The Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga has been chosen to build a new SUV.VW EXPANSIONThe first part of $600 million in local spending on the Chattanooga plant expansion is going out to bid soon. The initial project will enlarge these parts of the factory:* Body Shop – 148,800 square feet, with a possible additional 43,000 square feet* Assembly Finish Area – 40,257 square feet* Technical Center – 24,800 square feetSource: Volkswagen
Volkswagen’s $900 million expansion to build a sport utility vehicle at its Chattanooga plant is off and running, with new construction to the factory’s body shop, assembly finish area and technical center up first.
“Speed is of the essence,” David Calfee, VW’s manager of construction planning, told about 30 builders and others at a pre-bid conference Wednesday.
VW plans to construct at least 213,000 square feet of new space in the first part of the project. There’s also an alternative to add another 43,000 square feet to the body shop if company officials so choose. In total, that’s nearly half of the 538,000 square feet the automaker plans to add to its 2 million-square-foot factory in Chattanooga.
“We’ve got more projects in the future,” Calfee said.