Teklas, a supplier of electric vehicle parts, plans to create 120 jobs in Calhoun, Georgia, as it invests $6.5 million in opening its first North American manufacturing facility.
The announcement comes as the Chattanooga region amps up its electric vehicle sector, with Volkswagen on Tuesday marking the start of construction of a $22 million Battery Engineering Lab adjacent to its Chattanooga production plant.
Turkey-based Teklas develops thermoplastics, rubber, and metal products for its customers. Teklas USA, which also will have its North American headquarters in Calhoun, plans to serve automakers starting next spring in a 200,000-square-foot location.
Kathy Johnson, the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce's president and CEO, said Teklas is moving into a former textile facility that had been vacant for some time. The site was furbished by a regional developer, which gave the county the opportunity to market the facility.
She said that Teklas will make a tubing component for electric vehicles.
"We're excited that it's an automotive parts manufacturer and particularly related to EVs," Johnson said, adding she's hopeful the county can add more companies in that sector.
She said local incentives were provided to the company through tax deferments. She didn't know if VW Chattanooga will be a client of Teklas.
Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement that as Teklas builds its North American headquarters in Gordon County, "we're grateful for the opportunities this will bring to hard-working Georgians and their families in the region."
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.