Household products manufacturer Newell Rubbermaid Inc. opened a new global headquarters building in Sandy Springs Sept. 24.

The company also announced it is to create 200 new jobs in Georgia by bringing a global business unit for its three baby products subsidiaries here in 2009.

Graco Children’s Products Inc. distributes a range of baby products and toys to U.S. retailers.  Newell Rubbermaid acquired Aprica Kassai Inc. of Osaka, Japan, in 2007 and teutonia Kinderwagenfabrik Gmbh of Hiddenhausen, Germany, earlier this year to expand its presence in Asia and Europe.

Bringing the business unit to the new headquarters will give all three companies a presence in Georgia.

This follows a January announcement that Newell Rubbermaid will open a Southeast distribution center in Union City, adding another 200 jobs.  The expansion and new center mean the company will employ about 1,000 people in Georgia by the end of next year.

Mark Ketchum, Newell Rubbermaid’s president and CEO, said the Atlanta area’s workforce makes it an attractive location and the new headquarters building will allow the company to centralize many of its operations.

Newell Rubbermaid has operated three separate Atlanta-area locations since moving its headquarters from Ogdensburg, N.Y., to Sandy Springs in 2003.  Those three staffs can be consolidated in the new building.

The 350,000-square-foot, 14-story headquarters at three Glenlake Parkway includes offices and a training facility, fitness center, café and company store.

The company employs about 22,500 people worldwide.  Its various products include Sharpie and PaperMate markers and pens, Goody personal care items and Rubbermaid cleaning supplies.