Stuttgart, Germany-based Alfred Karcher GmbH & Co. has consolidated its U.S. industrial cleaning equipment operations in Duluth to take advantage of Atlanta’s logistics infrastructure.
Karcher, the world’s largest manufacturer of high pressure washers for commercial, industrial and residential cleaning, moved its California and New Jersey production and distribution facilities here April 15 for better logistical services and access to its leading customers.
Atlanta-based Home Depot Inc. is one of the company’s main customers, and Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse Inc. is moving its headquarters to Charlotte, N.C., which is easily accessible to Duluth by Interstate 85, according to Klaus Hahn, the company’s vice president of marketing and product development.
“The Atlanta area has a lot to offer German companies. There are some 1,000 German firms here, and we have an immediate opportunity here to do business with other European companies,” Mr. Hahn told GlobalFax. “We wanted a logistics hub on the east coast, and we feel Atlanta is good for our business and attractive for foreign people to work here.”
The company aims for success in Atlanta by pressure-cleaning Georgia’s Capitol to publicize its services, Mr. Hahn said. Karcher pressure-cleans prominent buildings and landmarks, including Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument and the Vatican, among other famous sites, to market its products.
Karcher was the official cleaning supplier of the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Salt Lake City 2002.
The company aims to hire 50-60 employees by December.
Contact Mr. Karcher at (678) 935-4545. Visit www.karcher.com for more information.