Dive Brief:
- Auto parts manufacturer PHA will spend $67 million on a new facility in Georgia to supply Hyundai Motor Group’s upcoming EV campus — the Metaplant — the governor’s office announced last week.
- The Savannah-area facility will produce door modules, tailgate and hood latches for direct use in automakers’ assembly lines, per the release.
- PHA selected the Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center to house its facility. Operations are expected to begin in 2024 and create 402 jobs.
Dive Insight:
South Korea-based PHA joins the torrent of parts manufacturers streaming to Georgia to sustain Hyundai’s future EV campus since it broke ground in October.
At the time, Georgia officials predicted offsite suppliers would invest nearly $1 billion in locations around the state – but investments to date have exceeded expectations by $800 million, the governor’s office noted in the release.
PHA will be the second supplier to settle at the Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center, after Seoyon E-Hwa announced plans to invest almost $76 million in a facility for interior auto parts at the location in early February.
The industrial site is part of the Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development program, known as GRAD, which has fast-tracked up to 60 locations for construction thanks to advance due diligence from the state.
“Projects like Hyundai and its suppliers underscore the importance of site preparation to attract jobs and opportunities to a community,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson in a statement. “Companies are racing the clock to come online to meet demand, so they are prioritizing locations that have already completed GRAD certification.”
