Mason Tractor Company’s expansion brings new life to Whitepath building

August 2, 2024

After years of sitting idle, the Whitepath Fabtech Building in Blue Ridge is back in business, due to the efforts of the Fannin County Development Authority (FCDA).

The Whitepath facility, which was acquired by the Fannin County Development Authority in 2022, will be used by the Mason Tractor Company to meet increasing demands of the rapidly growing company. Mason Tractor has signed a three-year-lease on 36,000-square-feet of industrial space.

The building, at 118 Industrial Blvd, was built in the 1930s and is less than a mile southwest of the Blue Ridge downtown district. For many years it functioned as the Van Raalte Hosiery Mill. The last company to utilize the facility, Whitepath Fabtech, closed several years ago.

“Our lease with Mason Tractor is part of a long-term process that will bring new jobs to the county while also providing an income stream to the Development Authority,” said FCDA Director Erick Youngberg. “In addition to our arrangement with Mason, we have an agreement with UPS to use the parking lot on the property and we will also be looking to lease the two offices in front of the building.”

Youngberg says that income from the lease will be used to make improvements to the building and resolve maintenance issues, which will increase its long-term value. He said the FCDA has agreed to add a security fence for the back parking lot and upgrade the electrical system, among other items. 

Mason Tractor Company is a locally owned family business with an 84-year history. It is the largest Kubota Tractor dealer in Georgia and the third largest in the U.S., operating in eight locations.

Youngberg anticipates the addition of 20-25 jobs to the local economy when the facility is fully leased.