ATLANTA - Metro Atlanta will get its first new Fortune 500 company in more than ten years when Newell Rubbermaid moves its global headquarters to Atlanta. <br>
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The company, which makes Sharpie pens, Rubbermaid trash cans and Graco car seats, announced its move Thursday at the state Capitol. The headquarters is planned for north Fulton County and will eventually employ several hundred. <br>
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Newell is the first Fortune 500 firm to relocate to metro Atlanta since United Parcel Service moved to Sandy Springs from Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1991. <br>
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Newell's chief executive, Joe Galli, said Atlanta was chosen because of its climate and because three of its top customers have headquarters in the South -- Home Depot, Lowe's and Wal-Mart. The conglomerate is currently based in Freeport, Illinois. <br>
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Galli told reporters, ``We're going to develop from scratch a corporate training center that will eventually bring thousands to Atlanta.'' <br>
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The company, which employs about 350 workers at its current headquarters, has been hunting for a new home since 2001. Newell's Goody Products subsidiary, a hair care accessories company, is headquartered in Peachtree City. <br>
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Governor Perdue said he will introduce legislation next week to boost Georgia's incentives to entice company headquarters. Perdue said the state should extend tax breaks for companies that relocate to the state.
