Toyota Alabama — ‘engine capital of the world’ — marks 15 years
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Long known for rocket engine production, Huntsville is on its way to earning the title of “engine capital of the world,” thanks to the presence of Toyota over the past 15 years. During that time, the Japanese automaker’s Alabama workers have built more than 4.5 million engines at its Huntsville factory, which…
Auto supplier voestalpine to invest $11 million in Alabama facility
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Austrian automotive supplier voestalpine Automotive Body Parts Inc. announced plans today to open an $11.1 million Birmingham facility that’s expected to create 42 jobs. Voestalpine will produce a variety of automotive components, including stamped and hot formed parts, at an existing facility located at 260-A Lyon Lane, in Birmingham’s Oxmoor Valley, according…
Eissmann Automotive to expand Alabama operation with 200 new jobs
PELL CITY, Alabama – German auto supplier Eissmann Automotive will invest $14.5 million to expand its St. Clair County facility with a 130,000-square-foot building and advanced manufacturing equipment for a new production line, officials said today. Eissmann, which has expanded its Pell City facility six times since opening a decade ago, will hire 200 additional…
Buckle Up: Alabama auto industry accelerates growth (Video)
Alabama’s auto industry is on a hot streak, with record production numbers, rising investment, expanded hiring, and redesigned models rolling off the assembly lines. Last year alone, the auto industry added around 6,500 jobs and $3 billion in new investment in the state, according to a preliminary analysis of data in the Alabama Department of…
Alabama plant stars in Mercedes Brand Experience
Alabama isn’t just the center of manufacturing for Mercedes-Benz in the U.S., it’s also become the destination for thousands of the company’s employees on a mission to learn more about the brand. The Mercedes-Benz Brand Immersion Experience kicked off in September 2014, and since then, nearly 9,000 employees of the German automaker’s dealer network have…
Launch Party: Honda starts Ridgeline mass production
LINCOLN, Alabama — The redesigned, Alabama-built Honda Ridgeline pickup is now rolling on the automaker’s Talladega County assembly lines. The 4,500-worker plant today officially marked the start of production for the 2017 model, with a lineoff celebration that featured more than 1,500 cheering employees. “Today we celebrate the dedication of our Alabama team in bringing…
World Stage: 2015 foreign investment reaches $3.4 billion
Foreign direct investment in Alabama topped $3.4 billion in 2015, as companies based in 18 different countries extended their reach into the state. The vast majority of the 95 FDI projects were expansions, including a major addition to the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa County. Other auto industry investments were growth at Hyundai’s Montgomery factory and…
Honda powers Alabama’s workforce with Barber racetrack event
Alabama students got a hands-on look at the high-tech operations of the state’s manufacturers over the weekend, while Indy racecars sped by in the background. Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, along with many of its suppliers, area staffing firms, colleges and universities came together to put on Honda’s “Gear Up Your Career” event, held during the…
Alabama 2015 scorecard: Project investment tops $7 billion
Alabama attracted more than $7 billion in capital investment in 2015, along with nearly 20,000 new and future jobs, as the state’s economic development team secured high-caliber projects in key growth sectors such as technology, aerospace and automotive. At a press conference at the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facility in Vance today, Governor Robert Bentley released the…
Auto supplier Mando launching $19 million Alabama expansion
OPELIKA, Alabama – Mando America Corp. plans to invest $19 million in its Alabama manufacturing operation and hire 32 new workers to support the expansion, officials said Tuesday night. South Korea-based Mando, one of the world’s largest auto parts suppliers, has based its North American headquarters in Opelika, where it makes brake components, suspension modules…
