A Korean car seat manufacturer announced Wednesday it will join the fast-growing list of automobile part suppliers moving to Coastal Georgia to support Hyundai Motor Group’s future electric vehicle factory.
DAS Corp. will build a new facility in Metter, which is expected to employ 300 workers. The project is estimated to be a $35 million investment in the surrounding Candler County area and will “involve collaborative indirect investments,” according to a news release.
The announcement comes a week after Hyundai and its battery-making partner LG Energy Solution confirmed plans to invest $2 billion more into the Bryan County EV and battery factory, which the companies call the Metaplant. That boosted the project’s expected investment to $7.6 billion alongside a promise of 8,500 jobs by 2031.
At least 10 Hyundai suppliers have announced projects within the Metaplant’s orbit, combining for billions of dollars of additional investment, according to the release.
Founded in 1987, DAS designs and manufactures seats, safety seating components and seating structures for Hyundai and its subsidiary brands, including Kia. The new Metter facility will provide parts for both the future Metaplant and Kia’s existing factory in West Point.
“The strategic location near prominent cities like Savannah and Macon, facilitating convenient access, played a pivotal role in our decision-making process,” DAS Chief Operating Officer Sean Kim said in the release.
The factory will be located within the Candler County Industrial Park along I-16 in the small town of Metter, which has fewer than 4,000 residents. The plant is expected to begin operations in the latter half of 2024.
DAS will likely qualify for job creation tax credits and worker training through Georgia Quick Start, and a Georgia Department of Economic Development spokesperson said negotiations involving discretionary incentives, such as grants, remain active.
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