An automobile parts supplier plans to build a new factory in Henry County to supply Georgia’s electric vehicle industry, namely cars made by Hyundai Motor Group.
NVH Korea will invest $72 million in the new plant in Locust Grove, south of Atlanta, which is expected to employ 160 workers, according to a Thursday news release. The Korean company, which produces a variety of noise, vibration, and heat-control parts, will focus its new facility on supplying battery parts to Hyundai and its subsidiaries, including Kia and parts supplier Hyundai Mobis.
Gov. Brian Kemp made the announcement while in France for the Paris Air Show, where he is touting Georgia for aerospace industry expansion. The NVH Korea auto parts plant is the second large jobs recruitment announcement to come during his trip to France, following Pratt & Whitney’s $206 million commitment to expand its Columbus operation and add 400 jobs.
Kemp said both companies are investing in a state that’s a leader in both the aerospace and EV sectors.
“The incredible growth of the e-mobility and battery industries in Georgia is a testament to our ability to support large suppliers like NVH Korea,” Kemp added in a news release. “We’re proud to welcome them as the latest partner in making Georgia the epicenter of the industrial revolution of our time.”
Credit: Alex MacNaughton for Raytheon Technologies
Credit: Alex MacNaughton for Raytheon Technologies
Founded in 1984, NVH Korea has manufacturing facilities across South Korea, Europe and India, but it also already has a presence in Georgia. One of the company’s subsidiaries, AFS America LLC, operates a plant in Columbus that produces floor mats, cargo mats and cargo trays.
The new factory will be located at Gardner Logistics Park on Colvin Drive, and it is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2024. Ja Kyum Koo, NVH Korea’s CEO and chairman, said this will be his company’s first EV battery component manufacturing site.
“It is the first step of our company’s effort to contribute to the electrification of the mobility industry,” he said in the release.
Hyundai is in the process of building its Metaplant project along the Georgia coast, a $5.54 billion factory that will manufacture plug-in Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models. Kia also recently announced it will incorporate EV manufacturing at its existing factory in West Point. Hyundai Mobis, a large supplier for both Kia and Hyundai, announced a Bryan County factory last year, where it will build powertrain systems.
Since 2020, EV makers and their suppliers have announced more than 40 projects totaling more than 28,400 announced jobs and $22.7 billion in anticipated investment, according to Kemp’s office.
NVH Korea will qualify for job creation tax credits and worker training through Georgia Quick Start. There were no other discretionary incentives offered as part of this announcement, according to a Georgia Department of Economic Development spokesperson.
About the Author
