Chattanooga Economic Growth

The Chattanooga economy has received some very positive signs in the last several days.

Reviewing the recent story lines in the Times Free Press reveals postive stories that bear out a trend of economic recovery in the Chattanooga area.

Chattam, a local consumer products manufacturer, has seen its stock price jump as investors take note of its rising sales and profits. The article reports that the company's top 4 brands, Gold Bond, ACT, Icy Hot, and Cortizone-10, are having strong sales. The article reports that the company is planning an $18 million expansion that will employ over 60 additional people.

The Volkswagen plant of course is big news in Chattanooga.Plant construction is moving along well. This week VW representatives held a gathering for potential suppliers. Plans now are to have a high percentage of supplier plants on site and locally in Chattanooga. About 100 VW suppliers gathered to hear VW expectations for its new plant in Chattanooga.

Southern Fabrication Contractors, another local company, announced it received the contract for installing equipment support steel for the VW plant. Contract terms were not announced but it is very good for the Chattanooga employer and community.

Another local company, CBL, a locally based commercial property developer and management company, announced the grand opening of The Promenade, a 700,000 square foot shopping center in D'Iberville, Mississippi. The first phase is opening with 96% of the commercial space leased or committed. The shopping center is the largest project in the Mississippi Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina.

Another local company, eSpin, a leader in nanofiber technology, announced it has received the license to provide dry wipes for use at Department of Energy nuclear energy facilities. These wipes replace wet wipes and are more effective and require no other chemicals to clean. The company hopes to offer similar products for general consumer use.

These headlines are strong, tangible evidence of new economic growth in Chattanooga.