MONTGOMERY, AL—Hyundai executives recently announced plans to add a new vehicle to the production lineup as part of a $410 million expansion project that will create 200 jobs at the company's manufacturing plant here.
During a ceremony at the Alabama Capitol, officials with Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama (HMMA) said workers will assemble the Santa Cruz compact utility vehicle at the Montgomery facility, beginning in 2021.
“Alabama and Hyundai have developed a great partnership over the years, and it’s a testament to our special relationship that this world-class automaker is expanding once again in Montgomery,” says Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “Hyundai’s new investment is giving more Alabama families an opportunity to earn a good living while also strengthening the state’s growing auto industry.”
Hyundai said the $410 million investment will create additional 230,000 square feet of space in the stamping, welding, and parts processing areas of the manufacturing complex. While direct employment at HMMA will increase by 200 jobs, Hyundai projects that its local suppliers and logistics companies will employ an additional 1,000 people in Montgomery and the River Region.
Hyundai currently produces the Santa Fe SUV and the Sonata and Elantra sedans in Montgomery. The addition of the Santa Cruz will provide HMMA with greater flexibility to adjust product mix based on market demands.
“Hyundai’s decision to expand its Alabama production line-up to include the all-new Santa Cruz represents a milestone for the company’s Montgomery manufacturing operation,” says Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This is another exciting development for Hyundai in Alabama, and we are eager to see what the future holds for the company in our state.”
HMMA, which launched vehicle production in May 2005, is the River Region’s largest private manufacturer with 2,900 full-time and 500 part-time employees. Since it opened, the Alabama plant has produced 4.5 million vehicles for the North American market, along with more than 6 million engines. Among U.S. states, Alabama ranks as the fifth largest producer of cars and light trucks. It is home to more than 150 major auto suppliers and over 40,000 automotive manufacturing jobs.
The new expansion project punctuates a period of fertile growth for HMMA. On November 1st, the facility began mass production of the redesigned, eighth-generation Sonata sedan.
“We are so honored that in just 18 months HMMA has invested over $1.1 billion in the Montgomery area,” says Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Willie Durham. “Partnership and teamwork are key to this kind of economic growth, and we are grateful for the impact this kind of investment will have on the entire region.”
Hyundai intends to begin filling the new positions being created by the latest expansion project during the second half of 2020.
