German EV Auto Supplier Picks $85M Site to Serve Southeast

GEDIA Automotive Group announced it will build an advanced manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia to supply automotive parts for electric vehicles.

A German supplier specializing in lightweight auto body parts for electric vehicles will build an $85 million plant in north Georgia, positioned to supply parts to major auto plants in Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina.

GEDIA Automotive Group announced it will spend $85 million to build an advanced manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia. The plant is expected to employ 200 when operational.

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GEDIA is a family-owned, Germany-based international company that specializes in making automotive parts for electric vehicles, which it plans to supply to Mercedes-Benz and potentially Volkswagen. This 180,000-square-foot plant will be the company’s first site in the Southeast and second facility in the U.S. The plant will be located at Carbondale Business Park.

The plant’s location in Georgia will be centrally located to supply Mercedes-Benz US International in Alabama, as well as Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee and BMW and Volvo facilities in South Carolina.

“This project is an essential step into the future for GEDIA, and we are delighted to be taking this step with the State of Georgia,” said Markus Schaumburg, one of two GEDIA Automotive Group CEOs. “Moving closer to the original equipment manufacturers allows us to serve the American market even better.”

With more than 100 years of manufacturing experience, GEDIA currently has eight production plants and is also involved in joint ventures and research companies. It has been manufacturing for the automotive sector since 1955. The company produces structural elements and assemblies for automotive lightweight vehicle body engineering and chassis components.

Helmut Hinkel, GEDIA Automotive Group’s CEO, said, “The heart of our plant in Whitfield County will be the hot-forming line with our patented TemperBox®, which will allow us to broaden our product range and expand our value chain for a constantly evolving automotive market.”

The GEDIA TemperBox allows the company to create body components with lower weight but significantly higher crash safety performance. The company expects its operations to begin in the third quarter of 2021.

“As we are a national leader in manufacturing, logistics and workforce training, I’m confident this family-owned business will be very pleased with their decision to join the growing electric vehicle ecosystem here in Georgia,” said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

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