South Korean automotive supplier Kamtec Auto USA will invest $9.2 million in a manufacturing facility in Auburn, its first in the U.S.
The project will create about 50 jobs over the next three years. The facility will provide advanced technical components for engine control and electric management in hybrid vehicles.
“We are excited to welcome Kamtec to Auburn and honored to be its first U.S. site,” said Alabama Secretary of Commerce Ellen McNair. “We’re confident Kamtec will find the skilled workforce and ready community partners needed to be successful. This is a win for Alabama and a great example of how automotive manufacturers in our state create opportunities for our communities by capturing follow-up investments by their suppliers.”
Kamtec, an affiliate of the Seoul-based Seohan Group, was established in 2001. Kamtec will initially operate from a leased facility in Auburn, with plans to relocate to a new manufacturing facility to be built by Seohan Auto USA.
Kamtec Auto USA President Chang-Yeong Seo said Auburn’s proximity to Hyundai Motor’s plant in Montgomery and Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia, will allow the company to manufacture and supply its products locally for the U.S. market.
“We look forward to partnering with Auburn University to identify talent for our technical positions,” he said. “We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of the city of Auburn and the state of Alabama, and our goal is to contribute to the balanced, sustainable growth of our customers, partners, employees and the communities in which we operate.”
