SL Tennessee LLC will carry out a $35 million expansion in Clinton, Tenn., that comes on the heels of the company having received a contract from Volkswagen.
That contract calls for SL Tennessee to supply automatic shifter assemblies for the mid-sized sedan VW plans to produce at its Chattanooga assembly plant that goes into production in 2011.
The contract also provides for SL Tennessee to supply VW production in Puebla, Mexico, with both shifters being made in Tennessee.
This is the first contract SL has had with the Volkswagen Group.
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber announced the expansion that will create 300 jobs and add 100,000 square feet to the firm's current plant. SL Tennessee is an automotive parts supplier for General Motors, Hyundai, KMG and Volkswagen.
"SL Tennessee's expansion is a testament to the strong business climate we've worked hard to create," Gov. Bredesen said. "I want to thank SL Tennessee for the confidence they have shown in Tennessee workers and in our state and I congratulate the company's leadership on the expansion in Clinton."
"In Tennessee, we've developed a strategy in many business sectors which focuses not just on major 'anchors' but on suppliers and customers across the value chain," Commissioner Kisber said. "I'm pleased our efforts, along with the strong partnership between the state, Anderson County and the city of Clinton, have yielded results."
See tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press for complete coverage.