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Automotive companies achieve peak performance in Northeast Tennessee Valley’s automotive cluster.
Pictured is the Bristol Motor Speedway, located in the Northeast Tennessee Valley.
Beloved for striking natural beauty, the Northeast Tennessee Valley region—15 member counties include 11 in Tennessee and three in Virginia and one in North Carolina—is one of the southeastern United States' most strategic business locations for automotive companies.
And that is reflected in the number of announcements of companies locating here recently. At the end of August, Japanese auto companies Koyo Corporation and Nakatetsu decided to open manufacturing facilities here. Koyo’s General Manager, Steve McCullough, commented:
“Washington County meets our needs with an experienced work force and an ideal logistical location plus the outstanding commitment and cooperation from the state, county, TVA, regional utilities and the surrounding cities.”
A solid foundation
The foundation for the region’s success starts with an intelligent, productive labor force. Northeast Tennessee Valley is the only area in the U.S. to offer full local-college scholarships to every high school graduate. The 335,000-strong labor pool has one of the lowest absentee and turnover rates in the country. Tennessee’s FastTrack Training Program, which provides company-specific pre- and post-employment training, is consistently ranked highly by site selection consultants.
The area’s transportation infrastructure makes sourcing and distribution a breeze. Access to five interstates, rail service, and commercial, charter, and freight air services provide simple access to markets. Tennessee Riverports link the region to the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes. Plus, Northeast Tennessee Valley’s central location means more than 70 percent of the nation’s population is within a one-day drive.
The region’s physical infrastructure is complemented by its virtual infrastructure—here, digital, broadband, and fiber-optic networks are among the most advanced available to the American business community.
A mountain of possibilities
Northeast Tennessee Valley’s business climate makes industry success and profitability as easy as possible. Tax credits reward investment and job creation, and there is no unitary tax and no sales taxes on manufacturing equipment or finished goods. Strong right-to-work laws also enhance the environment for businesses here.
Abundant, reliable, low-cost power is another way a Northeast Tennessee Valley business location translates into higher profits. Attractive rates can be further reduced through incentives, and natural gas is plentiful throughout the region. The area’s automotive cluster is very strong, with more than 40 major auto parts manufacturers, including Exide, Hutchinson, TRW, Cooper Standard, Mahle, DTR, Specialty Tires of America, and HUF. Numerous manufacturing services, such as machining and metal stamping, support the automotive industry.
In addition, more than 20 automotive and truck assembly plants are within a five-hour drive of Northeast Tennessee, including BMW in South Carolina, Toyota and Ford in Kentucky, Mercedes and Hyundai in Alabama, and Nissan, Saturn, and Peterbilt in Tennessee.
The industry fast lane
In addition, the Bristol Motor Speedway – the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” – and Bristol Dragway are located here. That’s a fact that has influenced several other recent corporate announcements.
Borla Performance Industries, which is the premier manufacturer of exhaust systems for performance vehicles for the street, off-road and racing, chose Johnson City for their new 325,000 square foot facility. They are closing both their Michigan and California facilities and relocating all operations in Johnson City.
And, at the end of October, FedEx broke ground on a new $8 million distribution center that will measure approximately 90,000 square feet. The facility will employ about 100 people.
These announcements followed one earlier this year from JD Squared, a company with strong ties to NASCAR. Company owners Bob and Kim Hughes cited the areas hospitality and low operating costs as primary reasons for the decision to located their plant in Johnson City.
Want to get in on the action? The Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association provides assistance to automotive companies seeking to relocate or expand. Information on sites and buildings—including square footage, acreage, and infrastructure availability— is available at the click of a mouse.
For more information on the advantages Northeast Tennessee Valley can offer your company, visit www.netvaly.org or contact Alicia Summers at 423.323.1203 or asummers@netvaly.org.
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