(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina got some bad news on Friday in its quest to gain jobs for the state. Caterpillar announced it would build a massive new plant in Georgia instead of the Tar Heel State. State House Speaker Thom Tillis said there were several reasons the company did not choose to build another plant here.

"I met with the executives about a month back and I think the thing that really put us out of contention was the capacity of our ports to deal with their equipment and the added cost that they would have to go to Norfolk or to got to Savannah to get the products out," said Tillis.

The site in Brunswick County was one of three final sites being considered by Caterpillar for the plant that would employ around 1,400 people.  Caterpillar has three other plants in North Carolina.