its Prosperity Through Trade Luncheon.
• Broe Real Estate Group / OmniTRAXcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2023The Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub (SGIH) is a public-private partnership between ECIDA, Broe Real Estate Group, and OmniTRAX. The 2,600-acre multimodal logistics park is located 12 miles from the Port of Savannah with dual Class I rail access (CSX and Norfolk Southern). Major tenants facilitated through this partnership include Kyungshin America (136,533 SF automotive parts facility), Lion Brand Yarn (314,000 SF distribution center), and others totaling over 1.3 million SF developed.
• Georgia Ports AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2023Georgia Ports Authority is a key strategic partner for ECIDA's business attraction strategy. GPA's Garden City Terminal at the Port of Savannah (the single-largest and fastest-growing container terminal in the U.S.) is a primary driver of logistics and distribution investment in Effingham County. GPA executives regularly participate in ECIDA announcements and site tours. The port offers 35 weekly containership calls and Class I rail service.
• Effingham College & Career Academy (ECCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ECIDA is a key founding partner in the Workforce PhD program alongside ECCA, Effingham County School District, and Savannah Technical College. ECIDA VP Jessica Hood serves on the ECCA board of directors. ECCA was named Georgia College and Career Academy of the Year twice (2016, 2022) and received Cognia STEM Certification. The academy serves over 1,000 students and offers STEM programs in engineering, computer science, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture.
• Savannah Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECIDA partners with Savannah Technical College for workforce training and the Workforce PhD program. ECIDA CEO Brandt Herndon serves on Savannah Technical College's Local Board of Directors. Savannah Technical College provides Georgia Quick Start training for qualifying industrial projects and developed curriculum specifically for Sewon America through an MOU. The college serves Coastal Georgia with campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty counties.
• Panattoni Development CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPanattoni Development Company collaborated with ECIDA to develop and market Savannah Portside International Park (SPIP). Panattoni developed Bradshaw Home's 1.2-million-square-foot distribution facility at SPIP and MerchSource's facility (expanding to 1.1 million SF). Panattoni's site selection efforts were led by NAI Brannen Goddard in partnership with Georgia Department of Economic Development.
• NFI (formerly NFI Industries)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNFI operates Bradshaw Home's new 1.2-million-square-foot distribution facility at SPIP. With over 90 years of supply chain expertise, NFI offers dedicated and port drayage terminals throughout the Savannah area and has partnered with Georgia Ports Authority on a transload facility at Garden City Terminal.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Liberty County Development Authority: Adjacent SE Georgia coastal county IDA and fellow RISE member pursuing the same industrial and logistics tenants in the I-95/Savannah corridor. ECIDA VP Jessica Hood is a former Project Manager there, indicating close professional overlap and a comparable employer-attraction mandate.
• Savannah Economic Development Authority: SEDA is the metropolitan Savannah-area economic development authority, sharing Effingham County's coastal Georgia industrial recruitment mission and overlapping partner network (Georgia Ports Authority, regional workforce partners). ECIDA's VP Jessica Hood and CEO Brandt Herndon both previously worked at SEDA, making it the closest functional peer in the same labor shed.
• Bulloch County Development Authority: RISE-member county authority in the eight-county coastal Georgia region targeted at industrial and logistics recruitment. Competes with ECIDA for similar distribution and light-industrial tenants and participates in the same Georgia EDA, GRAD, and workforce alignment programs.
• Regional Industry Support Enterprise (RISE): Eight-county (Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Screven) regional workforce and industry support nonprofit created in anticipation of the Hyundai Metaplant. ECIDA is a member along with multiple county-level IDAs and Savannah-area partners, making RISE a direct peer in regional workforce and industry coordination.
• Bryan County Development Authority: The county development authority hosting the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America site in Bryan County. ECIDA and Bryan County routinely co-compete and co-market for Hyundai supplier tenants within the Savannah Harbor-I-16 Corridor, sharing the same tier-one automotive pipeline.
• Savannah Harbor-I-16 Corridor Joint Development Authority: The multi-county JDA that prepared the regional workforce study in advance of the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant announcement. It is the umbrella regional authority of which ECIDA is a member and the natural counterpart for joint recruitment of Hyundai-tier suppliers across Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty counties.

Broad incumbents

• South Carolina Department of Commerce: State-level economic development peer across the Savannah River, competing for similar port-adjacent logistics and manufacturing tenants (Charleston port region, BMW upstate supplier base). Provides the regional strategic context for ECIDA's competition for Southeastern industrial investment.
• Georgia Department of Economic Development: The state-level economic development organization that issues GRAD certifications, supports foreign direct investment (e.g., the Sewon America/South Korea lead), and co-markets with ECIDA on major announcements. Operates as the broader incumbent above county-level authorities in the same recruitment funnel.

Regional players

• Jacksonville Economic Development Authority ( JAX USA ): Partnership driving economic development for Jacksonville, Florida, anchored by JAXPORT and a large automotive/logistics tenant base. Comparable to ECIDA in being a port-adjacent recruitment authority targeting logistics and advanced manufacturing, but operating in a separate regional labor shed.
• Charleston Regional Development Alliance: Regional public-private partnership marketing the Charleston, SC region for industrial, automotive, and logistics investment. Operates as a comparable Southeast port-region economic development counterpart to ECIDA, albeit in a different geographic territory with similar workforce, port, and rail-recruitment dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/effinghamcountyida
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/effingham-county-industrial-development-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Effingham County Development Authority