Contender Boats, one of the world’s top manufacturers of premium sport fishing boats, will locate a high-tech manufacturing facility in Baxley, Georgia. The company expects to invest a total of $12.8 million and create at least 424 permanent jobs over the next five years, ultimately growing its workforce to 500. When hiring is completed, the company will be the second-largest private employer in the tri-county region of Appling, Bacon and Jeff Davis counties.