The South's Top Automotive Supplier Locations

By Steve Ruling and Mike Randle

ALABAMA

Opelika, Alabama

This market is destined for something great. Already it has been diced, sliced and figured every which way by more than one major automotive assembly operation. Reports say that it was second on the list for Nissan when that Japanese automaker finally chose Canton, Miss., for its latest major facility in the American South.

Why is Opelika destined for something great? With a 1,300-acre, contiguous tract having rail access, an excellent infrastructure network and frontage along Interstate 85, the 1,900-acre Northeast Opelika Industrial Park is sure to attract the attention of automotive suppliers. More than that though, it has attracted the attention of major automotive manufacturers like Nissan and Mercedes.

A 106-acre parcel and a 124-acre parcel in the park are available for prospective suppliers in this new industrial park. The park has superb access to transportation and skilled labor. A new interchange currently under construction will directly serve the park, placing it less than one hour and fifteen minutes from Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport, as well as only 15 minutes away from Auburn University, home to over 22,000 students, 3,400 of which are in engineering studies.

Cullman County, Alabama

Cullman Is Completely Surrounded By Major Assembly Plants

By Mike Randle

Cullman County is ideally located in north central Alabama within 600 miles of half the population of the U.S. The county's excellent transportation network is demonstrated by the fact that six companies have chosen Cullman for their distribution centers, including Wal-Mart, Badcock and Lee Jeans. Ease of product delivery is one of the automotive supplier industry's greatest concerns. Cullman provides suppliers an easy entry to assembly plants. In fact, Cullman is now surrounded by most of the South's auto assembly facilities including Mercedes and Honda in Alabama, Nissan in Mississippi and Tennessee, Ford and GM in Georgia and Saturn in Tennessee. And don't forget about the easy drive right up Interstate 65 to Kentucky's large assembly plants. All in all, Cullman is located within 200 miles of 10 major Southern OEMs and 16 within 400 miles.

Cullman has been one of the fastest growing non-MSA counties in Alabama in the past 10 years for new and expanding industry. In addition, Site Selection Magazine recently recognized Cullman with a ranking of 38th out of the top 100 cities in America for new and expanding industry during the past decade. Not bad recognition for a market that hasn't grown to MSA status as of yet. By the way, there are nearly 300 MSAs in the U.S. I wonder how many Cullman beat out in that Site Selection survey? Let's just say it was most of them.

Already, Cullman has attracted 10 automotive suppliers, led by REHAU, Webb Wheel Products, DCP-Lohja and Fleet Air. The county's prospective 11th supplier has the opportunity to move into an excellent 100,000-square-foot spec building that's available right now in Cullman. The building, completed in 2000, features a high ceiling, with 24' eaves. All utilities are in place and the city and county own the building, a situation that makes the facility much more affordable to suppliers.

In a state that has seen its annual transportation exports nearly quadruple in just one year (and that's not counting Honda's exports when the plant comes on line), Cullman stands out as an outstanding automotive supplier location in the American South.

For more information on Cullman County, contact Peggy Smith at 256-739-1891 (e-mail: peggys@cullmaneda.org) or go to www.cullmaneda.org

Decatur/Morgan County, Alabama

Decatur/Morgan County, Alabama is located in the heart of the automotive industry in the South. Newly announced facilities such as the Nissan plant north of Jackson, Mississippi, the Honda facility in Lincoln, Alabama, Toyota in Huntsville, Alabama as well as established facilities like Mercedes in Vance, Alabama, Saturn is Spring Hill, Tennessee and Nissan in Smyrna, Tennessee, are all located within a 300-mile radius of Morgan County. All of these facilities can be traveled to in 3-6 hours. There is also a Delphi Automotive Steering Gear facility employing about 2,700, just outside Morgan County.

Morgan County is an ideal location for suppliers to these facilities because of the close proximity and because of the industrial sites that they have to offer. There are sites ranging from just a few acres up to several hundred acres. One of county's most successful industrial parks, Mallard-Fox Creek, has approximately 350 acres remaining -- 269 acres being contiguous, with all utilities available at the site or within a short distance. There are numerous other privately owned sites, which are available as well.

Morgan County has a population of 107,869, according to 2000 Census figures. There are approximately 16,000 people in the Decatur MSA who are employed in the manufacturing sector. With many different training programs established, a two-year college, which is heavily involved in industrial training, and a top-of-the-line state training program, Alabama Industrial Development Training, Morgan County features a quality, well-prepared work force pool. Morgan County is ready to assist automotive suppliers and manufacturers in choosing the area for their next site location.

For more information on Decatur and Morgan County, contact John Hatfield at 256-353-1213 or go to www.mceda.org

Talladega County, Alabama

Talladega May Be The South's Hottest Automotive Location

Name a place anywhere that can call home one of the world's newest automotive assembly plants, some of world's largest automotive suppliers and the world's fastest speedway. That's what you will find in Talladega County, Alabama. Located east of Birmingham and just over 100 miles west of Atlanta, Talladega County has quickly become one of the South's fastest growing and most attractive automotive supplier locations. In just the last couple of years, Honda announced its newest North American assembly plant here (to build the Odyssey minivan and over 120,000 engines each year) and one of the world's largest automotive suppliers -- Teksid -- has already built one plant and begun another. The new Honda plant began operations in July. The first Odyssey to rollout of the plant is expected by the end of the year.

While the automotive industry is relatively new to Talladega County, racing is not. In 33 years the Talladega Superspeedway, the biggest, fastest, most competitive motorsports facility in the world, has brought millions of NASCAR fans to Talladega County. And now, Honda is helping bring numerous suppliers to Talladega.

The aforementioned Teksid, a division of Italian automaker Fiat, built an $80 million, 400-employee, aluminum engine castings plant in Talladega County. Prior to its completion, company officials announced they were building another facility in the county. Teksid is the world's largest manufacturer of aluminum cylinder heads.

Other suppliers have followed Teksid's lead. In May, Precision Strip of Minster, Ohio, selected a 67-acre site north of the city of Talladega and is building an 110,000-square-foot facility. Precision Strip processes steel and aluminum coils for the automotive industry among other sectors. And New South Express is building a 200,000-square-foot consolidation center on 58 acres in Talladega County.

Residents and officials of Talladega County have done an excellent job of preparing themselves for the big-time entry they have made into the automotive assembly and supplier business. For one, many residents of the county have been trained for work in automotive-related fields and the county has prepared sites in anticipation of a supplier onslaught. Honda supplier or not, Talladega County is ready for the next expansion of your automotive supplier business.

For more information on Talladega County, contact Calvin Miller at 256-245-8332 or go to www.tceda.com

Huntsville, Alabama

Toyoto Motor Manufacturing North America recently chose Huntsville for its $220 million, 300,000-square-foot V-8 engine assembly plant. The location is another strong signal that Alabama is for real in the automotive assembly and supplier game. Toyota joins other leading automotive-related companies such as DaimlerChrysler, Futaba, Goodyear/Dunlop, Engelhar and International Diesel in making Huntsville one of the South's emerging technology centers.

Previously known in the auto industry for electronics and tech manufacturing, Huntsville is quickly making a name as a growing location for engine assembly as well. Toyota's plant joins International Diesel's new $350 million, 500,000-square-foot engine assembly facility announced nearly two years ago.

GEORGIA

LaGrange, Georgia

LaGrange is located less than an hour from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, the busiest airport in the U.S. Two interstates connect in LaGrange, I-85 and I-185, plus U.S. 27 and 29 give excellent transportation access to the automotive center of the South. Furthermore, LaGrange is but a stone's throw from Opelika, Ala., which was the bridesmaid in the Nissan site search that eventually ended in Canton, Miss.

Sixty-plus industries are located in LaGrange and Troup County. Of these there are nine automotive related businesses employing 2,200. Auto suppliers from Germany, Japan and the U.S. have chosen LaGrange as a place to conduct business. They make airbags, metal trim, plastic trim, floor mats, pistons, brakes, batteries, powertrain systems and molded rubber products.

Other reasons suppliers should consider LaGrange center around the fact that this, like most markets in the South, is a non-union location. Incentives are very attractive and product for industry can't be beat. Reasonably priced land in two industrial parks, with utilities already in place as well as available buildings make LaGrange a place that you can move into and set up shop in a hurry. In addition, the World Teleport Association selected LaGrange as the "Intelligent City of the Year."

For more information on LaGrange and Troup County, contact Jane Fryer at 706-884-8671 (e-mail: jfryer@lagrangechamber.com) or go to www.lagrangechamber.com

KENTUCKY

Bardstown, Kentucky

Bardstown/Nelson County is one of the top 10 fastest growing counties in the State of Kentucky boasting a 26% growth rate over the recent decade. Also, the growth in young people 18 years of age and younger has increased 30% over the same period. Statistics indicate that Nelson County has a large labor pool of available workers both now and in the future. Nelson County has been designated a KREDA (Kentucky Rural Economic Development Act) county, which makes it eligible for very valuable tax and wage benefit credits that it can pass on to locating companies.

Bardstown is home to such automotive suppliers as Tower Automotive, Jideco, Intertec Systems, TrimMasters and many others. Interstate 65 and the four-lane Bluegrass Parkway serve Nelson County's heavy industrial transportation. Louisville International Airport is only 30 minutes away.

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Here's another market that is smack-dab in the middle of the South's (and the Midwest's) major automotive assembly plants. There are 62 automotive and truck plants in the South and Midwest within next day delivery of Bowling Green. This Kentucky market features immediate access to Interstate 65, the Cumberland Parkway and the William Natcher Parkway. Bowling Green is one hour away from one of the South's best airports, Nashville International, and about 90 miles from Louisville's airport.

GM employs over 1,000 in Bowling Green (Corvette plant), and Sumitomo Wiring employs almost 2,000. Holley Performance Products is a major supplier located in Bowling Green as is DESA.

LOUISIANA

Shreveport, Louisiana

Excitement Abounds in Shreveport

Some of the residents of Shreveport may seem a little anxious these days, but they have good reason to be. They're eagerly awaiting the completion of a new $750 million, 1.8 million-square-foot General Motors plant that Site Selection rated as one of the five largest construction projects in the U.S. for the year 2000.

Announced in December of 1999, the plant is being built on land adjacent to an existing GM facility that totals 2.1 million square feet. The new plant will house a body shop and general assembly area and include two of the automotive industry's latest innovations: an on-site stamping facility and a just-in-time delivery system. The delivery system frees GM from having to store significant amounts of inventory because suppliers deliver parts on an as-needed basis. This requires suppliers to be located within at least an hour of the plant, which is good news for Shreveport and Louisiana's economy. It also makes Shreveport an easy choice as one of the South's best automotive supplier locations.

Already, eight tier-one suppliers have made verbal commitments to locate in the area, with more expected to follow. In fact, the Greater Shreveport Chamber is betting suppliers will continue to locate in the area as long as the GM plant is in production.

Shreveport is strategically located to attract suppliers that have contracts in Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee and other Southern states. David Berzina, the Shreveport Chamber's senior vice-president for economic development, said he strongly believes GM and Shreveport are positioned in a strategic location in what is called "automotive alley." The state has increased its tax credit for automakers to $5,000 per-job-created in hope of attracting employers. In addition, a 10-year 100 percent tax abatement also adds to the appeal of a Shreveport location.

Annual reports within the last few years reveal GM's efforts to streamline the production process and replace aging structures by building new assembly plants capable of operating around the clock and flexible enough to be used for producing more than one type of vehicle. The new, expanded Shreveport plant will be just such a site.

The new GM plant in Shreveport will manufacture the Chevy Colorado. The new mid-size truck will serve as the replacement for the Chevy S-10 and GMC Sonoma, which have been built at the existing Shreveport plant. Not a lot is known about the Colorado except that it will offer more room and horsepower on a larger platform. GM doesn't want to reveal too much about the Colorado too soon. However, GM plant manager Tom Dennig said an early version of the Colorado might be unveiled at auto shows next year.

Training in Shreveport for skilled trade workers started in January and will continue through the first quarter of 2003. By then, the plant will be up and running. Construction is scheduled to be completed about this time next year. Right now, the concrete floor is being put down at a thickness of four feet so that it will be able to bear the weight of the plant's machinery. It's that machinery that will soon be brought to life, and with it will rest the hopes and dreams of all those employees who will depend upon it for their livelihoods. So, you'll forgive them if they seem a little anxious. They have reason to be.

For more information on Shreveport and its possibilities for your automotive supplier location, contact David Berzina at 318-677-2536 or go to www.shreveportchamber.org

MISSISSIPPI

Brookhaven, Mississippi

Why is Brookhaven and Lincoln County, Mississippi just right for automotive suppliers? It's Brookhaven's just in time location. The area is JIT to three different major automotive plants in the South: Nissan in Canton, Miss.; Mercedes in Vance, Ala.; and, GMC in Shreveport, La.

If your company is a prospective Nissan supplier, Brookhaven is a perfect location. It's south of Jackson, yet right on Interstate 55. Brookhaven is also located just 40 miles from I-20, 70 miles to I-10 and 80 miles from I-59.

The existing and affordable work force that is familiar with the automotive industry, is highly skilled in manufacturing operations. The available work force is supported by excellent public education and training. The Copiah-Lincoln Community College provides training to your employees free of charge. Brookhaven's K-12 consistently performs better than the state and national averages. Brookhaven is also home to the Mississippi School of the Arts.

Brookhaven has available sites now for automotive suppliers. The county runs an excellent industrial park and infrastructure is in place. Local incentives are also available for suppliers. If quality of life and location are important to you, check out Brookhaven as a site for your next expansion.

For more information on Brookhaven County, contact Chandler Russ at 601-833-141.

Vicksburg/Warren County, Mississippi

You'll Fall In Love With Vicksburg

By Mike Randle

I was much younger and still hell-bent to know and see every single county in the South when I pulled into a Vicksburg motel one early evening in September of 1994. The budget, yet clean and well-maintained motel had a panoramic view of the Mississippi River and the majestic bridge in Vicksburg that crossed it. During the evening I spent there, I sat on the bluffs overlooking the unbelievably powerful current of the Mississippi River and wondered what all had passed by that bridge. It was a sight that I remember vividly to this day.

I have visited over 1,000 markets in the South and Vicksburg will always go down as one of my 25 or 30 favorites. Apparently, Vicksburg has become a favorite among automotive suppliers as well. Jimmy Heidel, the former director of Mississippi's economic development efforts has stepped in to lead Vicksburg's economic development. That's certainly a good thing because Heidel, along with former Gov. Kirk Fordice, can be credited in part at changing Mississippi's economy forever. For example, 10 years ago, Mississippi could not have competed for a plant the size of Nissan's that is being built now just north of Jackson. Obviously today they can.

Vicksburg/Warren County is located right on I-20, only 45 minutes from the new Nissan site in Canton, Miss., and a short drive to the expanding General Motors' pickup truck plant in Shreveport. Location isn't all Vicksburg has to offer. It has product for industry that is envied by its peers. The only railroad crossing of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and Memphis is in Vicksburg. There's a major port facility with Port of Entry and Foreign Trade Zone status.

But, for you suppliers out there, Vicksburg has product and it's big time product. The Ceres Research and Industrial Interplex features 1,000 acres of industrial sites and it's located right on Interstate 20. Currently, several suppliers to the automotive industry are looking at the Ceres Research and Industrial Interplex. I suggest you take a similar look. Like me, I think you will fall in love with Vicksburg.

For more information on why Vicksburg is one of the South's best automotive supplier markets, contact Jimmy Heidel at 601-636-1012 or go to www.vicksburgliving.com

Metro Jackson

Metro Jackson is home to the South's newest automotive assembly plant. And what a plant it will be! Nissan's new facility in Canton, located just north of Jackson directly on Interstate 55, is one of the largest start ups in the South's history. The $930 million, 4,000-employee facility is the jewel of Mississippi's recent economic development resurgence.

Metro Jackson, in central Mississippi, offers an exceptional opportunity as a location for automotive suppliers. The area is advantageously located within a 700-mile region where a network of parts and components suppliers and automotive plants such as the Tennessee Saturn plant, the Kentucky Toyota plant, the South Carolina BMW plant and the Alabama Mercedes and Honda plants have been sited. In addition, the $930 million Mississippi Nissan manufacturing plant is under construction in Metro Jackson and will be completed in 2003. This plant, with a capacity of 250,000 vehicles a year, will produce a full-size pickup truck, a full-size sports utility vehicle and the next generation minivan.

Meridian/Lauderdale County

Lauderdale County, Miss., and the city of Meridian are located on two interstates and two mainline railroads halfway between the new Nissan plant in Mississippi and the Mercedes facility in Alabama. A new industrial park of more than 600 acres can provide companies with adequate space to service the growing auto industry in the Southeast. The area has a long history with automotive suppliers. Pioneer, Inc., a distributor of auto parts, expanded its distribution center within the past four years. Delco Remy of America produced auto parts for more than 20 years in Meridian. With Nissan and Mercedes suppliers looking to the South for sites, it's hard to discount Lauderdale County's transportation infrastructure, available sites and superb location.

Columbus/Lowndes County

What More Could an Automotive Supplier Want?

Columbus and greater Lowndes County, Miss., feature an abundant, technically competent labor force, excellent water, rail, air and highway transportation facilities and reliable, reasonably priced utilities. Does your supplier operation need more than that? How about fully developed industrial sites, available industrial buildings ready for immediate occupancy and a JIT location that's close to Alabama's Mercedes-Benz plant and Mississippi's Nissan plant?

All of this can be found in Columbus, Miss. Add the area's business friendly environment and excellent education facilities with K-PhD and you may have a perfect location for prospective automotive suppliers searching sites in the South.

In addition, the Columbus/Lowndes County Economic Development Association has an available, 57,600-square-foot speculative building that is highly suitable for most tier two automotive suppliers. The facility sits on six acres in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park and features 24-foot ceiling heights at the eaves and 34-foot heights at the center.

This brand new building is expandable and has two truck-dock doors, bay spacing of 40' x 40' and is served by a 16" main water line. All utilities are in place. If you are a supplier to any of the South's major automakers, a site in Columbus/Lowndes County will be an excellent choice.

For more information on Columbus/Lowndes County contact Charleigh Ford, CED, executive director of the Columbus/Lowndes EDA at 662-328-8369 (email: cford@cleda.com) or go on the Web to www.cleda.com

NORTH CAROLINA

Mooresville, North Carolina

Mooresville, nicknamed "Race City, USA," is home to over 60 race teams, representing all levels and racing divisions. It is also home to the NC Auto Racing Hall of Fame & Museum, the highlight of many racing fans' pilgrimages to the area. Besides race teams, more than 70 race-related businesses, such as racing suppliers, parts companies and marketing and advertising establishments are located in the Mooresville area.

While racing teams are king in Mooresville, suppliers to the automotive manufacturing industry find the area to be very attractive. Located here are major operations for Eaton Corporation, Toyo Seal, NGK Ceramics, Downey Products, Master Power Brakes, Parker Hannifin, Simpson Products and Signal Technology Systems.

Statesville, North Carolina

The Statesville area is certainly a prime location for automotive suppliers. Situated at the intersection of I-77 and I-40, Statesville gives easy access to automotive manufacturers from the Midwest throughout the Southeast. Statesville's central location along the East Coast gives one-day truck access to over 60% of the U.S. population.

The area is located just 45 minutes from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and features numerous sites and buildings available for potential suppliers. Suppliers to the auto industry already doing business in Statesville include ASMO North Carolina, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Trim Systems and Dana Corporation, among others.

Gastonia/Gaston County, North Carolina

For Automotive Suppliers, It's Hard To Beat Gastonia, N.C.

The Charlotte, N.C. area is well known for its automotive supplier companies. Gaston County, which is located less than 30 minutes from downtown Charlotte and about 20 minutes from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, owns up to that reputation. This market is a natural for automotive suppliers with excellent access to markets in the South, Midwest and Northeast. Gastonia also has excellent product availability, with several industrial parks and outstanding buildings available to suppliers to the many major automotive plants that are located in the American South.

Well known companies in Gastonia/Gaston County that are automotive-related include Freightliner, Bridgestone/Firestone and DANA/Wix. Wix is putting the finishing touches on a new regional office in Gastonia. Stabilus and CWW-Gerko are other automotive suppliers located in Gastonia or Gaston County. Both are foreign owned. In fact, DANA is the only American-owned automotive company located in Gaston County. That supports a major trend linked to the South's automotive industry; foreign-owned automotive manufacturers and suppliers have fallen in love with the American South.

Gaston County offers outstanding proximity to major assembly plants in the South, particularly BMW in Greer, S.C. CWW-Gerko is an important supplier to BMW's large assembly plant in Greer. But what makes Gastonia one of the South's best automotive supplier locations centers around the community itself. This is a community built on manufacturing and its work force thrives in a manufacturing environment.

For more information on Gastonia and Gaston County's sites for automotive suppliers, contact Steve Stout, president, Greater Gaston Development Corporation at 704-864-6646 or by email at steves@gastonchamber.com

OKLAHOMA

Ardmore, Oklahoma

One Of The Western South's Premier Automotive Supplier Locations

Situated on I-35, midway between Dallas and Oklahoma City, Ardmore is strategically located for tier one automotive industry suppliers. The region served from an Ardmore location easily reaches GM's plants in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Shreveport. The Peterbilt plant in Denton, Tex., and the AMTRAN bus plant in Tulsa are added potential customers for truck and auto suppliers. The Ardmore location has proven to be advantageous for National Seating, a supplier to the Denton Peterbilt plant.

The Ardmore Development Authority (ADA) has numerous sites ready to build in any of four industrial parks that are located adjacent to or within five minutes of I-35. Westport Industrial Park, for example, fronts I-35 and provides interstate access from either end of the 200-acre park. Michelin Tire Corporation's distribution center is located in this new complex.

The ADA's ownership of prime industrial sites and buildings is a prime cost saving advantage for companies considering a new location. When coupled with a unique build-to-suit and sale or lease program, industries have experienced a fast, painless and cost-effective way to enter a new market.

ADA owns buildings ranging from a small office to a 750,000-square-foot distribution facility. Their portfolio also includes a variety of industrial buildings and, in an innovative approach to cost savings, even some major industrial machinery which is leased, tax free, to the tenant.

Perhaps the greatest asset is the ongoing relationship between the ADA and local industries. Ardmore has a decided non-union attitude and the organization takes the lead and spends their time and money to help companies remain union free. There have been only two elections in the last 20 years and in each election the ADA-led "vote no" effort prevailed with overwhelming margins.

The organization also teams with the Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence to provide technical expertise, ISO 2000 assistance, engineering analysis, marketing support and other services that help local companies succeed.

Another innovative program is called TASO (Training Alliance of Southern Oklahoma). The members of TASO include local industries, the Manufacturer's Alliance, ADA and the local Technology Center. Currently, TASO is training technicians in an employer-led apprenticeship type program. Extensive (college credit hour) training is provided in electricity, electronics, mechanical, programmable logic controller, pneumatics and hydraulics. The TASO program provides local industries with a steady stream of qualified and hard to find industrial technicians.

Ardmore is committed to assisting automotive suppliers and has the training programs, industrial sites and community infrastructure in place to assure a profitable location.

For more information on Ardmore, Oklahoma, contact Wes Stucky, president of the Ardmore Chamber at 580-223-7765 (email: wstucky@ardmore.com) or look them up on the Web at ardmore.org

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Retooling of GM Plant Brings More Suppliers to OKC

Not too long ago, J.D. Power and Associates named Oklahoma City's General Motors facility as the No. 1 quality auto assembly plant in North America. So what does GM do? It retools the plant for production of a sports utility vehicle. While the plant expands and retools, suppliers are biting at the bit. Textron recently located a new instrument panel manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City and Delphi has also chosen the area for an expansion.

If what you are looking for in a supplier location is a major Southern market, with low operating costs and a tremendous work force, this is your place. For example, in the annual North American Cost of Doing Business Review, Economy.com, Inc., found Oklahoma City's overall cost of doing business to be one of the three lowest of the 162 metro areas surveyed in the U.S. The city was given an index of 81.8, compared to 94.2 for Dallas, 98.7 for Denver, 107.9 for Chicago and 100.7 for Seattle. Oklahoma City's index was also one of the South's lowest indexes found in the report.

As for labor, this market is home to more than 100,000 college students, so labor availability simply regenerates each and every year. Besides, you can't place second in the major market category (see SB&D 100 section in this edition) without having highly skilled and available labor.

For more information on Oklahoma City and the opportunities it provides for automotive suppliers, call the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-616-1114 or 405-297-8900. You can look them up on the Web at www.okcchamber.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

Sumter, South Carolina

The automotive business in Sumter got its start in 1965 when Exide (now Enersys) built a plant to manufacture batteries. Enersys continues to make batteries in Sumter today. The plant was a milestone for the former farming community of 100,000, because the new facility signified Sumter's entry into manufacturing sectors that for the first time were non-agriculture related.

Two new Kaydon plants broke ground in Sumter in the 1970s, supplying precision bearings to the auto industry. But it wasn't until Allied Signal (now Bosch) brought an auto brakes plant to Sumter in 1981 that the auto industry really began to take off. Bosch liked the community so much it built a second plant just a couple of years later. And it has lead to numerous spin-offs, creating a cluster of automotive industries in Sumter.

Companies involved in automotive like Armoloy, Carolina Filters, Sumter Packaging, EMS-Chemie, Jemison-Demsey metals and Midwest Stamping have opened facilities in Sumter. Today there are 15 plants and about 2,600 employees in the auto industry in Sumter, which is about 20 percent of the manufacturing work force.

Aiken/Edgefield Counties, South Carolina

Well-Positioned for Automotive Suppliers

This South Carolina location, which sits directly on Interstate 20 near Augusta, Ga., is within one day's drive to over 1,000 automotive assemblers and suppliers. Aiken/Edgefield is well positioned for automotive suppliers. In fact, suppliers for BMW, Honda, Daimler and others are either currently operating in the area or are in the process of choosing a site.

In the Aiken area, the largest supplier of major automotive manufacturers is Bridgestone/Firestone. Even though the company has had its difficulties, production at the Aiken plant is high and because of the company's new equipment and a skilled work force, the product from this plant is exceptional. Bridgestone supplies both domestic and foreign automotive manufacturers from this location.

The Bridgestone Aiken plant, located in Sage Mill Industrial Park, has the distinction of being the fastest startup of any major tire producer in the world. That is indicative of the cooperation of the local community, the state of South Carolina and the regulatory agencies and their commitment to business.

Other automotive suppliers in Aiken and Edgefield counties include SKF, USA, Rieter Automotive, Carlisle Engineered Products and Newman Technology, a Japanese company. SKF, a Swedish company that is also located in the 1,700-acre Sage Mill Park, is a major supplier to several automakers with wheel hub assemblies and various parts.

Another attractive item about Aiken and Edgefield is low unionization rates. Edgefield County has no unionized manufacturing plants and there are no unionized automotive suppliers in Aiken. The exceptional productivity of the local workers in relation to other areas of the U.S. has been attested to by new industries and those who have been in the area for decades. A new resource suppliers can use in the area is the manufacturing center located at Aiken Technical College. The center was built to service the needs of the manufacturing companies in the area with modern facilities and equipment. This center is just another reason why Aiken/Edgefield is one of the South's best automotive supplier locations.

For more information on Aiken and Edgefield Counties, contact Fred Humes at 803-648-3362 (email: edpsc@aol.com) or look them up on the Web at www.edpsc.org

TENNESSEE

Northeast Tennessee

A Proven Automotive Supplier Location

Northeast Tennessee, which includes the Johnson City/Kingsport/Bristol MSA, is a proven location for suppliers to the South's automotive and truck assembly plants. Northeast Tennessee is also one of the South's hottest markets year-in-and-year out as evidenced by it No. 2 ranking in the mid-market category in this year's SB&D 100 (see section in this edition). This year marks the third year in nine years that Northeast Tennessee has been recognized as one of the of the top three mid-markets in the South. It was named the top mid-market in the South in 1996.

The Northeast Tennessee region currently features 50 companies supplying just in time parts to the South's automotive assembly plants. That's a lot of automotive suppliers. Everything from Exide's batteries, Mahle's pistons, TRW's steering systems to Superior Industries' aluminum wheels are manufactured in Northeast Tennessee.

Attractive automotive supplier locations such as Northeast Tennessee many times don't have available product for new industry simply because new and expanding companies constantly gobble it up. That's not the case in Northeast Tennessee. There are 28 excellent buildings for sale or lease and ready for occupancy for prospective automotive suppliers in Northeast Tennessee.

This region is a strong manufacturing area, even though it has a diversity that is unique to regions that depend so strongly on manufacturing. You will find Northeast Tennessee a superb location for your supplier operation.

For more information on Northeast Tennessee's sites for automotive suppliers, contact Jim Anderson, CED, director of the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional IDA at 423-323-1203.

Shelbyville, Tennessee

Automotive Technology and Excellent Labor Make Shelbyville a Prime Location

Located in central Tennessee, Shelbyville/Bedford County is situated directly in the middle of several of the South's newest and largest automotive assembly plants. Calsonic, a manufacturer of climate control exhaust and heat exchange systems for Nissan and other automakers, took into account Shelbyville's excellent location and recently built its North American manufacturing facilities there.

And what a facility it is. Robots and 1,000 employees work in tandem in one of the most highly technical facilities of its type in the world. High technology aside, Calsonic officials maintain its the old fashioned work ethic of its 1,000 employees that drives the company's growth. In addition to Calsonic, Century Mold and Eaton Corporation employ well over 300 workers at their injection molding and truck transmission plants.

Shelbyville has 195 acres available at its Airport Business Park, which is located directly across from the Shelbyville Municipal Airport. The site is located on U.S. 231, a four-lane divided highway connecting to Interstate 24. Utilities are on site and a complete site analysis, including soils, geology and hydrology is available.

For more information on Shelbyville/Bedford County's sites for automotive suppliers, contact Walter Wood, CED, executive director of the Shelbyville/Bedford County Chamber at 931-684-3482 (email: bedfordchamber@cafes.net) or go to www.shelbyvilletn.com

Carroll County, Tennessee

Break Out the Map -- Now this is a Strategic Supplier Location

The location of this West Tennessee county is excellent for suppliers to the South's automotive industry. Located halfway between Memphis and Nashville, there are 13 auto and truck assembly plants within a day's drive of Carroll County. Five automotive and truck suppliers already call Carroll County home and there are 300 acres set aside under the county's control that can accompany five more. In addition, in the county there are six buildings available ranging from 40,000 square feet to 450,000 square feet.

Carroll County has been on a hot streak as of late, supporting the fact that this is an outstanding supplier location. More companies have selected Carroll County in the last three years for their new plant than any other West Tennessee county with the exception of Shelby County (Memphis). Carroll County is also home of the single-largest manufacturing capital investment in the history of West Tennessee, the $240 million expansion of Norandal USA in Huntingdon.

From Carroll County, a supplier would have easy access not only to major assembly plants in Tennessee and Kentucky, but the new Nissan plant in Mississippi, Mercedes and Honda in Alabama, as well as domestic plants in Missouri.

For more information on Carroll County, contact Brad Hurley at 901-986-4664 or look them up on the World Wide Web at www.cchamber@iswt.com

TEXAS

McAllen, Texas

McAllen, Texas - THE Automotive Supplier Area

The McAllen, Texas/Reynosa Mexico metro area is an ideal location for automotive supplier companies to set up operations. There are many factors that have propelled McAllen/Reynosa into one of the premier automotive supplier areas in the country. These are some of the same factors that earned McAllen the "Top Middle Market" in the South award in this year's SB&D 100 (see section in this issue).

McAllen/Reynosa is one of the most strategic locations to supply plants in the U.S. and in Mexico while still providing price savings for their automotive customers. According to news releases from the U.S. automotive industry, 40% of their work force will reach retirement age in the next three to five years. In an already tight U.S. labor market, this will create a real challenge for automotive suppliers. The present unemployment rate in McAllen is 11.5% and there is an equally high unemployment rate in Reynosa, Mexico.

McAllen/Reynosa also provides automotive companies with a logistics advantage for shipment of product going both North and South. Trucking and direct air freight suppliers travel to Detroit and other automotive centers in the Midwest as well as international air freight connections going virtually anywhere in the world. Many McAllen-based companies ship daily to automotive plants worldwide.

McAllen/Reynosa offers an excellent supplier base to support the automotive industry including:

* Component manufacturing
* Tool shops
* Automation companies
* Plastic injection molding
* Metal stampings

You owe it to yourself to check out why McAllen, Texas/Reynosa, Mexico could be the answer you have been looking for. For more information, fill out the reader service card in the front of the magazine, or call the McAllen Economic Development Corporation at (956) 682-2875. You may visit their website at: http://www.medc.org or email them at nancyb@medc.org.

VIRGINIA

Wythe County

The intersection of I-77, I-81 and future I-74 in southwest Virginia provides an ideal site for servicing a variety of auto and truck assembly plants. Several auto/truck-related manufacturing companies already have operations in the area. The new 1,210-acre Wythe County Progress Park provides a variety of sites, some with rail service, several of which can accommodate buildings over one million square feet. The park was previously identified as an ideal Super Site by Southern Business & Development.

Due to recent relocations of some operations to Mexico and restructuring of corporate headquarters, the region has an unemployment rate of three times the state average with a substantial number of skilled and experienced workers available.

Additional key advantages for automotive suppliers are location in an Enterprise Zone, Foreign Trade Zone proximity and nearby Wytheville Community College, which has a strong commitment to customized work force training. Low cost of operations and Virginia's favorable business climate further contribute to make Progress Park one of the best automotive supplier locations in the American South.

Roanoke Valley, Virginia

Growing Transportation Cluster in Roanoke Valley

Why are so many transportation-related manufacturers located in the Roanoke Valley? Its central mid-Atlantic location that's only a day's shipping distance from most of the transportation manufacturing centers in the U.S. is one primary reason. Access to Virginia's Smart Road, the nation's most advanced test bed for Intelligent Transportation Systems technology, and Virginia Tech's Transportation Institute are two other reasons why transportation-related companies land in Roanoke.

But the main reason why this is an excellent automotive supplier location is because its near many of the South's primary assembly operations and like other markets in the South, business costs here are well below the national average. Roanoke Valley's work force is technologically skilled, with innovative, new work force training initiatives supplementing a well-developed network of universities, community colleges and public schools.

Altec Industries, Koyo Steering Systems of USA, Dynax America, Virginia Forge, Metalsa Roanoke, Vishay Vitramon, American Commercial Assembly, Graham-White Manufacturing and Acadia Polymers are just some of the transportation companies making up an impressive cluster in the Roanoke Valley. Here, everything from power steering systems to transmission parts to vehicle frames are manufactured or assembled, or both.

This location has become especially popular among companies in the transportation industry because from Roanoke there is excellent access to both Detroit and the growing Southern Automotive Corridor. All in all, the Roanoke Valley is certainly one of the South's best automotive supplier locations and it seems to get better all the time.

For more information on the Roanoke Valley's sites and opportunities for automotive suppliers, contact Phillip F. Sparks, executive director of the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership at 1-800-LOCATE2 or visit Roanoke Valley on the World Wide Web at www.roanoke.org

Other Great Automotive Supplier Locations in the South

Alabama: Birmingham, Clanton, Guntersville, Limestone County, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, St. Clair County.

Arkansas: Little Rock, Texarkana.

Georgia: Carrollton, Columbus, Rome.

Kansas: Kansas City, Wichita.

Kentucky: Danville, Elizabethtown, Glasgow, Lexington, Louisville, Shelbyville, Somerset.

Louisiana: Bossier City, Minden, Monroe.

Maryland: Washington County.

Mississippi: Batesville, Granada, Kosciusko, Tupelo, Yazoo City, Winona. Missouri: Kansas City, St. Louis.

North Carolina: Charlotte, Hickory, Salisbury, Winston-Salem.

Oklahoma: Lawton.

South Carolina: Anderson, Columbia, Greenwood, Orangeburg, Spartanburg.

Tennessee: Coffee County, Jackson, Maury County, McMinn County, Rutherford County, Winchester County.

Texas: Dallas/Fort Worth, Kilgore, Longview, Marshall, Sherman, Tyler.

Virginia: Christianburg, Danville, Hampton Roads, Lynchburg, Martinsburg. West Virginia: Charleston, Putnam County.