Press Releases
08 December 2009
Volkswagen's Investment In Chattanooga Continues To Grow
Local Hiring and Spending Both Continue to Increase as Site Takes Shape
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — As the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga continues to take shape on the landscape at Enterprise South with amazing speed, so too does the investment of Volkswagen continue to positively affect the Chattanooga economy, both in employment numbers and spending in the area.
Volkswagen has already sourced over $500 million locally (radius of 150 miles) and in Tennessee. That figure includes over $340 million dollars from local and Tennessee companies for the plant construction and $178.5 million from the components that will be provided by Tennessee companies in the production of the new mid-sized sedan to be built in Chattanooga. This production number recurs each year.
Regarding Volkswagen's hiring policy, Hans Herbert Jagla, executive vice president of human resources said, "Volkswagen has publicly stated on several occasions that we prioritize the hiring of qualified people from Chattanooga and Hamilton County. And we are walking the talk on this issue."
Other areas where VW has addressed local issues include:
- Volkswagen Group of America is investing $1 billion in the Chattanooga and Hamilton County economy for the Chattanooga plant and will create 2,000 direct jobs in the region. Independent studies indicate the VW plant will generate $12 billion in income growth and an additional 9,500 jobs over the life of the project.
- Volkswagen has already hired more than 220 full-time employees for the Chattanooga plant. Of those, 47 percent are native Tennesseans and 100 percent of the first skilled maintenance team members are native Tennesseans.
- Volkswagen has worked with City and County officials to establish an on-site supplier park to attract more jobs to the area.
- Volkswagen on two occasions, hosted 100 national and international supply companies and their CEOs, encouraging them to establish business activities in Hamilton County.
- Regarding issues related to storm water handling at the new plant, the plan reflects careful design and a healthy financial investment to avoid flash floods originating from the plant. The new, eco-friendly drainage system incorporates a creek and rainwater retention ponds to manage the runoff and regulate the water supply of the ecosystem to meet stringent LEED standards. In addition, captured rainwater will be used for cooling purposes and in some areas of the new plant for flushing toilets.
About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Golf, GTI, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Eos, Passat, Passat Wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2010 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.
