Volkswagen Announces Supplier Park Tenants

Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations has announced today the identity of the first five tenants that will take residency in the on-site supplier park set to open early this summer at the Enterprise South manufacturing facility currently under construction. The suppliers will provide key components and logistics to the New Midsized Sedan (NMS) set to begin production in 2011.

The supplier park, set to be completed by June 30, 2010, will consist of two buildings, each 223,200 sq. ft. in size, which is the equivalent of 9 football fields of space combined. The Supplier Park will offer the tenants a facility managed by a single entity to provide economies of scale and convenience. The suppliers will begin moving in shortly after the June 30 completion date.

The suppliers, the products they will supply and employment estimates contracted to occupy the supplier park are listed below (alphabetically):

Chattanooga Seating – front and rear seat – 140 jobs

Faurecia (EMCON) – front and rear exhaust system – 35 jobs

Magna Exteriors & Interiors – front and rear fascia – 25 jobs

MTEK – headliners and door panels – 40 jobs

Thyssen Krupp – front and rear axle; corner module – 90 jobs

Wheel supplier (not yet announced) – 25-30 jobs

Logistics Services (not yet announced) – 130-140 jobs

“Locating the supplier park on-site is a key component of our plans in Chattanooga and fits perfectly with our philosophy of Green City, Green Plant, Green Car,” said Frank Fischer, CEO and Chairman for Volkswagen in Chattanooga. “Being so close to the production process greatly reduces the impact of traditional shipping on the environment, is a highly efficient way to supply our production team with the parts they need when they need them, and the managed facility is convenient for the suppliers as well,” Fischer said.

Volkswagen in Chattanooga currently employs over 650 people. The plant will eventually employ more than 2,000 workers and is expected to result in as many as 9,500 indirect jobs to be created over time.

Volkswagen selected Gray to build their 1.2. million s.f. automotive supplier park. Gray is also providing architecture, civil engineering, structural engineering and construction management services for this project. Gray is ranked 4th nationally among the top 15 auto plant contractors. In fact, automotive projects comprise over 40% of Gray’s business in the past five years. If you have automotive plant construction needs, please contact Chris Allen, Executive Vice President, Automotive Market, at callen@gray.com.

About Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations LLC

Volkswagen Group of America Inc. will invest $1 billion in the local economy for the Chattanooga plant and create more than 2,000 direct jobs in the region. According to independent studies, the new Volkswagen plant is expected to generate $12 billion in income growth and an additional 9,500 jobs related to the project. The Chattanooga plant will build a new midsize sedan specially designed for the North American market.