CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA
OPELIKA —
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller recently announced that two existing Opelika manufacturing companies will be expanding and creating more jobs.
CAR TECH
Car Tech will be investing more capital to build and expand its current facility.
Car Tech is a Tier 1 supplier for BMW Group and is located in Opelika’s Fox Run Business Park along the I-85 corridor. Currently, its facility has over 388,000 square feet for stamping and assembly operations. It plans to invest $18.3 million for an additional 85,800 square feet of warehouse and production space and additional manufacturing equipment.
“Our continued growth has come from both new customers and existing customers,” said Car Tech Plant Manager Shea Phillips. “Currently Car Tech employs 115 employees, and this expansion will create 15 new team member positions which will fill warehousing, production and technical positions within the company.”
Fuller expressed gratitude that Car Tech is in Opelika.
“Opelika is clearly focused on providing opportunities for our current businesses to grow and bring additional good-paying jobs to our community.”
City of Opelika Economic Development Director Lori Huguley echoed Fuller’s sentiments.
“Car Tech is a great community partner,” she said. “It is a great testament to our workforce and the business climate in Opelika that they continue to invest and grow here.”
HL MANDO
HL Mando America Corporation will be investing $11.1 million to upgrade its current facility, creating 26 new jobs in the process.
HL Mando’s Opelika operations continue to produce brake calipers and suspension systems to support its customer base located throughout the U.S.
Mando Corporation is one of the leading automotive parts manufacturers in the world, specializing in internationally competitive state-of-the-art chassis components and systems.
Through its extensive research and development, Mando has succeeded in becoming the first manufacturer in Korea to develop advanced products such as ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System), ESP (Electronic Stability Program), CDC (Continuous Damping Control), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and EPS (Electric Power Steering), which serves to demonstrate Mando’s ability to respond to customer needs on a global basis.
Headquartered in South Korea, the company operates 20 manufacturing plants and 18 R&D centers in 10 countries. Mando employs over 11,700 associates worldwide.
Fuller expressed his appreciation for HL Mando’s continued investment in Opelika.
“We are extremely honored by HL Mando’s continued confidence in Opelika and the additional investment in our area,” he said. “This company is one of our largest manufacturing employers, and we appreciate the employment opportunities for our citizens.”
For more information about either expansion, please contact John Sweatman, economic development project manager for the city of Opelika, at 334-705-5115.
“We are appreciative of HL Mando’s additional investment in Opelika,” Huguley added. “They are a valued community partner, and we are glad to support their continued growth and success.”
PUBLISHER’S NOTE:
In last week’s Observer, we listed CarTech’s investment as being just over $11 million and HL Mando’s investment being nearly $18.5 million. We apologize for that error.