AUBURN - Governor Bob Riley announced Tuesday that Viper Motorcycle Company is moving its headquarters and production facility from Minnesota to Alabama and will begin producing motorcycles in 2011.
The company will build a 63,000 square foot facility in Auburn Technology Park West and create 100 new jobs over the next two years.
“Alabama is proud to welcome our latest economic development success,” said Governor Riley. “We look forward to a long and productive relationship with Viper, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing these bikes that will be built in Alabama out on the road.”
Viper produces high performance, super cruiser motorcycles for bike enthusiasts.
“The Auburn facility and community support places us in a position to achieve our annual goal of 2,000 motorcycles and 2,000 aftermarket engines within five years,” said John Silseth, CEO of Viper Powersports, the parent company of Viper Motorcycle Company.
Company officials say the timing is ideal to relocate their operations and that Auburn has all of the assets for the company to expand and satisfy the increased demand.
“The market is ready for a new original equipment manufacturer to be a leader in the super cruiser niche,” said Terry Nesbitt, President of Viper Motorcycle Company.
Andrew Broadley, Technical Director of Viper Motorcycle Company, sees the proximity to Auburn University as an opportunity to integrate a wealth of knowledge and expertise from students and faculty. “The ability to develop a relationship with such a high-quality university is of particular interest on the technical side, which will allow us to expand our research and development capability towards new projects,” said Broadley.
Representative Mike Hubbard and Governor Riley assisted in recruiting the company to Alabama. Both saw the product prior to its official launch.
“The company was attracted to the area because of its excellent conditions, including skilled personnel, a diverse manufacturing base, Auburn University, and the local quality of life,” Hubbard said.
Auburn city officials say the announcement is good news for the local economy. “We are proud to bring in another dynamic company that will provide Auburn citizens with good paying jobs, while diversifying our local manufacturing base,” said Mayor Bill Ham. “It’s exciting that such a unique product, to be sold across the country and abroad, will be manufactured in Auburn.”