What Candler County Industrial Authority does

Candler County Industrial Authority (CCIA) is a county-level government economic development authority headquartered at 39 S. Rountree St., Metter, Georgia. It promotes economic growth in Metter and Candler County by operating the 130+ acre Metter I-16 Industrial Park, a GRAD-certified shovel-ready site located less than 1 mile from Interstate 16. The Authority provides site location assistance, demographic information, workforce development and training (including coordination with Georgia Quick Start, WorkSource Heart of Georgia, and the Georgia Department of Labor), international business support via Foreign Trade Zone 104 and a partnership with World Trade Center Savannah, and customized incentive packages to attract and retain businesses. The Authority does not sell products or services; its revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed, consistent with its character as a government entity operating under Candler County oversight, governed by a board of directors with Hannah M. Mullins serving as President/CEO.

Notable tenant and prospect engagements include the 2024 DAS Corp. announcement of a 300-job automotive parts manufacturing facility; the 2023 recruitment of 4 Fungi's Regenerative for a controlled-environment agriculture greenhouse; the 2015 Linzer Products Corp. deal creating 200 jobs with a $4 million investment; the location of CPE America's headquarters in a 42,000 sq. ft. spec building; and the expansion of One Life America's call center by 20 employees. The organization maintains strategic partnerships with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Power, Georgia Quick Start, and the Metter-Candler Chamber of Commerce, and earned a #6 ranking in Site Selection magazine's America's Best Counties list in July 2024.

The underlying infrastructure profile supports light to mid-industrial operations: 1.2 million gallons per day of permitted sewage capacity, on-site utilities including fiber optics, and proximity to the Port of Savannah (approximately 1 hour), I-95 (45 minutes), and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (under 3 hours). The labor market within a 60-mile radius includes approximately 338,000 workers, supplemented by veteran talent from Fort Stewart Army Base and Hunter Army Airfield, with a 3.5% unemployment rate (15th lowest in Georgia) as of June 2025 and a cost of living 24% below the U.S. national average.

Name

Candler County Industrial Authority

Legal name

Candler County Industrial Authority

Website

https://selectcandler.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Candler County Industrial Authority is a county-level government economic development authority that promotes business attraction and growth in Metter and Candler County, Georgia by operating the 130+ acre Metter I-16 Industrial Park and providing site selection, workforce development, international business support, and customized incentive packages to manufacturing, agribusiness, and service companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Labor, Employment Standards & Workforce Development Administration (BPAIABAN)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Industrial site selection
• Workforce development programs
• Business incentive packages
• Shovel-ready industrial parks

Headquarters

HQ city

Metter

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Candler County Industrial Authority is a county-level government economic development authority that promotes business recruitment, retention, and expansion in Metter and Candler County, Georgia. Its principal asset is the Metter I-16 Industrial Park—a 130+ acre GRAD Certified shovel-ready site—and it bundles this with site location assistance, workforce development, international business support via Foreign Trade Zone 104, and customized incentive packages offered at no direct cost to relocating or expanding businesses.

Product overview

Candler County Industrial Authority operates as an economic development organization offering a unified portfolio of services centered on its GRAD-certified I-16 Industrial Park—a 130+ acre shovel-ready site for industrial development. The Authority provides site location services, workforce development programs (including access to Georgia Quick Start and WorkSource), international business support through Foreign Trade Zone 104, and customized incentive packages to attract and retain businesses in Metter and Candler County, Georgia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metter I-16 Industrial Park GRAD Certified shovel-ready industrial park offering pre-permitted sites for manufacturing, distribution, and logistics tenants in Southeast Georgia, with on-site utilities and fiber optics.
• Site Location Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Available labor force of 338,000+ workers within 60-mile radius
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIA partners with the Georgia Department of Economic Development for business attraction, pilot programs, and economic development initiatives. The GDEcD works with CCIA on international business support, trade missions, and market research for companies looking to locate in Georgia.
• World Trade Center SavannahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for international business support including trade mission assistance, networking opportunities, and import/export support. Metter and Candler County are located in Foreign Trade Zone 104, facilitated through this partnership.
• Georgia PowermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia Power partners with CCIA to provide energy infrastructure and economic development support for businesses locating in the region.
• Georgia Ports AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIA partners with the Georgia Ports Authority for joint economic development events, prospect tours, and business attraction efforts. The partnership provides access to the Port of Savannah, the largest single container terminal in North America.
• WorkSource Heart of GeorgiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkSource Heart of Georgia provides workforce services including financial assistance, job fairs, on-the-job training, and employee hiring support for businesses in Candler County.
• Georgia Department of LabormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia Department of Labor partners with CCIA to assist employers with job descriptions, candidate screening, job postings, and job fair hosting.
• GEDA (Georgia Economic Development Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIA maintains membership in GEDA for networking and professional development in economic development.
• Georgia Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIA maintains membership in the Georgia Chamber of Commerce for regional economic development collaboration.
• Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIA maintains membership for potential film and entertainment industry economic development opportunities.
• Metter-Candler Chamber of CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIA partners with the Metter-Candler Chamber of Commerce for community promotion, business networking, and local economic development initiatives. The Chamber promotes the 'Everything's Better in Metter' brand.
• Georgia Quick Start ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia's acclaimed Quick Start program works with qualified companies to establish custom employee training programs, either on campus or on site, at no cost to the employer. Nearby technical colleges are providers of this program.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Screven County Development Authority: County-level industrial development authority in Sylvania, Georgia with rural southeast profile and similar small-business attraction mission. Comparable to CCIA in operating scale and the kinds of manufacturing and agribusiness prospects pursued.
• Effingham County Industrial Development Authority: County-level industrial development authority in Springfield, Georgia operating the Effingham County Industrial Park with Foreign Trade Zone access and similar incentive structures. Comparable to CCIA as a southeast Georgia IDA focused on manufacturing and logistics attraction.
• Jackson County Industrial Development Authority: County-level industrial authority in Jefferson, Georgia managing industrial parks and business attraction programs. Comparable to CCIA in function as a small-county IDA marketing shovel-ready sites and incentive packages to manufacturers and distributors.
• Bulloch County Development Authority: County-level industrial development authority in Statesboro, Georgia that markets industrial sites and provides business attraction services for Bulloch County. Directly comparable to CCIA in function, scope, and southeast Georgia geography, including proximity to the Port of Savannah and I-16 corridor.
• Evans County Industrial Development Authority: County-level industrial authority in Claxton, Georgia with similar small-scale rural economic development mandate. Comparable to CCIA in function as a county-administered IDA marketing industrial sites and incentive packages to southeast Georgia prospects.
• Development Authority of Bryan County: County-level industrial authority in Pembroke, Georgia with direct access to I-95 and proximity to Savannah. Directly comparable to CCIA as a southeast Georgia industrial park operator pursuing manufacturers and distributors in the same regional competitive set.
• Tattnall County Development Authority: County-level industrial development authority in Reidsville, Georgia operating in a similar rural southeast Georgia context. Comparable to CCIA in scale, function, and target customer base of small-to-mid-sized industrial employers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/candlercountyindustrialauthority

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Candler County Industrial Authority