Dive Brief:

• Auto parts maker Seohan Auto Georgia plans to invest $72 million in a new manufacturing plant in Midway, Georgia.
• The South Korea-based auto parts manufacturer will produce H/shafts, axles and brake systems for OEMs, including for Hyundai’s nearby EV and battery manufacturing hub.
• Seohan Auto Georgia’s upcoming facility is expected to create 180 jobs, with production slated to start in late 2024.

Dive Insight:

Seohan Auto Georgia is the seventh Hyundai supplier to flock to the Peach State since the automaker broke ground on its upcoming $5.5 billion EV campus in October.

Last year, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called Hyundai’s plant the “largest economic development project in state history.” He estimated the site would bring at least 8,100 jobs to Georgia’s coastal region.

Georgia officials had predicted Hyundai’s Metaplant would attract offsite suppliers to invest an estimated $1 billion. The automaker’s suppliers have outpaced that estimate, with plans to invest nearly $2 billion in the state, according to the April 11 announcement.

“The Hyundai Metaplant is and will continue to be an economic driver for the entire region, creating more jobs for hardworking Georgians in communities like Liberty County,” Kemp said in a statement earlier this month.

In November, Joon Georgia became the first supplier to announce plans for the state, with a $317 million production facility in Statesboro. Later that month, Hyundai Mobis became the second Hyundai supplier, with its plans for a $926 million EV power electric systems plant. 

Since January, Ecoplastic Corporation, Seoyon E-Hwa, Sewon America and PHA have each announced plans for manufacturing plants of their own to supply Hyundai’s manufacturing hub.