SMYRNA, TN—Topre America will invest $53.3 million to build a new assembly plant here, expanding its current operations based inside Nissan’s car factory. This expansion will allow the automotive parts manufacturer to increase production efficiency and create 100 new jobs.
CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen has begun the process of hiring 130 engineers and technicians to staff the automaker’s new R&D center here, which will be fully operational by 2017.
MEMPHIS, TN—ABB will invest $30 million to build a new assembly plant for low-voltage products. The investment will initially create more than 200 jobs, with an additional 100 jobs expected to be added over the next five years.
CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen has begun an project to add more than 500,000 square feet of space to its assembly plant here. VW will overhaul the assembly, body and paint shops and add 2,000 employees.
CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen has recognized a new group called the American Council of Employees (ACE) to represent workers at its assembly plant here, in addition to the United Auto Workers. ACE is an alternative to and has campaigned against the UAW, which a year ago lost an election to be the sole representative of workers at the plant.
ATHENS, TN—Automotive supplier Denso will invest $85 million to expand its fuel injector assembly plant here. The project will result in some 400 new jobs.
VONORE, TN—Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing USA Inc. will invest $17.7 million to expand operations at its assembly plant here. The company also expects to create 150 new jobs at the factory.
CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen is thinking about introducing new variants of the Passat and CrossBlue SUV to the North American market, and it could assemble one or more of the vehicles in Chattanooga.