Workers were to start blasting away rock to ready the site of Volkswagen's planned supplier park adjacent to the automaker's new Chattanooga plant, officials said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the first VW supplier to start raising a factory in Hamilton County is closing in on making its nearby $90 million facility weather tight.
At the supplier park site adjacent to the VW plant, grading is under way with workers facing a midsummer deadline.
Members of the Chattanooga Industrial Development Board, which approves many of the contracts related to the plant's construction, checked out progress at the plant and supplier park Tuesday.
"It's mammoth," said panel member James Woods.
Chris Ramsey, another board member, said the plant and its suppliers are engaging in "a new manufacturing." The plant has been cited by officials as using state-of-the-art technology and production systems.
Nearby, supplier Gestamp Corp. is building a plant that will make parts for the midsize sedan VW will produce in Chattanooga starting in a little more than a year. Gestamp plans to employ 230 workers within three years at the facility off Hickory Valley Road.
Steve Leach, the city's public works administrator, described the Gestamp plant as "absolutely huge."
The separate supplier park, sitting on a 41-acre tract, will hold six companies providing about 16 components and employing 500 workers.
SUPPLIER PARKGray Construction of Lexington, Ky., building VW's supplier park, is subcontracting half the work, and 80 percent of that is being done by local contractors, according to VW.
Also, board members were told the first production workers hired for VW's plant are taking classes in a portion of the $40 million training center next to the factory.
"VW is a believer in training," said board Chairman Ted Mills.
City Engineer Bill Payne outlined to the board several contracts that will lead to completion of the training center, including installation of an access control and closed circuit TV security system valued at $219,000.