BOCAR, a leading Tier 1 automotive supplier, plans to invest $115 million in a new plant to be built in Huntsville in Limestone County. The company will hire more than 300 people, adding to the state’s booming automotive manufacturing sector.
BOCAR company leaders made the announcement at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber along with representatives of the City of Huntsville and Limestone County.
“We are glad to invest in Huntsville, Alabama, where good infrastructure, talented people and a host of excellent universities will develop our business while contributing positively to the social and economic development of this community,” said Gerd Dressler, CFO of BOCAR Group.
The plant will be built on a site strategically located on the northern side of Bibb Garrett Road, adjacent to Interstate 65. This will allow the company quick access to be able to ship parts to automotive companies north and south of the Tennessee Valley. Construction is scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2018 and production should begin two years later.
If you look at a map, Huntsville is the “belt buckle” of the southeastern automotive corridor”
BOCAR is a German company with a presence in the United States, Germany, Mexico and Japan. It is a high-end technology and quality-driven automotive company with extensive experience producing high pressure aluminum die casting, plastics and machining for companies such as Nissan, Ford, GM and Toyota.
Dressler said they spent two years looking for the right location and workforce for their new facility and started with 40 different sites. In the final analysis, Dressler said BOCAR agreed Huntsville was the number one place they should be.
“BOCAR is highly praised for its attention to quality and excellence,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “And when a company like that puts its seal of approval on Huntsville, it is recognizing our pro-business climate and our highly skilled workforce.”
Limestone County Commission Chairman Mark Yarbrough welcomed the BOCAR Group to the community and applauded their recognition of the area’s talented workforce.
“We know that they will be a successful part of our future moving forward,” said Yarbrough.
BOCAR’s strong reputation will enable it to attract the brightest employees to its new state-of-the-art facility, helping to build upon Huntsville’s economic momentum. The company’s presence will also support and grow the state’s booming automotive manufacturing sector.
“Alabama is a premier destination for the automotive and automotive supplier industries, and we are proud to welcome BOCAR to our state,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “BOCAR choosing Alabama is another sign our state is moving in the right direction and doing all we can to attract good-paying jobs for all Alabamians.”
Mayor Battle also noted Huntsville’s geographical advantage in BOCAR’s decision to locate in the Tennessee Valley.
“If you look at a map, Huntsville is the “belt buckle” of the southeastern automotive corridor, from Kentucky to Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama,” said Battle. “We are well positioned to capitalize on transportation, aerospace and manufacturing as a priority cluster for economic development in the region.
“None of this would be happening without the support and collaboration of our regional partners. Thank you to TVA, Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama’s Department of Commerce, Huntsville City Council, Limestone County Commission and chair Mark Yarbrough, and to the Chamber and the City’s economic development team. Keep up the good work.”
People interested in applying for employment with BOCAR should visit the Alabama Industrial Development Training’s website for updates.