101 Great Locations in the Southern Automotive Corridor

Transcription

101 Great Locations in the Southern Automotive Corridor
ALABAMA
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Athens/Limestone Co.
AL
The Alabama built Mercedes M-Class
UP and COMING Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
36,691
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
5,467
14.9
4.1
Location Advantage: Limestone County is home to the TVA megasite that placed second in the Volkswagen site search. As you know, VW chose
another TVA certified site near Chattanooga. That site placed second in the Toyota site search that ended near Tupelo in 2006. So, if Chattanooga placed
second two years ago and first in 2008, could Limestone County be the next place an automaker lands in the South. You’ve got to like their chances. www.
lceda.com
Chambers County
AL
15,393
4,033
26.2
13.9
Location Advantage: No place in North America has seen its automotive sector grow faster than Alabama’s in the last 15 years. But it took Korean
automaker Kia landing in Georgia for Chambers County, Ala. to benefit. Because of that, Chambers County, Ala. is relatively new to automotive industry
success. Of course, being located in Alabama, just across the border from the new Kia plant gives Chambers County a unique location advantage. www.
chamberscoida.com
Fort Payne/DeKalb Co.
AL
35,813
10,171
28.4
4.9
Location Advantage: Here is an Alabama county that will benefit in the future from VW choosing Chattanooga. DeKalb County has a labor force that
automotive parts suppliers will love. The county, located in far northeast Alabama, is within 40 miles of the site VW is building on. With so many German
parts suppliers already in Alabama, and VW building nearby in Chattanooga, look for DeKalb County to land several deals in the next couple of years. www.
dekalbeda.com
Hamilton/Marion Co.
AL
16,820
5,130
30.5
6.4
Location Advantage: Located on the new Interstate 22 Corridor in west Alabama, Marion County is primed to land deals associated with Toyota’s
new assembly plant being built in Tupelo. Alabama is the center of the Southern Auto Corridor (Tennessee could now make a new argument with that) and
plants being built on its borders now in three states -- Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee -- will actually grow Alabama’s parts sector. Look for that to happen in Marion County, Ala. www.cdfal.org
Phenix City/Russell Co.
AL
16,874
2,683
15.9
7.2
Location Advantage: Russell County, located just across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Ga. should be a location that the automotive
industry will find to its liking in the near future. Russell County’s location, near the Kia plant being built in West Point, Ga. means parts suppliers will be
checking the location for years to come. Russell County is part of a two-state partnership that has already landed some outstanding supplier deals. www.
thevalleypartnership.com
Scottsboro/Jackson Co.
AL
25,011
6,578
26.3
5.4
Location Advantage: Jackson County cozies right up to Chattanooga and the new VW plant being built there and they have the first shovel ready
Alabama Advantage Site with a 290-acre industrial park and two industrial shell buildings. That certainly bodes well for the Scottsboro area. Scottsboro has
landed automotive deals before, but with VW now in the backyard, Jackson County makes our “up and comer” list. www.jacksoncountyeda.org
The Shoals Region of Alabama
AL
43,329
3,683
8.5
5.5
Location Advantage: Located in the far northwest corner of the state, the Shoals region, which includes Florence and Muscle Shoals and several
other markets, hit pay dirt last year with a large automotive lighting supplier. Look for more in the near future as suppliers set up for VW and the fact that
neighboring Limestone County, Ala., is most likely first on the list for the next automaker to land in the South. www.seda-shoals.com
Walker County
AL
32,217
2,223
6.9
5.4
Location Advantage: Located directly on Interstate 22, Walker County lies about midway between Birmingham and Tupelo, where Toyota is building
its latest plant in the Southern Auto Corridor. Recent preparations for a new 400-acre industrial park and completion of the area’s fourth speculative building will ensure plenty of activity for Walker County during the next few years. www.wceida.com
34
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
ALABAMA
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Anniston/ Calhoun Co.
AL
Ogaihra’s Alabama Operations
TRIED and TRUE Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
64,310
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
8,103
12.6
5.2
Location Advantage: Anniston/Calhoun County is located adjacent to Talladega County on Interstate 20, just east of the massive Honda plant in
Lincoln, Ala. Calhoun County includes the cities of Anniston, Oxford, Jacksonville and others. The excellent automotive industry location is midway between
Birmingham and Atlanta on Interstate 20. www.calhounchamber.com
Auburn
AL
7,112
63,500
11.2
4.7
Location Advantage: The city of Auburn, located in east Alabama near Kia and Hyundai’s as-
sembly plants, is home to a number of automotive parts suppliers. A significant advantage for those locating in Auburn is Auburn University’s College of
Engineering. www.auburnalabama.org.
Birmingham
AL
481,333
30,324
6.3
4.9
Location Advantage: Birmingham sits at the center of the Southern Automotive Corridor, which includes plants operated by Mercedes-Benz, Honda,
Hyundai, Kia and Toyota. Interstate 65, considered the “spine” of the Southern Automotive Corridor, runs right through the middle of the Birmingham
metro. www.mdb.org
Cullman
AL
41,140
5,307
12.9
4.2
Location Advantage: Few small markets have been as successful as Cullman when it comes to luring automotive parts suppliers. Several large suppliers operate in Cullman, which is located between Huntsville and Birmingham on Interstate 65. www.cullmaneda.org
The Perfect Site For
Your New Site.
Louisiana’s FREE, statewide Buildings & Sites Database
and GIS mapping application
with detailed Demographic
and Business Data, Parish &
Community Profiles and a
Geospatial Data Download
Portal. It provides economic
developers, site selectors, real
estate consultants,
and the business
community with
a tool to
geographically
analyze potential
sites.
CLICK HERE!
www.LouisianaSiteSelection.com
©2008 Entergy Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
36
34
SOUTHERN AUTO
AUTO CORRIDOR.COM
CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
PRESENTS
SOUTHERN
101 GREAT
GREAT LOCATIONS
LOCATIONS IN
IN THE
THE SOUTHERN
SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE
AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
CORRIDOR
101
4
ALABAMA
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Decatur/ Morgan Co.
AL
Honda’s Alabama plant
TRIED and TRUE Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
63,237
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
12,268
19.4
4.6
Location Advantage: Decatur and Morgan County have a long history in the automotive industry. Highly industrialized, Morgan County will be the
home of the new $71 million robotics research, education and training complex being built at Calhoun Community College. www.mceda.org
Elmore County
AL
24,050
2,910
12.1
4.6
Location Advantage: Like Chambers County, Elmore County is a recent superstar when it comes to the automotive industry. Several suppliers have
set up shop in Elmore County. In fact, the automotive industry has single handedly transformed the little town of Tallassee, Ala. www.elmoreeda.com
Gadsden
AL
50,730
6,392
12.6
5.7
Location Advantage: Gadsden, located on Interstate 59 in northeast Alabama, has eight automotive suppliers employing more than 2,500. Expansions of its secondary and postsecondary automotive technology training facilities are underway. www.gadsdenida.org
Greenville/ Butler Co.
AL
9,743
1,481
15.2
7.9
Location Advantage: Greenville is home to several large parts suppliers that serve automakers, most notably Hyundai’s plant in Montgomery (as
well as Kia in WestPoint, Ga.). Greenville/Butler County is located on Interstate 65 about 30 minutes south of Montgomery and two hours northeast of Mobile. Greenville is an ideal distribution location on the I-65 corridor. www.greenville-alabama.com 38
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
4
ALABAMA
Hyundai’s Montgomery, Ala. Plant
TRIED and TRUE Locations
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
Huntsville/ Madison Co.
AL
208,569
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
25,654
12.3
3.9
Location Advantage: Huntsville is considered as having one of the nation’s most technology savvy economies. Huntsville/Madison County is known
for its aerospace and defense industries. However, it has quickly become a major destination for the automotive industry. Toyota operates a large engine
plant in Huntsville and BASF Catalyst and Continental AG have large operations in Huntsville as well. www.huntsvillealabamausa.com
Montgomery
AL
173,407
14,046
8.1
5.5
Location Advantage: Home to Hyundai’s only U.S. assembly plant, Montgomery’s success in the automotive industry is relatively new as well.
However, economic development officials there are well schooled on what the industry’s wants and needs are and have been able to meet those for several
years now. www.montgomerychamber.com
Opelika
AL
63,500
7,112
11.2
4.7
Location Advantage: A veteran market at catering to the needs of the automotive industry, Opelika is home to several major suppliers such as
Mando. Located on Interstate 85 in east Alabama, just 20 miles from the new Kia plant in West Point, Ga., Opelika was incredibly successful in this business
long before Kia broke ground. www.opelika.org
Pell City/ St. Clair Co.
AL
23,115
2,612
11.3
4.7
Location Advantage: With an outstanding location and plenty of product available to those in the automotive industry, St. Clair County is a place
that has to make this list. With access to Interstates 20 & 59 just east of Birmingham, St. Clair County is already home to several key automotive suppliers. Centrally located along the Southern Automotive Corridor, St. Clair County is a prime Alabama location for automotive suppliers. www.stclairedc.com
Prattville/ Autauga Co.
AL
18,089
1,827
10.1
4.8
Location Advantage: Located just north of Montgomery, Prattville has seen some great success in the automotive sector in the last several years. Its
success has gone way beyond that, too, as it is the fifth-fastest growing city in Alabama. Prattville is also located on the spine of the Southern Auto Corridor,
which is Interstate 65. www.prattvillechamber.com
Shelby County
AL
80,456
6,356
7.9
3.4
Location Advantage: Located in the Birmingham metro, Shelby County has been the fastest growing county in Alabama for years. Parts suppliers
have located in Shelby County consistently for years as well. You cannot beat the location, as Shelby County is 50 miles from Honda’s plant, 45 miles from
the Mercedes plant and 65 miles from Hyundai’s factory. www.sceida.org
Tuscaloosa
AL
103,531
13,459
13.0
4.5
Location Advantage: There are four OEMs operating in Alabama (Toyota, Hyundai, Honda and Mercedes-Benz). Alabama’s automotive industry for
all practical purposes began in Tuscaloosa, Ala. back in September of 1993 when Mercedes announced it would build its first U.S. plant in the county. Tier I
suppliers are located all over Tuscaloosa. www.tcida.com
40
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
ARKANSAS
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Crittenden County
AR
Hino Motors in Marion, Ark.
UP and COMING Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
21,676
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
1,539
7.1
7.7
Location Advantage: Positioned directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis is Crittenden County. The cities of Marion and West Memphis,
Ark., are prime automotive industry locations. Marion is home to Hino Motors Manufacturing, a Toyota affiliated company that assembles commercial
trucks and manufactures parts for the large Japanese automaker. Marion’s super-site, located across the Mississippi River from Memphis, has been in the
running for two Toyota assembly plants in recent years. www.marionarkansas.org. www.westmemphis.com
Little Rock
AR
308,019
16,633
5.4
4.7
Location Advantage: The Little Rock region has a strong and diversified economy with a long history in auto parts manufacturing, but its future
looks brighter than its past. International advanced manufacturers are flocking to Metro Little Rock. Examples of such companies are Denmark’s LM
Glasfiber, creating 1,100 new jobs in the windmill blade sector and India’s Welspun and Man Industries that will create 600 jobs collectively in the steel-processing sector. It won’t be long before a new wave of automotive-based companies discovers what an outstanding environment is offered in Metro Little
Rock. In addition, Metro Little Rock has developed a 2,000 mega site that has been certified as a Select Site by Entergy. www.metrolittlerockalliance.com
Osceola
AR
24,441
5,157
21.1
8.8
Location Advantage: Denso operates a large facility in Osceola and Nucor employs more than 1,200 workers in this small east Arkansas market. The
city is located between Interstate 55 and the Mississippi River, 50 miles north of Memphis, Tenn. www.osceolachamber.net
42
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
GEORGIA
Rome, Ga.
UP and COMING Locations
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
Columbus
GA
121,718
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
10,346
8.5
6.2
Location Advantage: Located in west Georgia near the new Kia plant going up in West Point, Ga., Columbus is the location of Fort Benning, a major
U.S. Army installation with more than 10,000 employees. Several South Korea-based parts suppliers have picked Columbus recently for large operations.
www.thevalleypartnership.com
GA
Dalton/ Whitfield Co.
73,232
25,558
34.9
6.5
Location Advantage: Dalton is manufacturing central for flooring, but they also have automotive. Shiroki, parts supplier to Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi, completed a $20 million-plus expansion there last year. Kia suppliers are looking at the community and a new commerce park is planned. Plus, Dalton is located on I-75, just 30 miles south of VW’s new U.S. assembly plant in Chattanooga. www.daltongrows.biz GA
Harris County
10,019
1,042
10.4
4.9
Location Advantage: Located just north of Columbus and just south of Kia’s new plant in West Point, Ga. is Harris County. Interstate 185 dissects the
Get with the current.
county, which is only 91 miles southwest of Atlanta.Several new Tier 1 parts suppliers have set up shop in the West Georgia area with Johnson Controls and
DAEHAN Solution locating in the Northwest Harris Business Park in Harris County. www.harriscountychamber.org
GA
Hinesville/ Liberty Co.
36,065
1,118
3.1
6.3
Location Advantage: Although Hinesville/ Liberty County Georgia is located a bit off the beaten path of the Southern Auto Corridor we are including it in our top 101 because of its port access through major interstates and its proximity to a reliable labor force from Fort Stewart Army base. The Tire
Rack, a distributor for tires, wheels, suspensions, brakes and other specialty items, has taken a chance on Liberty County and we believe they won’t be the
only auto supplier to locate in this up and coming location. www.lc-da.com
Pennsylvania
Minnesota
Illinois
Indiana
The Tennessee-Tombigee Waterway :
Ohio
access to 16,000
Go with thet Provides
current.
West
Virginia
Kentucky
Missouri
Pennsylvania
Iowa
Nebraska
Tennessee
Illinois
TENN- TOM
WATERWAY
Missouri
Alabama
Georgia
Indiana
Ohio
West
Virginia
Kentucky
Tennessee
Mississippi
Alabama
Florida
Louisiana
Louisiana
This project partially funded by the
Mississippi Development Authority
UIFTBGFTUNPTUGVFMFó
DJFOUBOE
t Is the
shortest distance
FOWJSPONFOUBMMZGSJFOEMZNPEFPG
USBOTQPSUBUJPOJOUIFXPSME
between
Mid-America and
t1SPWJEFTBDDFTTUPNJMFTPGXBUFS
BOETFSWFTTUBUFT
the
Southeastern Gulf
t*TUIFTIPSUFTUEJTUBODFCFUXFFO.JE
"NFSJDBBOEUIF4PVUIFBTUFSO(VMG
Georgia
Mississippi
Texas
miles of water and serves
The Tennessee-Tombigee Waterway :
18t"MMPXTGPSCBSHFUSBOTQPSUBUJPOo
states
Florida
t)BTTJUFTXJUIBòPSEBCMFEFWFMPQNFOU
DPTUTBOENJOJNBMSFTUSJDUJPOT
igbee Waterway
Development Authoritytwww.tenntom.orgt888/Tenn-Tom t ttw@tenntom.org
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority t Mike Tagertt888/Tenn-Tom t www.tenntom.org
44
GEORGIA
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
LaGrange/ Troup Co.
GA
Kia’s announcement in 2006
UP and COMING Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
38,704
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
7,315
18.9
8.2
Location Advantage: Troup County is where Kia is building a $1 billion-plus assembly plant that will produce small, fuel efficient cars beginning
next year. Several large Tier I parts suppliers have recently located in Troup County. Guardian Automotive, SAFA, Sewon America and Sejong Georgia are
just a few. www.lagrangechamber.com
Macon
GA
109,889
7,912
7.2
6.4
Location Advantage: Location, location - less than 70 minutes from Atlanta’s International Airport; 2 hours from the Port of Savannah; and less than
3 hours from the new Kia and Volkswagen assembly plants, Macon is ideally situated for automotive suppliers. Korean giant, Kumho Tire’s first U.S. manufacturing facility is under construction. The $250 million, one-million-square-foot plant will employ 450 and will produce over 2.1 million high performance
tires annually. www.maconworks.com
Rome
GA
54,194
9,484
17.5
6.3
Location Advantage: With its northwest Georgia location, look for prospective suppliers to the new Volkswagen plant announced in Chattanooga
in July to look hard at Rome, Ga. Pirelli Tire of North America has facilities in Rome, as does F&P, a subsidiary of the Japanese Tier I supplier Ftech. F&P is a
major supplier to Honda. www.romega.com
KENTUCKY
Bowling Green
KY
The Toyota Plant in Georgetown, Ky
TRIED and TRUE Locations
68,510
9,797
14.3
5.8
Location Advantage: Bowling Green is located near the Kentucky/ Tennessee border on Interstate 65 making it an attractive location for automotive
suppliers. GM has their Corvette assembly in Bowling Green, which is also located near three other major automotive assembly plants. www.bgchamber.
com
Erlanger
KY
77,938
4,988
6.4
5.8
Location Advantage: Erlanger is located in the heart of the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan region at the junction of Interstate
highways 71/75 and I-275. It is within easy access of the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport one of the nation’s busiest cargo airports.
Toyota’s North American and engineering headquarters are located here. www.friendshipcity.com
Franklin
KY
11,456
3,666
32.0
7.9
Location Advantage: Franklin is situated within a hundred miles of four major automotive plants. It is in the far southern region of the state near the
borders of Kentucky and Tennessee. Its location on Interstate 65 and its CSX railway access have made it an attractive home for many automotive suppliers.
www.f-schamber.com
Georgetown
KY
29,051
9,151
31.5
5.8
Location Advantage: Georgetown is just west of Louisville on Interstate 75. One of Toyota’s largest North American assembly plants is located there
as well as dozens of automotive suppliers. It is a terrific location for just-in-time suppliers due to its location near two major interstate highways and the
Louisville airport. www.gtown.org
Hopkinsville
KY
68,300
6,830
10.0
8.5
Location Advantage: Hopkinsville, Ky. is located on Interstate 24 in the heart of the Southern Automotive Corridor. Home to a 2,100-acre TVA certi-
fied megasite and Fort Campbell’s 30,000 troops, Hopkinsville is primed for more automotive growth with a trained and ready workforce. Situated within
300 miles of OEM’s such as, Nissan, Corvette, Ford, GM, Honda, Mercedes, KIA, Hyundai, Toyota and VW, Hopkinsville is strategically located to attract automotive suppliers and OEM’s. World renowned companies including TGASK, Grupo Antolin, MartinRea, Douglas Autotech, and Riken Elastomers have already
found profitability in a great location. www.hopkinsvilleindustry.com
46
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
The Corvette Plant in Bowling Green, Ky.
KENTUCKY
TRIED and TRUE Locations
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Lexington
KY
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
209,648
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
14,885
7.1
5.2
Location Advantage: The University of Kentucky and Toyota Motor Manufacturing are the two largest employers in Lexington. Not a bad combina-
tion, considering the value of higher education in the automotive industry today. The most well known town in the Bluegrass is a great location for the auto
industry. www.lexchamber.com
Louisville
KY
520,495
48,406
9.3
6.5
Location Advantage: Louisville is located on Interstate 65, which is considered the spine of the Southern Auto Corridor. It is home to two Ford
assembly plants as well as being in close proximity to Toyota in Georgetown and GM in Bowling Green. It is also the home of the University of Kentucky’s
Center for Manufacturing, which provides engineering assistance to manufacturers. For www.greaterlouisville.com
Richmond
KY
5,494
41,308
13.3
5.8
Location Advantage: Richmond is south of Lexington on the Interstate 75 corridor. It has been growing by leaps and bounds, more than doubling its
population between 2003 and 2007. With over a dozen suppliers already there and given the fact that it has a university, cultural diversity and many amenities Richmond continues to be an attractive location for automotive suppliers. www.richmondchamber.com
LOUISIANA
Bastrop/ Morehouse Parish
LA
UP and COMING Locations
981
10,900
9.0
8.6
Location Advantage: Morehouse Parish is home to some outstanding parts suppliers. The future of this location looks bright in that it is near one of
the best available automotive assembly plant sites in the Southern Automotive Corridor, the state-owned Franklin Farm site. Franklin Farm, an incredible
1,440-acre site being marketing exclusively to an automaker, is in nearby Richland Parish. www.morehouseedc.org
Monroe/ Ouachita Parish
LA
7,471
90,012
8.3
5.4
Location Advantage: Monroe/West Monroe is located in the northeast part of Louisiana along I-20 and is within 20 miles of Franklin Farms, a nationally certified mega-site for automobile manufacturing and within 150 miles of the Nissan Facility in Jackson, Miss.. Monroe/West Monroe is also home to the
University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), Delta Community College and Louisiana Technical College. www.oedc.org
Richland Parish
LA
595
8,151
7.3
6.6
Location Advantage: Richland Parish is where the state-owned Franklin Farms mega-site is located. We can say without a doubt Franklin Farms is
one of the most attractive sites for a major automotive assembly that is available in the Southern Auto Corridor. We have walked the site as have officials
with Toyota and Volkswagen. It is just a matter of time before an automaker chooses the Franklin Farms site on Interstate 20 in northeast Louisiana. The site
is that good. www.lded.state.la.us, www.nelea.us
Tallulah/ Madison Parish
LA
238
4,857
4.9
8.6
Location Advantage: Madison Parish is located in the northeast corner of Louisiana, between the Franklin Farms mega-site and Vicksburg, Miss. Not
if, but when an automaker lands at the Franklin Farms mega-site, look for parts suppliers to flock to Madison Parish. www.nelea.us
TRIED and TRUE Locations
Shreveport
LA
157,770
11,675
7.4
5.6
Location Advantage: Shreveport has been home to a large General Motors assembly plant since 1981. The 3-million-square-foot facility, which
makes the HUMMER H3 and mid-size pick-up trucks, is not slated for closure amid GM’s scale down. The area attracted numerous suppliers as GM reinvested
nearly $1.5 billion in recent years. Nowhere in the state are there more suppliers than in Northwest Louisiana. www.nwlaprospector.com 48
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
MISSISSIPPI
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Baldwyn/ Itawamba Co.
MS
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
8,750
Toyota, Tupelo, Miss.
UP and COMING Locations
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
1,645
18.8
8.3
Location Advantage: Located near the new Toyota plant being built in Tupelo is Itawamba County, Miss. The county has already landed a large
Toyota supplier in Toyota Bashoku. It will land more soon. www.itawamba.com
Columbus/ Lowndes Co.
MS
34,043
3,949
11.6
8.5
Location Advantage: Few places in the Southern Automotive Corridor have seen bigger automotive industry related deals in the last three years than
has Columbus. PACCAR’s truck engine plant and SeverCorr’s massive steel production facility, together represent a total investment of about $1.5 billion. With a
location right in the middle of major German, Japanese and Korean assembly plants, Lowndes County is a no-brainer place to set up shop. www.cldlink.org
Pontotoc Co.
MS
16,062
7,276
45.3
8.4
Location Advantage: Ripley and Tippah County are located in the northeastern corner of the state and are nicely positioned for Toyota suppliers.
There are some nice properties available in Tippah County, which is located just off I-22 north of Tupelo. www.tippahcounty.ripley.ms
New Albany/ Union Co.
MS
12,220
2,884
23.6
8.1
Location Advantage: Like Pontotoc, Union County, Miss., joined forces with Lee County to help bring Toyota to the state. New Albany is strategically
located on the new I-22 corridor. www.cdfms.org
Ripley/Tippah Co.
MS
10,139
2,991
29.5
11.7
Location Advantage: With the intersection of waterways, railroads, and highways, a major port facility, and 7,000 acres of industrial parks, Tishom-
ingo County has grown its metal cluster significantly over the past five years with such companies as Skyline Steel/Arcelor/Mittal, Roll Form Group/Samuel
Manu-Tech, FerrouSouth, Dynasteel, Monotech, Heil/TBEI, Tiffin Motorhomes, and others. Located near several automotive assembly plants, Tishomingo
County has rolled out the red carpet for auto parts makers. www.tishomingo.org
Tishimongo Co.
MS
7,536
2,178
28.9
9.9
Location Advantage: Toyota’s new assembly plant being built in Blue Springs, Miss. is located west of Tupelo, as is Pontotoc. This county is part of
the PUL Alliance (Pontotoc, Union and Lee Counties) a regional economic development organization that helped land Toyota. www.cdfms.org
Tupelo
MS
63,543
14,869
23.4
7.7
Location Advantage: Tupelo/Lee County, Mississippi truly became the center of the new automotive universe when Toyota Motor Manufacturing
chose the Wellspring Project site to build its fuel-efficient Prius hybrid in 2007. Auto Parts Manufacturing, Mississippi (Toyota Auto Body) followed suit,
choosing Tupelo/Lee County as the home of its first North American headquarters. With an automotive sector investment of over $1.5 billion, Tupelo/Lee
West Point/ Clay Co.
MS
10,198
2,988
29.3
12.9
Location Advantage: Located near Columbus, Tupelo and Mississippi State University is Clay County and the city of West Point. The location is
about as good as it gets for landing parts suppliers in the near future. www.wpnet.org
Canton/ Madison Co.
MS
57,776
TRIED and TRUE Locations
9,302
16.1
6.5
Location Advantage: Canton/Madison County, Miss. is home to Nissan’s newest North American assembly plant (opened in 2002) and more than
a dozen major suppliers on the site of the Nissan facility. Nissan’s Canton plant is undergoing a change in lines as are many assembly plants in the U.S.
Located just north of Jackson, Miss., there have been billions spent by those in the automotive sector in Canton. www.madisoncountyeda.com
Jackson
MS
174,429
6,105
3.5
7.1
Location Advantage: Jackson’s automotive industry sector got a huge boost when Nissan opened its large assembly plant in nearby Canton, Miss. Nissan, MTEK and Johnson Controls are just a few automotive industry stalwarts that employ thousands in the Jackson, Miss. metro area. www.metrojacksoneda.com
Vicksburg
MS
30,252
4,689
15.5
8.6
Location Advantage: Strategically located on the Mississippi River and Interstate 20, Vicksburg is an ideal location for automotive parts manufacturing. Vicksburg’s CERES industrial site has plenty of room for expansion and is currently the home to Yorozu Automotive Mississippi, which supplies the
Nissan Plant in Canton. www.vicksburgedf.org
50
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
Large or small , next week or next year, the Hollingsworth Companies combination of renovated
buildings along with an inventory of available new buildings can deliver like no one else. The Hollingsworth
Industrial Building Program also has build-to-suit options to get your company moving in as little as 60
days. Buildings from 50,000 SF to 750,000 SF offered for: sale, lease or lease with purchase option, the
Hollingsworth Companies are ready to help your company grow in the best locations throughout the South.
and
Tw o C e n t r e P l a z a , C l i n t o n , Te n n e s s e e ( 8 6 5 ) 4 5 7 - 3 6 0 1 • w w w. h o l l i n g s w o r t h c o s . c o m
C o n t a c t J o e H o l l i n g s w o r t h o r Tr e y H o l l i n g s w o r t h
Freightliner operates its largest plant in Cleveland, N.C.
NORTH CAROLINA
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Lexington/ Davidson Co.
NC
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
72,852
UP and
COMING
Locations
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
14,279
19.6
6.7
Location Advantage: We are including in the “up and comers” any site in any Southern state that has been looked at by a major automaker in the
last few years. There is a site in Linwood, N.C. that Toyota looked at two years ago. Linwood is located in Davidson Co., and there are rumors that VW looked
at the site as well. www.lexingtonnc.net
Rocky Mount/ Edgecombe Co.
NC
28,476
4,841
17.0
10.5
Location Advantage: Here is another location that has been checked out by automakers looking to build another assembly plant in the Southern
Auto Corridor. There is a very attractive site on I-95 near Rocky Mount that Volkswagen considered and we believe other automakers will consider the site in
the near future. www.econdev.org
TRIED and TRUE
Charlotte
NC
644,333
36,727
5.7
6.1
Location Advantage: Charlotte’s automotive industry is as diverse as any in the Southern Auto Corridor. Traditional parts suppliers to OEMs are
located throughout the region. More notably though, Charlotte is the home to approximately 90 percent of all NASCAR racing teams, making it the center of
the motor racing world. That makes for some interesting site selection opportunities for those in the automotive industry. www.charlotteusa.com
Fayetteville/ Cumberland Co.
NC
195,457
8,991
4.6
6.6
Location Advantage: Fayetteville has a long history in the automotive industry. Goodyear operates a huge plant in Fayetteville, as do Purolator
Filters, Dayco/Mark IV and TBC. A large site located near I-95 as well as a large industrial park provide options automotive companies have considered and
most likely will in the future. www.fayettevillencchamber.org
Iredell County
NC
77,722
12,591
16.2
5.8
Location Advantage: Iredell County is part of the growing Charlotte market that features motor-sports so prominently. Mooresville and States-
ville are both located in Iredell County and have been ranked in several economic development publications as the No. 1 micropolitan market in the U.S.
Mooresville is the home of DEI, Inc. and Penske Racing and there are numerous parts suppliers in Statesville with ASMO operating a large plant there. www.
edcmooresville.org. www.greaterstatesville.org
Laurinburg/ Scotland Co.
NC
19,233
5,039
26.2
10.7
Location Advantage: Scotland County is located east of Charlotte near the South Carolina border. This rural county is home to a diverse group of
manufacturers including those in the automotive industry. www.laurinburgchamber.com
Salisbury/ Rowan Co.
NC
57,567
11,974
20.8
6.4
Location Advantage: Rowan County is part of the Charlotte region and is home to a variety of automotive parts suppliers. The county is best known
for its large Freightliner truck assembly plant. www.rowanedc.com
OKLAHOMA
Ardmore
OK
30,358
Tiger Trucks
TRIED and TRUE Locations
3,218
10.6
3.3
Location Advantage: Ardmore is located just across the border from the Dallas/Fort Worth MSA. Michelin operates a huge tire manufacturing plant
in Ardmore and there are several other automotive parts and components companies that have set up shop in Ardmore. www.ardmoredevelopment.com
Pryor
OK
16,253
2,503
15.4
4.6
Location Advantage: Pryor is home to the massive Mid-America Industrial Park, one of the largest manufacturing centers in the entire South. Located near Tulsa, the 9,000-acre Mid-America Industrial Park can accommodate just about any size automotive project. www.maip.com
52
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
BMW’s plant in Greer, S.C.
SOUTH CAROLINA
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Aiken
SC
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
8,146
TRIED
and TRUE
Locations
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
1,287
15.8
6.2
Location Advantage: Aiken, S.C. is a special place in the South. You name the industry sector and it is operating profitably in Aiken. Aiken is also a
candidate for an automotive assembly plant, as it has a site that can easily accommodate one. Bridgestone/Firestone employs almost 1,000 in Aiken and
other suppliers such as Newman Technology, Carlisle, Rieter and BAE Systems are located in Aiken. www.edpsc.org
Columbia
SC
263,364
11,588
4.4
6.1
Location Advantage: Central South Carolina is definitely a “tried and true” location for the automotive industry. Michelin operates a large operation
here, as does Siemens. www.centralsc.org
Florence
SC
80,504
9,097
11.3
6.7
Location Advantage: At the intersection of I-95 & I-20, and within 90 miles of two deepwater ports, Florence is a proven location for automotive
manufacturers. ESAB’s Welding & Cutting University, the only American Welding Society accredited test facility in South Carolina, and the recently opened
Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing & Technology are significant assets to companies engaged in fabrication, metalworking, and assembly. Honda,
Johnson Controls, Nucor, and Angus Palm all have large operations in the area. www.fcedp.com
Greenville
SC
290,105
35,973
12.4
5.2
Location Advantage: The Upstate region of the Palmetto State is teeming with companies in the automotive industry. BMW has been one of the
South’s brightest stars since it began making vehicles in South Carolina in the early 1990s. The German automaker recently announced a $500 million
upgrade of the large Greer, S.C. facility. www.greenvilleeconomicdevelopment.com
Orangeburg
SC
42,834
7,496
17.5
10.3
Location Advantage: This central S.C. market located just off I-26 south of Columbia has been highly successful in attracting parts suppliers. Koyo,
DANA and Federal-Mogul operate in Orangeburg. The Global Logistics Triangle (I-26, US-301 & I-95) should also be noted with location to four major interstates in less than 30 minutes. www.ocdc.com
Spartanburg
SC
145,779
29,739
20.4
7.0
Location Advantage: Forty-nine BMW suppliers are now located in S.C. within a few hours of the Spartanburg County plant creating more than
10,000 jobs and multiplying the economic impact of the plant to the region. Not only does Spartanburg house the only North American manufacturing
plant and sixteen of the suppliers, the area is rich with both car and racing history. www.visitspartanburg.com Sumter
SC
54,462
9,422
17.3
7.9
Location Advantage: Sumter has done well in the automotive industry over the years. Located east of Columbia, this area has a rich history in
manufacturing. www.sumteredge.com
UP and COMING Locations
Laurens County
SC
25,827
4,623
17.9
6.5
Location Advantage: Laurens County’s location, just miles from BMW and the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research,
gives it a decided advantage in terms of growing its automotive base in the near future. www.laurenscounty.org
54
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
The Volkswagen announcement in July
TENNESSEE
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Athens/ McMinn Co.
TN
UP and COMING Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
26,717
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
6,706
25.1
8.3
Location Advantage: McMinn County, located between Chattanooga and Knoxville, is already a mature automotive industry location in the Southern Auto Corridor. DENSO, the big Japanese parts supplier, operates a plant in McMinn County that employs over 1,000 workers. With VW coming to Chattanooga, look for many more suppliers to land in McMinn County. www.mcminncoeda.org
Chattanooga
TN
244,057
25,870
10.6
5.9
Location Advantage: Chattanooga landed the biggest automotive deal of the year in July when Volkswagen announced it is building a $1 billion
plant at the Enterprise South industrial park. The development guarantees that the Chattanooga area will be one of the most active regions in the Southern
Auto Corridor for years to come. www.chattanoogachamber.com
Clarksville/Montgomery Co.
TN
244,057
25,870
10.6
5.9
Location Advantage: There is a TVA certified site in Montgomery County that could land another assembly plant for Tennessee. If that doesn’t happen, automotive suppliers will certainly keep coming to Clarksville. Bridgestone Metalpha and Robert Bosch are major employers in the Clarksville area.
www.clarksville.tn.us
56
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
TENNESSEE
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Cleveland/ Bradley Co.
TN
UP and COMING Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
50,616
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
10,275
20.3
6.9
Location Advantage: Enterprise South, the site where VW is building its plant, is actually closer to Bradley County than it is to downtown Chattanooga. This county is sitting in the catbird seat as far as attracting suppliers for the VW plant. www.clevelandchamber.com
Dyersburg
TN
24,048
5,964
24.8
7.8
Location Advantage: Dyersburg is located in northwest Tennessee near Memphis and the Interstate 155 bridge across the Mississippi River. None of
Dyersburg’s manufacturing jobs are unionized and several parts suppliers operate in Dyersburg/Dyer County, including NSK Steering Systems, which just
located there. A new 100,000-square-foot spec building is also underway. www.dyerchamber.com
Jackson
TN
68,079
10,280
15.1
7.0
Location Advantage: There are several large parts suppliers operating in the Jackson metro, making Jackson a “tried and true” automotive market.
Yet, the reason we are putting Jackson in the “up and comers” category for Tennessee is that a TVA certified site, the 1,600-acre West Tennessee Auto Park, is
located near Jackson. www.jacksontn.com
Memphis
TN
633,415
41,172
6.5
7.4
Location Advantage: At least three of the South’s top 10 available sites for auto assembly are located in the Memphis area. If the next automotive
assembly plant doesn’t land in Huntsville, Ala., or in the Carolinas or Virginia, look for it to locate in the Memphis area. There’s already a significant supplier
network in the Memphis region. www.memphischamber.com
TRIED and TRUE Locations
Anderson Co.
TN
52,809
10,245
19.4
6.1
Location Advantage: Anderson County is in the Knoxville MSA and is home to several large automotive component manufacturers, including a big
plant operated by Aisin Automotive Castings. www.andersoncountyeda.com
Cookeville/ Putnam Co.
TN
43,134
7,721
17.9
6.9
Location Advantage: Located east of Nashville on Interstate 40, Cookeville is a part of the Highlands region of Tennessee. It has a long history in the
automotive industry and Tennessee Tech’s Center for Manufacturing Research is here. www.cookevillechamber.com
Crossville/ Cumberland Co.
TN
25,265
2,577
10.2
8.2
Location Advantage: Cumberland, Morgan and Roane Counties have partnered in a collective relationship to develop the Plateau Partnership Busi-
ness Park properties with over 1,000 acres. The new park, which is located adjacent to Interstate 40 and a few miles from Interstate 75, is an excellent site for
automotive suppliers. The Crossville region has a rich history in the automotive industry. www.plateaupartnershippark.com
Franklin County
TN
16,286
2,166
13.3
7.3
Location Advantage: Here is where Nissan produces more engines than anywhere else in North America. Other large automotive industry employers in Franklin County, which is located near the Alabama border, include Hamilton Kent, Tepro and Zanini. www.fcidb-tn.org
Knoxville/Oakridge
TN
295,306
18,309
6.2
5.4
Location Advantage: The Knoxville region, which includes the cities of Oakridge and Maryville, has a strong automotive industry base beginning
with Japanese parts supplier Denso. In fact, with almost 3,000 employees, the Denso plant in Maryville is one of the largest parts plants in the South. ARC
Automotive, Key Safety and PBR are other major parts suppliers in the Knoxville area. www.knoxvillechamber.com
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
57
TENNESSEE
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
Lebanon/ Wilson Co.
TN
TRIED and TRUE Locations
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
48,723
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
6,870
14.1
6.0
Location Advantage: This central Tennessee market in the Nashville metro boasts of several large automotive concerns including TACLE Seating,
TNT Logistics and Bridgestone/Firestone. www.doingbiz.org
Manchester/ Coffee Co.
TN
34,111
5,526
16.2
6.5
Location Advantage: Like many middle Tennessee locations, Coffee County has attracted a long list of suppliers including CKNA, Createc, M-Tek, VR
Volunteer and VIAM. www.coffeetn.com
McMinnville/ Warren Co.
TN
26,717
6,706
25.1
8.3
Location Advantage: McMinnville has attracted companies in the automotive industry for years. None are bigger than Bridgestone/Firestone,
which employs more than 1,000 in Warren County. www.warrentnedb.com
Morristown
TN
44,007
12,498
28.4
7.2
Location Advantage: Few towns the size of Morristown, located in northeast Tennessee, can match its success in attracting major manufacturers.
MAHLE, which produces aluminum pistons, employs over 1,000 in Morristown. JTEKT Automotive, Lear, Tuff Torq, BOS Automotive and Otics USA are also in
Morristown. www.morristownchamber.com
Murfreesboro/ Rutherford Co.
TN
127,806
23,005
18.0
6.2
Location Advantage: Rutherford County is where the first foreign auto plant was built in the Southern Auto Corridor. Of course the rest is history
with 11 foreign plants now operating in the South. There may not be a county in the region with more suppliers than Rutherford County. www.rutherfordchamber.org
Nashville
TN
544,315
29,393
5.4
5.7
Location Advantage: Nashville may be the most mature automotive market in the entire Southern Automotive Corridor. The first foreign assembly
plant (Nissan) built in the South set up shop down the road in Smyrna in the 1980s. And Nissan just moved into its new North American headquarters in
Nashville. www.nashvilleareainfo.com
Spring Hill/ Maury Co.
TN
43,807
7,710
17.6
8.0
Location Advantage: Maury County is now home to the retooled GM plant, formerly the Saturn facility in Spring Hill. There are more than a dozen
large suppliers in Maury County, including JCI, Penske Logistics, Premier, Martinrea, Magna/Avantech, Pretty Products and R&D manufacturing. With GM
spending $900 million recently to gut the plant for a new crossover vehicle line, the Chevy Traverse, in addition to the Ecotec engine production line, the
future looks bright. www.mauryalliance.com
Tri-Cities
TN
305,306
67,379
22.2
9.0
Location Advantage: This large northeast Tennessee/southwest Virginia region that includes the cities of Johnson City, Bristol and Kingsport, is a
haven for those in the automotive industry. Robert Bosch, Exide, Magnetti Morelli and Arvin Meritor all have major operations in the Tri-Cities.
www.netvaly.org
58
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR
TEXAS
Toyota, San Antonio, Tex.
TRIED and TRUE Locations
CITY or COUNTY
STATE
TOTAL AVAILABLE
WORKFORCE
MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYMENT
% OF WORKFORCE
IN MFG
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE
McAllen
TX
267,286
9,355
3.5
7.2
Location Advantage: We won’t be surprised if at some point a major automotive assembly plant lands in McAllen. They have worked a couple in
recent years, getting some good looks. McAllen’s location, right on the Texas/Mexico border, gives it plenty of advantages, like access to suppliers in Mexico.
www.medc.org
TX
San Antonio
917,857
38,550
4.2
4.7
Location Advantage: San Antonio is where Toyota has its two-year-old $1.2 billion, 2,000-acre Tundra pick-up truck plant. Toyota and their 21 onsite vendors employ over 4,000 workers in the San Antonio area. www.sanantonioedf.com
Martinsville Speedway
VIRGINIA
Danville
VA
UP and COMING Locations
54,160
10,182
18.8
6.7
Location Advantage: Danville is preparing a mega-site for an automaker and is the home of Goodyear Tire & Rubber, which is undergoing a major
expansion. There are several regions in the Southern Auto Corridor that we believe have a good chance of landing an automaker in the next few years. We
believe two of those regions are Southwest Virginia and the adjacent Piedmont region of North Carolina. www.discoverdanville.com
Martinsville/ Henry Co.
VA
36,862
9,068
24.6
7.8
Location Advantage: Martinsville is one of the most successful manufacturing centers of its size over the last 15 years in the South. The automotive
industry’s future looks bright here, as there is a large site available in Henry County that can accommodate just about any project. There’s also the motorsports industry, which has a rich history in Martinsville. www.yesmartinsville.com
TRIED and TRUE Locations
Roanoke
VA
77,077
13.0
10,020
3.4
Location Advantage: Roanoke has long been a successful location for the automotive industry. Yokohama Tire, Metalsa and JTEKT Automotive have
significant operations in Roanoke. www.roanoke.org
Toyota’s Buffalo, W.V. plant
WEST VIRGINIA
Charleston
WV
135,417
4,875
TRIED and TRUE
3.6
4.5
Location Advantage: With automotive players like Toyota, NGK Spark Plugs, Diamond Electric, Charleston Stamping, Sogefi, Hino Motors, KS of West
Virginia, New Finishing Line and Nippon Thermostat all within one hour of Charleston, West Virginia’s capital and largest market is a major automotive
player. Because of its location, Charleston serves both the legacy Michigan markets and the new Southern Automotive Corridor. www.charlestonareaalliance.org
Huntington
WV
65,304
5,159
7.9
5.8
Location Advantage: Huntington is a major steel products manufacturing market, but it’s also a growing automotive location. Allevard Springs and
Hercules have significant operations in Huntington. www.hadco.org
Putnam Co.
WV
27,360
2,275
8.6
3.7
Location Advantage: Putnam County is home to Toyota’s largest North American engine production facility. Toyota has expanded the plant several
times over the years and it remains one of the Japanese automaker’s most productive facilities.
60
SOUTHERN AUTO CORRIDOR.COM PRESENTS
101 GREAT LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AUTOMOTIVE CORRIDOR