More Than a Century of Big Business
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or years, a buzz has been building around the business community in Atlanta. Its growth has been unprecedented, as new industries, market sectors and companies of all sizes have either launched in or relocated to the city and its surrounding areas. Yet, Atlanta has actually been a hub for big, thriving businesses for decades. In fact, for more than a century, the metro area has been home to some of the most successful companies in the world. And there are four in particular that stand out not only as big business juggernauts, but also as brand trailblazers.
The Coca-Cola Company
Founded in Atlanta by pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton in May of 1886, The Coca-Cola Company put the city on the map in terms of business opportunities. Jacob’s Pharmacy in Downtown Atlanta sold nine Coca-Cola drinks per day in the company’s earliest days; today the company is worth more than $83 billion and sells more than 1.8 billion soft drink bottles per day. The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 86,000 people worldwide and continues to grow at an impressive rate. Its products are as beloved as they are widely known, and the company strives to innovate in an array of areas. It is one of Atlanta’s iconic brands, and it remains a symbol of Atlanta’s business community roots.
Delta Air Lines
Started as a crop dusting business in Macon, Georgia, in 1925, the now famous major airline began offering passenger service in 1929. It wasn’t until 1941, years after finding a way to offer affordable passenger service thanks to a new air mail contract, that Delta moved its headquarters to Atlanta from Monroe, Louisiana. It grew as a regional airline and, over time, expanded to become one of the world’s most prominent and well-known carriers. It is a $47 billion company that employs more than 91,224 employees, and its global headquarters can be found at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Today, Delta Air Lines serves as many as 200 million passengers per year.
The Home Depot
The first two Home Depot stores opened in Atlanta in 1978. Seeing great potential in the home repair DIY market, founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank created a shopping experience unlike any other, complete with highly skilled employees that could offer advice, guidance and instructions for completing a wide array of home-based projects. Today, The Home Depot, with an annual revenue of more than $110 billion, is the leading home improvement retailer in the country. The Atlanta-based organization employs 413,000 salaried and hourly employees and boasts nearly 3,000 stores worldwide.
UPS
In 1991, the United Parcel Service (UPS) made a pivotal decision to move its corporate headquarters to Atlanta. The company, which originally was founded in 1907 as the American Messenger Company, recognized the huge benefit of being located in one of the most dynamic cities in the South: access to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The move initially brought more than 1,000 employees to Atlanta, and in only its first year in the city, UPS generated $325 million for the local economy. Now, with more than $71 billion in annual revenue and approximately 480,000 employees worldwide, UPS has become one of the most successful and celebrated members of Atlanta’s ever-growing business community.
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