Medical plant could bring 1,800 jobs to Ga.

ATLANTA — A medical and health care company plans to open a plant in north Georgia that would create 1,800 high-paying new jobs.

Baxter International, a maker of vaccines and medical devices, will locate a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Newton County, as well as plasma centers throughout Georgia. It's the latest move in the Gov. Nathan Deal's push to lure more manufacturing jobs to the state.

"Baxter's decision to come to Georgia marks a new era in the growth of our biosciences industry and will have far-reaching impact on our economy," Deal said in a news release.

Channel 2 political reporter Lori Geary worked the story all day Wednesday and confirmed the production facility will pay a median salary of about $60,000 a year for the new jobs.

Deal said the company has invested more than $1 billion in the project. He has made luring manufacturing jobs to Georgia one of his top priorities as the state's unemployment numbers continue to hover above 9 percent.

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WSBTV