The Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga builds vehicles.
Christian Koch, president/CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga, speaks to officials and guests while at the Hunter Museum of American Art on July 15, 2014 as they gather for Volkswagen's announcement that they are investing $600 million to create 2,000 new jobs and expand the Chattanooga plant where they will be producing a new sport utility vehicle.The Chattanooga Volkswagen plant's planned engineering and research center will temporarily locate in a building adjacent to the factory, VW officials said as they showed off the start of the factory's expansion to local officials today.
The center will serve as a high-level research and development hub and will house product-related functions such as technical scouting, innovation management, and product management.
Hiring for the more than 200 engineers who are slated to join the center is now underway.
VW Chattanooga CEO Christian Koch gave a site tour to Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger today.
A total of 512,886 square feet will be added to the existing plant as part $600 million in work the company is undertaking in Chattanooga to build a new sport utility vehicle. The assembly, body and paint shops will each undergo a major expansion for a new SUV line where production is to start in late 2016.
See more in Wednesday's Times Free Press.