Virginia-based StampTech, a sheet metal fabricator, will open a new plant in Newton County in mid-April, eventually hiring 40 employees and investing nearly $3 million in equipment and building improvements.

County officials have been courting StampTech for months, announcing last fall that it had landed Project Gray. The company delayed its official announcement because it had to conduct environmental tests on the 60,000 square foot building it purchased in Chamisa Business Park, said Roger Harrison, senior vice president of Economic Development for the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce.

The company will ramp up production during the next few years, but is looking to open with and immediately hire five employees, all turret and press brake operators, said Johnathan Anderson, StampTech's director of
operations and Covington plant manager.

Applicants must be able to read blueprints and have at least one year of experience; résumés may be sent to janderson@stamptech-inc.com.

StampTech is a full service sheet metal fabricator specializing in high volume punching, laser processing, forming and welding. The products StampTech creates are used by other industries, as opposed to being end products. The company was founded in 1996 and has services in the southeast with concentrations in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia.

"The business environment coupled with the positive attitude and professional approach of the economic development staff made our decision easy. Newton County is the ideal place for us to grow our manufacturing base in the region," said StampTech CFO Ken Horner in a press release.

In a separate email, Horner said working with Harrison and Shannon Davis, who handles existing industries for the chamber, was the main reason the company was locating in Covington.

Anderson said Covington was also a good location because it's near one of StampTech's major customers.
"We are extremely pleased that StampTech has chosen Newton County for its new manufacturing facility," said Harrison, noting the facility at 40 Pinyon Road has been vacant for two years.

"StampTech's nearly $3 million investment in their equipment and facility coupled with 40 jobs at full build-out represents a solid commitment to their future in Georgia." Harrison continued, "That means 40 more of our residents can shorten their commute, 40 more families can put their kids in Newton County Recreation or Arts Association activities and 40 more families can afford to put a quality and nutritious meal on their dinner tables."

StampTech was the headliner at the second monthly "Ring the Bell" event hosted by the chamber. During the first Friday of every month, the chamber announces job openings in Newton County by ringing a bell on the steps of the Historic Courthouse. The next "Ring the Bell" event would be April 6.

The chamber is also partnering with the department of labor to host a job application boot camp from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., March 13 to teach prospective employees how to write resumes, dress for success and interview for jobs.

Two days later on March 15 the chamber and Georgia Piedmont Technical College will host a job fair.
Several other companies also announced local job openings. To watch the full video from the event go to youtube.com/user/NewtonChamber.