Business Expansion of Arising Industries

Photo identification from left-right:  Lorette Hoover, President of Altamaha Technical College; Edward Justice, Sales Manager for Arising Industries; Johnnie Batten, Jr., General Manager of Arising Industries; Sheila Herrington, WIA Case Manager with OJT; Keith Carter, Director of Joint Development Authority; and Hank Hobbs, Director of Economic Development at Altamaha Technical College.

Hazlehurst-Keith Carter, Director of the Joint Development Authority (JDA), announced the expansion of Arising Industries in Jeff Davis County.  In January 2008 Arising Industries began its operation with 3 employees.  Now with 58 employees serving customers in up to a 900 mile radius, the manufacturer builds trailers 4 feet x 6 feet in size up to 44 feet long.  Johnnie Batten, General Manager of Arising Industries said, “It’s hard to believe we just built our 4000th trailer.  We are a trendsetter in the industry with slightly different innovation.”   

According to Carter, Arising Industries will be expanding to a 30,000 square foot building located at 2 North Gill Street in Hazlehurst.  With the expansion, Arising will occupy 85,000 square feet. The additional space allows Arising to have much needed office space and expand their product line by manufacturing open trailers in addition to cargo trailers.  General Manager Batten stated, “We are excited to be able to grow during such turbulent economic times.  Jeff Davis County has the ideal facilities to meet our needs, and we want to be a part of this community.” 

Through the support of the Work Force Investment Act, Altamaha Technical College (ATC) and Job Training Unlimited (JTU) collaborated to quickly respond and build a program to offer an accelerated Industrial Training Program customized specific to the Arising Industries.  “Customized contract specific skills training is what our Economic Development team provides throughout our seven county service area,” says ATC President Lorette Hoover.  “We learned about Arising’s need and their goal to grow and expand.  We worked with the JDA and JTU to develop a program, recruit, qualify, register students, complete the employers hiring process and begin the training program which puts residents back to work.   We did all this in less than two weeks.”  This is an accelerated evening program, lasting approximately six weeks.

The program will include training in the areas of: Mig Welding, Measurements, Power and Hand Tools, Safety, CPR/1st Aid, and Forklift Operator Certification.  While attending the program, students participate in a paid on-the-job-training internship through Job Training Unlimited.  This allows the students to work, go to school and get the training they need for the job, and jump start their career without bearing any financial hardship.  From the employer’s perspective, the OJT program reimburses the employer a portion of the employee’s salary during the training period.  According to Hank Hobbs, Director of Economic Development for Altamaha Technical College, “It’s a win, win for all those involved and the community as a whole.  The employers have trained individuals specific to the needs of their industry; the employees get an opportunity for training and a job; and the community reaps the economic advantage of realizing industrial growth, decreased unemployment and all the associated merits that come along with that package.  That is what we do at Altamaha Technical College.  We build partnerships in an effort to provide a workforce for the economies we serve.  There is no better example of workforce collaboration.” 

This expansion is possible thru efforts of the Joint Development Authority, County Commissioners and the City Council along with the commitment of Arising Industries. For further information contact Hank Hobbs at  912.588.2579.