More than 300 jobs are coming to recession-battered northwest Georgia following two separate economic announcements for the region Monday. Calhoun and Dalton along the Interstate-75 corridor are getting the economic jolt.

Shaw Industries says it will expand manufacturing operations in Calhoun, spurring 200 new jobs there.

The world's largest carpet maker plans to re-open its shuttered plant in the city to process filiment yarn, used in residential carpet. The company expects the expansion to be done by mid-2010, and will give previously laid-off workers in the area first chance at these new jobs.

Meanwhile, up the road along I-75, a Belgian flooring-maker says it will locate its first U.S. plant in the Dalton-area. IVC Group says the move will bring 115 jobs over three years and invest $70 million in the area. The company expects to open the plant in 2011.

Dalton mayor David Pennington tells GPB that while the region has taken a direct hit in the recession, his city and the area is primed for a rebound:

“It’s bad here economically like it is everywhere else, but I think there’s a sense now that Dalton as we always normally do...we will lead the country out of the recession—the carpet industry does that for some reason”.

Monday's announcements are much-needed medicine for the region. Northwest Georgia has an unemployment rate of more than 11%. Dalton in particular is 13.2%.

Tags: economic development, jobs, Dalton, Shaw Industries, Calhoun, northwest Georgia, IVC Group, flooring company