GPA's State of the Port of Brunswick highlights Georgia's automotive growth and future plans, attracting global manufacturers and creating jobs.
The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) hosted its annual State of the Port of Brunswick, where CEO Griff Lynch and President Kevin Price presented updates on market conditions and outlined the authority's plans for future growth. The presentation came as Georgia continues to draw major automotive investment and strengthen its position as a destination for global manufacturing and supply chains.
Following German-based Audi's recent announcement that it will build a factory in Georgia, Lynch and Price pointed to the state's success in attracting global auto brands that are choosing to manufacture in Georgia and move their supply chains closer to its ports.
That momentum is visible across the state:
- Hyundai Motor Group: The Korean-based automaker's Metaplant in Ellabell, Georgia, sits on a 3,000-acre site just 30 miles west of the Port of Savannah. The facility will create 8,500 jobs by 2031 and has already attracted 22 suppliers to the surrounding area.
- Kia: Also based in Korea, Kia has operated its flagship U.S. auto manufacturing plant on 2,200 acres in West Point, Georgia, since 2009.
- Rivian: The California-based electric vehicle manufacturer has broken ground on a manufacturing plant in Stanton Springs North. The $5 billion investment is expected to create 7,500 long-term jobs by 2030. Rivian has also established its East Coast headquarters in Atlanta.
- Audi: Part of the Volkswagen Group, Audi has reinforced its long-term commitment to the American market with a new location near Macon, Georgia. The company plans to invest $4 billion in its first U.S. plant, which will rank among the brand's largest production footprints worldwide and create approximately 4,500 jobs. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with production planned to start in the early 2030s.
Beyond these manufacturing investments, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and other major global brands rely on the Port of Brunswick for finished vehicle shipments and processing.
'Georgia Ports are creating opportunities for businesses to grow, enhancing long-term supply chain competitiveness on a state, regional, national, and global level, generating new job growth in the port region and throughout the state,' said Griff Lynch, CEO of the Georgia Ports Authority.
For auto manufacturers and logistics providers, one of Georgia's strongest advantages is the combination of seaport access, dedicated rail infrastructure, direct connections to interstate highways, and proximity to fast-growing Southeastern markets. Together, these assets give cargo owners multiple routes to move goods, which helps protect delivery schedules when conditions change.
The Brunswick supply chain brings a full range of automotive services together in one place, including: Vehicle imports and exports, finished vehicle distribution, parts warehousing, manufacturing, and vehicle processing.
The Port of Savannah complements Brunswick as a major gateway for containerized auto parts and components. Savannah handles 40 vessel calls per week and 15,000 truck gate transactions daily. Its on-dock rail facility, Mason Mega Rail, supports 42 double-stack trains per week, serving inland markets through Class I railroads Norfolk Southern and CSX. Double-stack trains carry shipping containers stacked two high, allowing more cargo per train.
Inland, the Atlanta metropolitan area serves as both a major consumer market and a distribution and transportation hub, with strong interstate and rail connections that extend both ports' reach across the Southeast.
'The automotive manufacturing ecosystem continues to grow here. We're also seeing strong growth in the heavy machinery market such as construction equipment and farm equipment,' added Kevin Price, President of the Georgia Ports Authority.
