MONTGOMERY, AL—Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) recently announced that it will invest $388 million to construct a new plant to manufacture engine heads and support production of the Sonata and Elantra sedans. The investment, which will create 50 new jobs, will be spent on equipment for the engine head machining plant and updating technology in the company’s existing engine plant.

The engine head machining plant is scheduled to be completed in November 2018 and operational by mid-2019. The project is expected to free up space to expand engine assembly lines in one of HMMA’s existing engine plants. The company’s two plants are capable of producing approximately 700,000 engines per year to support vehicle production at both HMMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point, GA.

HMMA currently produces engines for the Sonata and Elantra sedans, as well as the Santa Fe crossover utility vehicle. Since starting production in May 2005, the company has become the region’s largest private manufacturer with 2,700 full-time and 500 part-time employees.