$18M facility coming to Georgia to build HVAC systems for EVs

Another automotive parts manufacturer is building a plant in Georgia to supply the Hyundai Motor Group's $5.54 billion electric vehicle factory near Savannah.

Woory Industrial Co., a South Korean producer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for vehicles, announced Wednesday it will construct an $18 million factory in Dublin, roughly 95 miles northwest of Hyundai's Metaplant. Woory promised to hire 130 workers.

Hyundai suppliers have been moving in droves to rural and Coastal Georgia to partner with the future EV manufacturing plant. Eight large parts companies, also known as tier one suppliers, have announced factories within the Metaplant's orbit.

"The entire supplier initiative is a project in itself," Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

While Woory's project is smaller in comparison, Gov. Brian Kemp said the project still furthers the state's goal to become a leader in the electrification of transportation.

"We’re proud to welcome Woory Industrial as the latest job creator to help us on the path to becoming the e-mobility capital of the nation," Kemp said in a news release.

Founded in 1989, Woory focused on HVAC components for traditional gas-powered cars but is expanding into EVs. Jungwoo Kim, the company's CEO, said in the release that Georgia presents Woory the opportunity "to take another step forward as part of the vanguard of EV development."

Unlike internal combustion engines, electric batteries do not have a heating source and need systems to regulate battery temperatures. Woory's Georgia factory will focus on this specific technology, the release said.

The company is also a supplier for Rivian, which promised to build a $5 billion EV factory in southern Morgan and Walton counties. Other Woory EV clients include Tesla, Lucid and Canoo.

Woory's factory will be located at 404 Kellam Road in Dublin, the county seat of Laurens County. It's Woory's first manufacturing location in the United States, and it's expected to begin operations in November.

Auto plants are coveted by states for not only their direct jobs but from those of suppliers.

Since 2020, EV makers and their suppliers have announced more than 40 projects totaling more than 28,400 announced jobs and $22.7 billion in anticipated investment, according to Kemp's office.

Wilson said the future EV factories and all of the spillover benefits are akin to a new industrial revolution in Georgia, one he expects to becoming a defining aspect of the Peach State's economy.

"This is a revolution that is happening and these are generational (opportunities)," he said.

About the Author

Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.

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