Two years to the day since Volkswagen unveiled plans for its only U.S plant in Chattanooga – and just months from production startup in early 2011 – VW officials say work on its $1 billion factory is on time.
Frank Fischer, chief executive of VW’s Chattanooga operation, said the 2 million-square-foot building is 90 percent complete, and more than 400 robots are installed to help make VW’s new midsize sedan.
“I’m really very pleased to report that everything is on track,” Mr. Fischer said.
But it has been a rocky couple of years for the American and world economies and even worse for the auto industry, which suffered its sharpest downturn in history after VW’s July 15, 2008, announcement.
Still, there’s the belief that the VW plant holds promise as the economic recovery ratchets up.