These Trilia OLED luminaires, produced by Acuity Brands, won the 2014 Illuminating Engineering Society Innovation Award at the Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology trade show. Photo obtained via https://www.facebook.com/acuitybrands

This story has been updated. 

A company that made $2.4 billion selling lighting products in fiscal year 2014 today announced a major expansion of its facilities in DeKalb County.

Acuity Brands will retrofit its 167,000 square foot building at One Lithonia Way in greater Decatur into a “world-class” research and development center. The company will also upgrade its facilities in Conyers.

The project will be a $16 million investment and is expected to create 700 “well-paying” jobs, according to announcements from Acuity, DeKalb County and Gov. Nathan Deal’s office.

Economic development officials are providing Acuity with “various incentives” – i.e. tax breaks – at the state and local level in exchange for their investment. Stefanie Paupeck, director of communication at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, provided the following information about the incentives for Acuity:

Acuity Brands is eligible for the Quality Job Tax Credit in Rockdale and Dekalb. They are eligible for the Job Tax Credit in Rockdale.

In addition, a binding agreement between the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and Acuity Brands, Inc. was entered into on October 20, 2014. In accordance to O.C.G.A. 50-18-72(a)(46), information about this economic development project is as follows:

– REBA Grant in the amount of $750,000 to be awarded through the Development Authority of DeKalb County and the Development Authority of Rockdale County

http://georgia.org/about/ Pages/georgia-department-of- community-affairs.aspx

They are also eligible to take advantage of QuickStart.

Thanks,

Stefanie

Stefanie Paupeck
Director of Communications
Georgia Department of Economic Development

Acuity Brands President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vernon J. Nagel said via press release, “”We greatly appreciate the support of the State of Georgia and DeKalb and Rockdale counties, for their assistance to help make these projects possible.”

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Acuity employs 7,000 people worldwide, with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The company’s brands include, “Lithonia Lighting®​, Holophane®​, Peerless®​, Gotham®​, Mark Architectural Lighting™, Winona®​ Lighting, Healthcare Lighting®​, Hydrel®​, American Electric Lighting®​, Carandini®​, Antique Street Lamps™, Sunoptics®​, RELOC®​ Wiring Solutions, Acculamp®​, eldoLED®​ and Acuity Controls.”

The retrofitting of the Decatur facility will “begin immediately” and will be an investment of $11 million. Work should be completed in mid-2015.