German automotive supplier to bring 300 jobs to Huntsville area

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Hundreds of jobs are coming to the Tennessee Valley, as a German automotive supplier expands their operations to Huntsville. Their mega investment was a strategic move for the company, and it will have a big impact on North Alabama.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, along with city leaders from Huntsville and Limestone County, announced that BOCAR will bring more than 300 jobs to the region, adding to the state's booming automotive manufacturing sector.

"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."

The Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce held the job announcement on Thursday morning.

BOCAR, is a tier 1 automotive supplier, plans to invest $115 million in a new plant to be built in Huntsville in 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 the northern side of Bibb Garrett Road which will allow the company quick access to be able to ship parts to automotive companies north and south of the Tennessee Valley. The facility will be located in the Huntsville city limits in Limestone County in the Tanner area, just north of the Southpoint Industrial Park on a 100 acre site.

"Anything that deals with aluminum, the engine components, or anything, they make it. It's really neat. We went to Detroit to view their facility up there. It's a very precise type of cast, the final product so it's exciting. It will be good paying jobs," said Limestone County Commission Chairman Mark Yarbrough.

"BOCAR is an innovative company that specializes in high-quality precision parts and complex assemblies," said Huntsville/Madison County Chamber President & CEO Chip Cherry. "They are highly regarded Tier 1 supplier to the automotive industry and we are proud that they selected Huntsville and Limestone County for their new advanced manufacturing facility!"

BOCAR has a presence in the United States, Germany, Mexico and Japan. They make high pressure aluminum die casting, plastics and machining for companies such as Nissan, Ford, GM and Toyota.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2018 and production should begin two years later.

"I think this is going to end up maxing out around a $150 million investment, and around 500 jobs. You're looking at maybe an additional 1200 jobs for support jobs. One thing I'd like to talk about is that they will pay almost $2 million in sales tax that will go right to our school systems in the next 15-18 months," Yarbrough said.

"When we start talking about a company coming to I-565 and I-65, it will affect Morgan County, Lawrence County, Limestone County, Madison County. It will affect all of us and it will give us jobs for a long time," Mayor Battle added.

People interested in applying for employment with BOCAR should click HERE.

For information on the BOCAR group click HERE.

"It's an advanced automotive manufacturing facility. We're excited. In the last three years, we've announced over $500 million in investment in Limestone County and I think this pushes us to around 3500 jobs. We're extremely excited. It's a great, privately-owned company. They've been around for more than 60 years and we're happy to have them," Yarbrough stated.

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