Hyundai expanding West Point factory, adding 320 jobs

Hyundai Transys, a subsidiary of global automaker Hyundai, is investing nearly $560 million to expand its West Point facility and plans to add 320 jobs at the site, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday.

“As the automotive manufacturing industry continues to make historic investments in our state, this facility will further enhance the strength of that ecosystem and allow Hyundai and Kia to grow their already impressive capacity here in Georgia,” Kemp said in a statement.

The company currently employs about 1,250 people at the West Point facility. It will hire for administrative, supervisory and production positions as part of the investment.

The expansion will also include upgrades to the facility’s two plants, as well as construction of an additional third plant. The construction will allow Hyundai Transys to add production capacity for electrified powertrains for hybrid vehicles, according to the statement.

“Thanks to over 40 years of consistent representation in Korea, numerous Korean companies have found a home in Georgia,” Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, said in a statement. “The Hyundai Transys story is a great example of long-term relationships, pro-business policies, and workforce training leading to long-term success.”

Hyundai has a significant presence in Georgia beyond the facility in West Point. Kia, a subsidiary of the automaker, also has a plant in West Point. About 100 miles north of that facility, South Korean conglomerate SK On and Hyundai have built a joint $5 billion battery factory in Bartow County.

Hyundai also has a manufacturing plant near Savannah, which it calls its Metaplant. It’s slated to employ 8,100 full-time workers in just its central factory by 2031, with thousands of ancillary jobs at nearby suppliers and other campus functions.

Earlier this summer, the company was evaluating plans to increase the annual production capacity at the facility. It would be part of the Korean auto giant’s pledge to invest $26 billion in the U.S. through 2028 and would anchor the company’s plan to domestically produce at least 80% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S.