Chattanoogans have been excited by each phase of Volkswagen news since the company fortunately decided to build its big, new plant here in Chattanooga. And now the "first Chattanooga VW" has been built here, at Enterprise South Industrial Park. That's exciting.
While local VW CEO Frank Fischer is working toward the time when about 2,000 local people will be making thousands of Volkswagens, the very first local Volkswagen is "good news."
"That's a big milestone," said Guenther Scherelis, VW's general manager of communications. It is, indeed!
The first local VW is a midsize sedan. It was loaded on a truck to be taken for actual road testing and evaluation.
We will continue to be excited by each phase of progress as Volkswagen invests $1 billion locally, and puts thousands of people to work.
In addition, there will be many local suppliers, with many local employees, making contributions to Volkswagen's success, and growth in production.
While one VW has been built here, just imagine the excitement and positive economic impact when 150,000 Volkswagens will be rolling off local production lines annually, after full local VW production gets under way in 2011.
That's just a few month away!
All Chattanoogans should be eager to encourage Volkswagen's success. It will be of immeasurable importance to people throughout our whole Chattanooga economic area.