CHEP USA, the well-known provider of pallet and container pooling services, announced last week that it is relocating its headquarters this year to the Atlanta area from Orlando, Fla.

The move will bring about 173 jobs to the new offices over the next five years, according to a statement by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.

CHEP, a part of Brambles Ltd., an Australian-based corporation, describes itself as a manager of pallet and container supply chain logistics for its customers in the consumer goods, produce, meat, home improvement, beverage, raw materials, petro-chemical, and automotive industries.

In a statement, Kim Rumph, president of CHEP USA, said, "We are delighted to join the Atlanta business community. Georgia offers CHEP excellent proximity to many of our key customers, provides advantages in recruiting and attracting talent into our organization, and offers an outstanding quality of life for our employees who will relocate."

The new CHEP USA headquarters in Dunwoody, Ga., will also serve as a Brambles regional office and a base for other managers for the Americas. CHEP expects the facility to be operational by the fall of 2012.