Summer 2009

ALABAMA

Hyundai Supplier Expanding in Alabama

Hanil E Hwa Interior Systems announced plans in August to establish a new assembly line and distribution center at its facilities in Selma, Ala. The deal is expected to create 10 new jobs. The new assembly line will be used to supply Hyundai's Montgomery, Ala. assembly plant with interior door trims for its new Sonata model.

Mercedes Using Downtime to Train Suppliers

Since February, Mercedes-Benz has used downtime at its plant in Vance, Ala. to train plant managers from approximately 35 parts suppliers in the automaker's supply chain. The suppliers have been brought in every Friday while Mercedes had its plant down. Between mid-May and June 22, the plant was also shut down, and about a dozen workers on the Mercedes line trained more suppliers on the manufacturing processes. The training was done in an effort to help suppliers save on manufacturing costs, improve quality and to improve communications between the supply chain and the OEM.

GEORGIA

Exide Battery Creating 200 Jobs in Georgia

Exide Technologies, a lead-acid battery manufacturer, has received a $34.3 million federal grant and will create 200 manufacturing jobs at its location in Columbus. Exide is expanding to produce advanced AGM flat plate batteries at its Columbus facility. The fuel-saving batteries have numerous industrial and transportation applications.

NORTH CAROLINA

Continental Expanding N.C. Brake Plant

A subsidiary of German auto parts maker Continental AG announced plans in late July that it will expand operations at its Fletcher, NC. brake plant. The company is hiring 300 workers to expand its production of brake systems for original equipment manufacturers, more than doubling the current work force at the plant.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Koyo Expanding S.C. Plant

Koyo Corp., a major supplier of bearings to the automotive industry and a corporate citizen of South Carolina for 34 years, announced in the summer quarter it is investing $10 million in its plant in Orangeburg. The expansion will add land, building and equipment at its facilities in Orangeburg.

Johnson Controls Announces Plan to Locate New Facility in South Carolina

Wisconsin-based Johnson Controls announced in June that it plans to build a new battery recycling facility in Florence, S.C. The facility represents a capital investment of more than $100 million and the creation of 250 new jobs.

TENNESSEE

First Tier 1 VW Supplier Announces Plant at Enterprise South

Michigan-based Gestamp Corp. announced on June 25 that it is investing $90 million to establish a new automotive parts stamping operation at Enterprise South, the site of the Volkswagen assembly plant that is now under construction near Chattanooga. Gestamp has secured a contract to supply structural components for the production of the new mid-sized sedan that VW has designed specifically for the U.S. market. Gestamp is a subsidiary of Gestamp Automocion, a privately-held company based in Madrid, Spain.

Carlisle to Create 440 Jobs at New Tennessee Tire and Wheel Facility

Charlotte-based Carlisle Companies announced in the summer it will locate a new manufacturing facility in Jackson, Tenn. The facility will be operated by Carlisle Tire and Wheel and will manufacture tires, inner tubes and wheels for a variety of vehicles used in the agriculture, all-terrain, golf, industrial, lawn/garden and trailer markets. The project represents a multi-million dollar investment and is expected to create about 440 new jobs.

Volkswagen Shooting for 85% N.A. Parts Content

In June, Volkswagen officials announced that it plans to use North American suppliers for 85 percent of the parts and components that will be used in the assembly of its new sedan it plans to build at its Chattanooga plant that is now under construction. The news is good for areas around Chattanooga as it indicates a large supply chain will be developed in the area. VW has set up a 75-member purchasing group in Chattanooga to find suppliers to the plant. The group is operating independently from the one VW oversees in Puebla, Mexico, which is the only other place in North America where Volkswagen assembles vehicles. The big question we would like answered is where are the engines and drive trains for the new VW sedan going to come from? VW has a large engine plant in Mexico, but that facility is hard-pressed to produce enough engines for the Puebla assembly plant. If Volkswagen has plans for 85 percent of the parts to come from North America and the company's engine plant in Mexico has no more capacity, well, the German automaker has to find engines somewhere. The Chattanooga site is large enough to accommodate a separate engine plant, but no announcement has been made as of yet.

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Summer 2009

ALABAMA

Hyundai Supplier Expanding in Alabama

Hanil E Hwa Interior Systems announced plans in August to establish a new assembly line and distribution center at its facilities in Selma, Ala. The deal is expected to create 10 new jobs. The new assembly line will be used to supply Hyundai's Montgomery, Ala. assembly plant with interior door trims for its new Sonata model.

Mercedes Using Downtime to Train Suppliers

Since February, Mercedes-Benz has used downtime at its plant in Vance, Ala. to train plant managers from approximately 35 parts suppliers in the automaker's supply chain. The suppliers have been brought in every Friday while Mercedes had its plant down. Between mid-May and June 22, the plant was also shut down, and about a dozen workers on the Mercedes line trained more suppliers on the manufacturing processes. The training was done in an effort to help suppliers save on manufacturing costs, improve quality and to improve communications between the supply chain and the OEM.

GEORGIA

Exide Battery Creating 200 Jobs in Georgia

Exide Technologies, a lead-acid battery manufacturer, has received a $34.3 million federal grant and will create 200 manufacturing jobs at its location in Columbus. Exide is expanding to produce advanced AGM flat plate batteries at its Columbus facility. The fuel-saving batteries have numerous industrial and transportation applications.

NORTH CAROLINA

Continental Expanding N.C. Brake Plant

A subsidiary of German auto parts maker Continental AG announced plans in late July that it will expand operations at its Fletcher, NC. brake plant. The company is hiring 300 workers to expand its production of brake systems for original equipment manufacturers, more than doubling the current work force at the plant.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Koyo Expanding S.C. Plant

Koyo Corp., a major supplier of bearings to the automotive industry and a corporate citizen of South Carolina for 34 years, announced in the summer quarter it is investing $10 million in its plant in Orangeburg. The expansion will add land, building and equipment at its facilities in Orangeburg.

Johnson Controls Announces Plan to Locate New Facility in South Carolina

Wisconsin-based Johnson Controls announced in June that it plans to build a new battery recycling facility in Florence, S.C. The facility represents a capital investment of more than $100 million and the creation of 250 new jobs.

TENNESSEE

First Tier 1 VW Supplier Announces Plant at Enterprise South

Michigan-based Gestamp Corp. announced on June 25 that it is investing $90 million to establish a new automotive parts stamping operation at Enterprise South, the site of the Volkswagen assembly plant that is now under construction near Chattanooga. Gestamp has secured a contract to supply structural components for the production of the new mid-sized sedan that VW has designed specifically for the U.S. market. Gestamp is a subsidiary of Gestamp Automocion, a privately-held company based in Madrid, Spain.

Carlisle to Create 440 Jobs at New Tennessee Tire and Wheel Facility

Charlotte-based Carlisle Companies announced in the summer it will locate a new manufacturing facility in Jackson, Tenn. The facility will be operated by Carlisle Tire and Wheel and will manufacture tires, inner tubes and wheels for a variety of vehicles used in the agriculture, all-terrain, golf, industrial, lawn/garden and trailer markets. The project represents a multi-million dollar investment and is expected to create about 440 new jobs.

Volkswagen Shooting for 85% N.A. Parts Content

In June, Volkswagen officials announced that it plans to use North American suppliers for 85 percent of the parts and components that will be used in the assembly of its new sedan it plans to build at its Chattanooga plant that is now under construction. The news is good for areas around Chattanooga as it indicates a large supply chain will be developed in the area. VW has set up a 75-member purchasing group in Chattanooga to find suppliers to the plant. The group is operating independently from the one VW oversees in Puebla, Mexico, which is the only other place in North America where Volkswagen assembles vehicles. The big question we would like answered is where are the engines and drive trains for the new VW sedan going to come from? VW has a large engine plant in Mexico, but that facility is hard-pressed to produce enough engines for the Puebla assembly plant. If Volkswagen has plans for 85 percent of the parts to come from North America and the company's engine plant in Mexico has no more capacity, well, the German automaker has to find engines somewhere. The Chattanooga site is large enough to accommodate a separate engine plant, but no announcement has been made as of yet.

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