THOMASVILLE — Code names have been applied to two industries eyeing Red Hills Business Park as a place to invest money in the community and to provide jobs.

An industry — with the code name of Project Bravo — is a smaller gun company that would provide 50 to 80 jobs and invest $15 million in a Thomas County site.

“They visited in August and stayed overnight in Thomasville,” said Shelley Zorn, Thomasville Payroll Development Authority (PDA) executive director.

The industry is headquartered in Arizona, with plants there, Florida and Colorado.

Zorn said that if Project Bravo locates at the U.S. 319 North business park, all manufacturing activity nationwide would be combined here.

Project Favorite remains interested in the business park. The company also is looking at sites in Brunswick, Jacksonville, Florida, and in South Carolina.

The project would bring a $20 million investment and 100 jobs to the community and manufacture acoustical panels for use in gun ranges, theaters and offices, among other places.

The family-owned business has been purchasing the panels overseas.

“But now they want to make the panels themselves in the United States,” Zorn said.

Family-owned Check-Mate Industries, a Long Island, New York, company, opened a large plant in Thomasville last year. The family that owns the industry moved to Thomasville.

“That’s a great niche,” Zorn said. “They appreciate Thomasville’s quality of life.”

Check-Mate has hired 85 people, with plans to employe a total of 230. The company makes magazines for firearms, along with tools for medical, automotive and aerospace fields.

Two local businesses — Carroll’s Cabinets & Countertops and Potty Man — are confirmed new business park residents.

Zorn said both business have existing Thomasville sites and are locating at the park to expand.

Two other local businesses are “seriously considering Red Hills Business Park for expansion,” the PDA exec said.

The PDA has received inquiries about unoccupied former industrial buildings not in the business park. Maps, utilities costs and capacities and covenant information are being requested.

Those inquiring about the buildings are interested in purchasing or leasing the property, Zorn said.

 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820